REMEDY: Staking Claims
Title: Staking Claims (15/15)
Author: enchanted_jae
Pairing: D/H
Rating: PG
Warning(s): Mentions of slash
Word count: 1175
Teaser: Pansy was just tall enough that Draco had to make an effort to look around her to keep Potter in sight.
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This drabble/fic was written for fun, not for profit.
Author's note: The final installment of 'Remedy'. This one follows from Practice Makes Perfect, in which Draco finally benefited from all the time and training he had invested in Harry.
Summary: At the inter-house party, Draco's attention is focused solely on Potter and his date.
Draco took extra care in preparing for the inter-house party at Ravenclaw, dressing in black from head to toe. He knew he looked good in black, as it was a perfect foil for his pale coloring. He told himself he wanted to look his best because he had a reputation to uphold. It was certainly not because he wanted to look good for Potter. Draco hadn't spoken to Potter in the days since their last shag. Oh, he had seen the git around, in the Great Hall and in some of their shared classes, but they had barely acknowledged one another's presence. They hadn't even argued or fought. Draco found himself missing that. He was not missing Potter, no, just their usual bickering. A couple of times, he had seen Potter in earnest conversation with Longbottom, their dark heads bent close together, and he had felt a stab of...irritation. They looked ridiculous with one another, as neither of them possessed any fashion sense or more than rudimentary grooming habits. Draco wondered if they were already shagging. It annoyed him to think that all of the time and effort he'd spent on Potter was to be wasted on Longbottom, of all people.
Putting the finishing touches on his appearance, Draco made his way to the Slytherin common room, where he met up with Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson, Zabini and Bulstrode. They had agreed to go to the party as a group, and Draco led the way through the corridors of the old castle. Arriving at Ravenclaw's common room, the group of Slytherins was admitted after surrendering their wands at the door. Draco had thought they were fashionably late, but as he looked about the gathering, he didn't spot either Potter or Longbottom. Perhaps they had decided to stay behind in their dorm room, instead. Draco frowned at the thought. He had rather wanted Potter to come running to him for advice, purely for the entertainment factor it would provide to what was destined to be an otherwise dull party. Snagging a cup of punch from a table of refreshments, Draco took a sip and gazed idly about. There was music playing, and some couples were already dancing, including the Weasel and Granger. They were pressed closer together than could be considered friendly. 'About time', Draco snorted to himself.
A sudden flurry at the entrance to the common room caught his attention, and Draco turned in time to see Potter arrive with Longbottom on his arm. Potter was dressed in a pair of denims and a red, long sleeved shirt that clung to the planes of his chest...a chest that Draco was all too familiar with. Draco watched them surreptitiously as they made their way into the room, greeting friends and pausing now and then to engage in conversation with some people. They were currently laughing with that Ravenclaw bloke who had been trying to woo Potter several days ago. Apparently Billy or Brent or whatever his name was, was a gracious loser, as he didn't seem too vexed at having lost Potter to Longbottom. Draco sneered and thought if it had been him who had been trumped by Longbottom for Potter's affections, he would have hexed the other Gryffindor boy on sight. Frowning at the direction his thoughts had taken, Draco slammed back the rest of his punch, then found Pansy and asked her to dance.
Pansy joined him readily enough on the dance floor, but unlike Weasley and Granger, she made sure to keep a respectable distance between them. Draco didn't much care, as he had no desire to feel soft breasts pressed against his chest. No, what he wanted was another boy in his arms. One who was all hard planes and angles, like Potter. Draco's step faltered, and it took him a moment to recover. Pansy raised a questioning eyebrow at him, but she wisely kept silent when she noted Draco's scowl. Pansy was just tall enough that Draco had to make an effort to look around her to keep Potter in sight. He didn't want to miss it when the Gryffindork began bumbling and stammering around his new boyfriend.
It wasn't long before Draco saw Potter take Longbottom's elbow and guide him to the dance floor. 'This should prove amusing', he thought. Instead of stumbling and looking flustered, however, Potter drew his boyfriend into his arms, and Longbottom burrowed close, lacing his hands behind Potter's neck and melting against him. Draco became inexplicably angry. How dare they engage in such a...an unseemly display! Unconsciously, he tightened his grip on Pansy. Wincing, she pried his hands from her waist and exclaimed, "Draco, what's wrong with you?"
"Sorry, Pansy," Draco apologized with a forced smile. They made a slow turn, and Draco lost sight of the two Gryffindors momentarily. As they swung back around, Draco's eyes automatically sought out Potter and his date. He was just in time to see Longbottom's hands slide down Potter's back and onto his...backside.
