Title: The Compromise (9/?)
Author: Me. a.k.a.
mugglerockWarning(s): Something that resembles angst.
Rating: R
Pairing: H/D
Category: Domestidrabble with a touch of angst and silliness.
Disclaimer: Why, yes! I do happen to own Harry Potter. I also own Disneyland, the Marlboro cigarette company, Playboy, and Big Ben. *relents* Not mine, no money, no sue.
Spoilers: Inadvertant if applied.
Feedback: Please, Sir? May I have some more?
Summary: Draco should know by now that it is never a good idea for a snake to live with a lion. Right?
Sequel #8 in my series of domestidrabbles:
1.
The Road Sign.
2.
The Morning After.
3.
The Weasley Remedy.
4.
The Angry Girlfriend.
5.
The Bad Choice.
6.
The Portrait.
7.
The Hunt.
8.
The Introspection.
Author's notes: Holy Buddah! I've gone up a rating! I'm sure, some of you can guess where I've started to take this. I cannot promise actual NC-17 smut, I have to be honest, I still giggle over misconstrued-to-be-dirty words. But, we shall see. Until then, if you enjoy, gimme <3<3s!
Harry still hadn’t decided where he wanted Draco to stand in his life. All he did know was that he did want the blond wizard in his life. After some quiet speculation over a cup of tea, Harry bid Charlie goodbye, and apparated back home.
He walked right into the den and sat down at the desk. He grabbed a quill, a piece of parchment, and immediately started writing.
Draco,
I know my obliviousness is frustrating, not to mention the fact that I always seem to say the wrong thing at the wrong moment, but I meant it when I told you I was sorry. As for everything else? Could you, please, just, come home and talk to me? Just for ten minutes? Or however long you want, I just, I want to talk to you, and not in a letter. I’ll be waiting by the floo until you do come and talk to me. My job be damned. Please?
-Harry
He read the letter over a couple of times, satisfied with its outcome. He went into the back garden and called out for Hedwig. Thankfully, she wasn’t too far off, and hooted contentedly at Harry as she landed on his outstretched arm. He started to fasten the letter to her leg and sighed softly, “Hi, beautiful. Could you take this to Draco Malfoy for me?”
She hooted her affirmation and was instantly in the air. Harry watched her until she was no longer in his sight.
~
True to his word, Harry stayed in front of the floo. Hedwig had returned a couple of hours later, with no response. Harry shrugged as he gave her a piece of the fish he had been eating.
“At least he took the letter,” He mumbled to the now empty sitting room.
After he finished his tea, he moved to lay on the couch, and within minutes, was fast asleep.
~
Harry was awoken at half past two in the morning by the crackling sounds of someone traveling by floo. He sat up abruptly and instantly regretted it; he’d obviously slept in a funny position if the crick in his neck was anything to go by. By the time he turned to look at the floo, the fire had dissipated. His eyes were adjusting to the darkness as he fumbled around the floor searching for his glasses, or his wand, whichever he could find first.
Another voice quietly called out, “Lumos.”
Harry hit his head against the coffee table and groaned at the sound of the crack. He grasped the top of his head and moved to sit against the couch.
Draco bent down with his lit wand and looked at Harry with concern, “Are you alright?”
The Gryffindor rubbed his head and grimaced, “Yeh, I’m fine.”
Draco nodded and moved to sit on the couch. Harry moved shortly after and sat next to the blond. They were sat there for several minutes in uncomfortable silence, until Draco could no longer stand it, “What did you want to talk about?”
Despite the fact that Harry had spent the entirety of his consciousness internally reciting what he wanted to say, he found himself speechless at that exact moment. He sighed and started an inane little ramble, “I… Well, you see… You know… I know I’m an idiot. I can be a real insensitive prat sometimes; I could probably give Ron a run for his money now. You know, he was always quite dense at school especially over Hermione, and, I know, that’s not the point. I just. I am sorry to have upset you, and, well… I… I want you to move back home, Draco.”
Draco avoided eye contact by determinedly staring at the wall, “Why?”
“Why not?”
The blond scowled, but continued to avoid looking at Harry, “Don’t answer my question with another question.”
Harry sighed again, “Look, I don’t want you to move out, isn’t that enough of a reason?”
“And I don’t want to live here any more, isn’t that enough of a reason to leave me be?”