Draco saw red, and it wasn't Potter's shirt.
Releasing Pansy abruptly, Draco stomped over to the dark haired pair and jabbed Longbottom on the shoulder. "May I cut in?" he asked tightly, showing lots of teeth in a parody of a smile.
"Now, listen here, Malfoy," Longbottom began to bluster.
Draco grabbed a fistful of the other boy's shirt and yanked him close until they were nose to nose. "No. You listen," hissed Draco, eyes narrowing dangerously. "Potter belongs to me. Now back off before you find yourself eating through a straw for the next several meals!" After uttering his threat, Draco shoved Longbottom away from him. Without waiting for a response from his rival, Draco grabbed Potter and hauled him into his arms where he belonged, whirling him away from a still sputtering Longbottom.
Potter opened his mouth, presumably to protest Draco's rough treatment of both himself and his former boyfriend, but Draco gave him no chance. "Mine," he growled, pulling Potter more firmly against himself. One heartbeat passed before Potter relaxed into Draco's embrace and rested his chin on the blond's shoulder. Relieved, Draco allowed himself a small, victorious smile. Potter felt right in his arms, and he wasn't going to let the prat go again.
Apparently feeling the need to talk about things, Potter began, "Malfoy, I..."
Draco interrupted him by saying, "You're going to have to get used to calling me 'Draco'...Harry." The other's name at once felt both odd and comforting on his tongue.
Harry sighed and snuggled closer, and Draco brushed a kiss across the other boy's temple, his gray eyes closing in lazy contentment. As a result, he didn't see his new boyfriend give a thumbs up and a wink to Longbottom and Bradley the Ravenclaw behind his back.
Harry turned his head and nibbled lightly on Draco's earlobe before whispering in his ear, "Have I ever told you how I was nearly sorted into Slytherin?"
~End~
Additional author's note: Special thanks to everyone who has followed this series from its modest beginnings as a one-shot response to an AWDT challenge. To the friends I picked up along the way, thank you, also, for making this series so fun and such a success. I feel a bit sad to put an "End" up there, but it was time. I may visit this verse again from time to time to see how Harry and Draco are doing, but the series itself is now complete. Thanks again, to everyone!
Author: enchanted_jae
Pairing: D/H
Rating: PG
Warning(s): Mentions of slash
Word count: 1175
Teaser: Pansy was just tall enough that Draco had to make an effort to look around her to keep Potter in sight.
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This drabble/fic was written for fun, not for profit.
Author's note: The final installment of 'Remedy'. This one follows from Practice Makes Perfect, in which Draco finally benefited from all the time and training he had invested in Harry.
Summary: At the inter-house party, Draco's attention is focused solely on Potter and his date.
Draco took extra care in preparing for the inter-house party at Ravenclaw, dressing in black from head to toe. He knew he looked good in black, as it was a perfect foil for his pale coloring. He told himself he wanted to look his best because he had a reputation to uphold. It was certainly not because he wanted to look good for Potter. Draco hadn't spoken to Potter in the days since their last shag. Oh, he had seen the git around, in the Great Hall and in some of their shared classes, but they had barely acknowledged one another's presence. They hadn't even argued or fought. Draco found himself missing that. He was not missing Potter, no, just their usual bickering. A couple of times, he had seen Potter in earnest conversation with Longbottom, their dark heads bent close together, and he had felt a stab of...irritation. They looked ridiculous with one another, as neither of them possessed any fashion sense or more than rudimentary grooming habits. Draco wondered if they were already shagging. It annoyed him to think that all of the time and effort he'd spent on Potter was to be wasted on Longbottom, of all people.
Putting the finishing touches on his appearance, Draco made his way to the Slytherin common room, where he met up with Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson, Zabini and Bulstrode. They had agreed to go to the party as a group, and Draco led the way through the corridors of the old castle. Arriving at Ravenclaw's common room, the group of Slytherins was admitted after surrendering their wands at the door. Draco had thought they were fashionably late, but as he looked about the gathering, he didn't spot either Potter or Longbottom. Perhaps they had decided to stay behind in their dorm room, instead. Draco frowned at the thought. He had rather wanted Potter to come running to him for advice, purely for the entertainment factor it would provide to what was destined to be an otherwise dull party. Snagging a cup of punch from a table of refreshments, Draco took a sip and gazed idly about. There was music playing, and some couples were already dancing, including the Weasel and Granger. They were pressed closer together than could be considered friendly. 'About time', Draco snorted to himself.
A sudden flurry at the entrance to the common room caught his attention, and Draco turned in time to see Potter arrive with Longbottom on his arm. Potter was dressed in a pair of denims and a red, long sleeved shirt that clung to the planes of his chest...a chest that Draco was all too familiar with. Draco watched them surreptitiously as they made their way into the room, greeting friends and pausing now and then to engage in conversation with some people. They were currently laughing with that Ravenclaw bloke who had been trying to woo Potter several days ago. Apparently Billy or Brent or whatever his name was, was a gracious loser, as he didn't seem too vexed at having lost Potter to Longbottom. Draco sneered and thought if it had been him who had been trumped by Longbottom for Potter's affections, he would have hexed the other Gryffindor boy on sight. Frowning at the direction his thoughts had taken, Draco slammed back the rest of his punch, then found Pansy and asked her to dance.
Pansy joined him readily enough on the dance floor, but unlike Weasley and Granger, she made sure to keep a respectable distance between them. Draco didn't much care, as he had no desire to feel soft breasts pressed against his chest. No, what he wanted was another boy in his arms. One who was all hard planes and angles, like Potter. Draco's step faltered, and it took him a moment to recover. Pansy raised a questioning eyebrow at him, but she wisely kept silent when she noted Draco's scowl. Pansy was just tall enough that Draco had to make an effort to look around her to keep Potter in sight. He didn't want to miss it when the Gryffindork began bumbling and stammering around his new boyfriend.
It wasn't long before Draco saw Potter take Longbottom's elbow and guide him to the dance floor. 'This should prove amusing', he thought. Instead of stumbling and looking flustered, however, Potter drew his boyfriend into his arms, and Longbottom burrowed close, lacing his hands behind Potter's neck and melting against him. Draco became inexplicably angry. How dare they engage in such a...an unseemly display! Unconsciously, he tightened his grip on Pansy. Wincing, she pried his hands from her waist and exclaimed, "Draco, what's wrong with you?"
"Sorry, Pansy," Draco apologized with a forced smile. They made a slow turn, and Draco lost sight of the two Gryffindors momentarily. As they swung back around, Draco's eyes automatically sought out Potter and his date. He was just in time to see Longbottom's hands slide down Potter's back and onto his...backside.
Draco saw red, and it wasn't Potter's shirt.
Releasing Pansy abruptly, Draco stomped over to the dark haired pair and jabbed Longbottom on the shoulder. "May I cut in?" he asked tightly, showing lots of teeth in a parody of a smile.
"Now, listen here, Malfoy," Longbottom began to bluster.
Draco grabbed a fistful of the other boy's shirt and yanked him close until they were nose to nose. "No. You listen," hissed Draco, eyes narrowing dangerously. "Potter belongs to me. Now back off before you find yourself eating through a straw for the next several meals!" After uttering his threat, Draco shoved Longbottom away from him. Without waiting for a response from his rival, Draco grabbed Potter and hauled him into his arms where he belonged, whirling him away from a still sputtering Longbottom.
Potter opened his mouth, presumably to protest Draco's rough treatment of both himself and his former boyfriend, but Draco gave him no chance. "Mine," he growled, pulling Potter more firmly against himself. One heartbeat passed before Potter relaxed into Draco's embrace and rested his chin on the blond's shoulder. Relieved, Draco allowed himself a small, victorious smile. Potter felt right in his arms, and he wasn't going to let the prat go again.
Apparently feeling the need to talk about things, Potter began, "Malfoy, I..."
Draco interrupted him by saying, "You're going to have to get used to calling me 'Draco'...Harry." The other's name at once felt both odd and comforting on his tongue.
Harry sighed and snuggled closer, and Draco brushed a kiss across the other boy's temple, his gray eyes closing in lazy contentment. As a result, he didn't see his new boyfriend give a thumbs up and a wink to Longbottom and Bradley the Ravenclaw behind his back.
Harry turned his head and nibbled lightly on Draco's earlobe before whispering in his ear, "Have I ever told you how I was nearly sorted into Slytherin?"
~End~
Additional author's note: Special thanks to everyone who has followed this series from its modest beginnings as a one-shot response to an AWDT challenge. To the friends I picked up along the way, thank you, also, for making this series so fun and such a success. I feel a bit sad to put an "End" up there, but it was time. I may visit this verse again from time to time to see how Harry and Draco are doing, but the series itself is now complete. Thanks again, to everyone!