Harry reached out and gently grasped Draco’s chin, forcing the blond to look at him, “Look, Draco. You’re… You’re my best mate. I like living with you and I don’t want us to stop being friends over a silly misunderstanding.”
Draco narrowed his eyes and Harry winced. Once again, he’d put his foot in it.
“Look, Draco, I didn’t mean it like that. I know it means something to you and, believe it or not, it means something to me as well. But, why can’t we compromise? Why can’t we just live together and stay friends? I promise I won’t do anything silly.”
Draco easily took Harry’s words for what they really meant. ‘I won’t try to kiss you, again.’ He felt himself start to cave in. His stupid trusting heart. Draco had to fight back, “Why do you need me? You could easily find another roommate. I’m sure there are plenty of willing candidates, Harry.”
The Gryffindor shrugged, “I’m sure there are, Draco. But none of them are you.”
Despite himself, Draco smiled at the compliment. He was beginning to lose control of the situation, he had to end it if he ever wanted to get out with his heart in tact, “No. I’m not moving back in. I can’t…”
“Why?”
They were treading near dangerous waters again. Draco turned to look away and sighed, “I can’t answer that question.”
Harry started fidgeting with the hem of his t-shirt, “Because you’re afraid of my reaction?”
Draco sighed, “No. Because I don’t really know the answer.”
“Do you want to stay friends with me?”
Finally, the question had finally been asked. Could Draco stay friends with an emotional fuckwit? What if his feelings intensified? Even more than they already were? What would he do, then? If being in Harry’s company was painful now, he could only imagine how much worse it would get. He turned back to face Harry. The Gryffindor had a damnable, hopeful smile. His eyes pleading silently for Draco to give the right answer.
The blond sighed, “Yes.”
“Then, please, just... Move back in. If I fuck up in anyway and you want to leave, I promise, I won’t stop you, hell, I’ll even help you pack!”
Draco knew he was fucked. His heart was no longer in his possession, because he felt himself sigh in acquiescence as he let out a barely audible, “Okay.”
Harry pulled the blond into a fierce hug and when he pulled away, whispered a truly heartfelt, “Thanks.”
Harry jumped up, “I’m going to make a cup of tea, do you want one?”
Draco nodded slowly and forced a tiny smile. When Harry disappeared into the kitchen, Draco placed his head in his hands and sighed, “You utter fool.” To whom he was referring, Draco wasn’t quite sure.
~
It had been a little over two weeks since their middle of the night compromise. Draco had moved back in the following day. He had to give it to Harry; the Gryffindor was true to his word. The man never once attempted to cross any boundaries. He didn’t even query Draco’s unanswered question. He acted as though nothing had ever happened and that was fine by Draco.
That was, until one evening, everything went out of the hypothetical window.
They were playing a game of Wizard’s Chess in the sitting room. Draco’s pieces were thoroughly thrashing Harry’s.
Harry feigned a pout as he picked up the crumbled pieces of what appeared to have once been a castle, “My poor little rook.”
Draco chuckled, “Your poor little rook, indeed. How on earth were you even allowed to purchase a set, Potter? Don’t they screen for aptitude?”
Harry let out a false laugh, “Funny, Malfoy. No need to get snotty just because this is the ONLY game you are capable of beating me at.”
Draco arched his brow and smirked, “Is that a challenge?”
Harry returned the smirk, “Perhaps.”
“Alright, Mr. Cockypants. Name the game and the terms.”
Harry leaned back into his chair and stroked his chin pensively, “Well, it would hardly be fair to play a quick game of one-on-one Quidditch. We all know who would win that.”
Draco made a rude hand gesture at the Gryffindor.
Harry continued undeterred, “Not to mention, I don’t have the right balls.”
Draco chuckled, “You could say that again.”
Harry scowled, “Fuck off, Malfoy. As I was saying, Quidditch is a no-go. I’d say we could play a game of exploding snap, but considering, last time, you were in a sulk for three weeks when you lost…”
“Hey! I only sulked as long as it took for my eyebrows to grow back! And I’m still convinced the Weasley twins were behind that particular deck.”
The Gryffindor chuckled, “Whatever, so, exploding snap is out; we could always play a muggle game?”
“Now, that’s hardly fair!”
“Hey! It’s not my fault that there’s only a couple of wizarding games in existence!”
Draco scoffed, “That’s not true!”
Harry quirked his brow skeptically, “Name some?”
The blond bit his lower lip pensively and muttered, “That’s neither here nor there, I was just saying that it’s not fair that just because YOU only know of a couple wizard games, that we have to play a muggle game.”
Harry rolled his eyes and smiled, “You still didn’t name any other wizard games.”
Draco scoffed, “If you don’t know any others, why should I tell you? You should just remain in your ignorance!”
Harry laughed, “Just admit it, Malfoy, you don’t know any either.”
Draco shrugged imperiously, “I would admit such a thing, if it were true.”
Harry got up and moved to stand over Draco. He placed his hands on his hips and quirked an eyebrow, “You’re really not going to tell me?”
“No. I am not.”
The Gryffindor shrugged, “Well, I guess I’m going to force it out of you…”
Draco smirked skeptically, “And how, exactly, are you going to do that?”
Harry instantly moved onto Draco’s lap and started tickling him mercilessly.
Draco’s eyes widened in surprise and he practically squealed between his laughing, “Harry! What the fuck are you doing?!”
Harry chuckled and continued his attack on the blond wizard’s ribs. Draco bucked his hips up, causing Harry to fall backwards against the chess table. Harry started laughing even harder at the sound of the chess pieces’ cries of indignation as they fell to the ground. Draco joined in his laughter and practically jumped from the chair as he collided against the Gryffindor. The pair of them tickled each other ruthlessly as they rolled around on the floor.
Harry grabbed both of Draco’s wrists and pinned them above his head against the floor. They continued their chuckling, their breaths hitting each other’s faces.
“Get off me, you great brute.” Draco groaned as he continued chuckling.
Harry smiled, “You know you like it.” The Gryffindor’s face instantly turned serious and he licked his lips in hesitation.
Draco smiled unsurely, “Harry?”
He shook his head, a look of disbelief on his face, “You really are fucking beautiful, Draco.”
Draco felt as though he was having an out-of-body experience. He felt helpless to stop the world crumbling around him as Harry leaned forward, tentatively placing a kiss on his lips.
Harry drew back and stared into Draco’s eyes, keeping a firm grasp on the blond’s wrists. He searched Draco’s face for any kind of sign, to no avail. The blond kept a cool façade, but his breathing got heavier. Harry was about to release him, mentally preparing himself for a hissy fit of epic proportions when Draco let out an exasperated sigh.
“Fuck it.” Draco hissed before leaning up as far as he could and kissed Harry. There was a hint of desperation as he tapped his tongue against Harry’s lips.
The Gryffindor moaned in surprise and Draco slipped his tongue inside his mouth. Harry moved his hands down the blond’s arms as their tongues fought for dominance. He gripped Draco’s hair and ground his erection against the blond’s.
Draco hissed in pleasure and pressed his now free hands against Harry’s back, gripping his t-shirt to pull the wizard on top of him even closer. Draco’s brain was screaming at him to stop, but his cock had another idea. He gasped as he felt Harry move one of his hands down to cup his erection. Draco told his brain to shut the fuck up and continued to suck on Harry’s tongue.
Harry pushed himself up and pulled his t-shirt off. Draco sat up and started tracing his tongue along the Gryffindor’s chest. Harry groaned at the sensation and moved his hands down to pull at Draco’s shirt to un-tuck it. Draco chuckled as Harry attempted to unbutton it. He was having trouble gripping them and after too many moments of frustration, he gripped the top of the collar and ripped down, causing the buttons to fly everywhere.
Draco’s eyes widened in amused shock.
Harry shrugged and whispered, “I’ll buy you a new one,” Before latching his lips onto the blond’s neck. Harry sucked on the tender skin just above Draco’s collar bone, causing a guttural moan from the Slytherin’s lips.
“Have… Have you done this before, Harry?”
Harry chuckled and gave him a cheeky smirk, “Kissed? Once or twice…”
Draco swatted at the wizard’s arm, “You know what I meant…”
Harry looked serious for a moment and moved in close to the blond’s face, “Show me, Draco.”
Draco closed the little distance between their lips and proceeded to do just that.
~
Draco woke up the following morning, his limbs tangled among another’s when realization hit him. The night before flashed through his mind in snippets of his worst nightmare come true. He turned to the form next to him and pulled the covers down to reveal Harry’s face. Draco groaned in frustration. ‘What the fuck have I done?’
He cursed his brain for snidely reminding him, ‘I warned you.’
TBC
The Aftermath