See what ile_o did for me! (part 1)
Once upon a time ('way back in June of aught five), I posted this HP ficlet at awdt for the prompt "I'll give you a year to stop that." The ficlet is crap, really. It doesn't have any plot to speak of. What I liked about it was the imagery of the change of the seasons as Harry and Draco grow closer over a year's time. I wished I had the talent to show it that way. Jump to 2011. I talked the lovely and very talented ile_o into illustrating it for me! I was blown away by this. It's so much better than I ever imagined it! And this is only the first of four (one for each season). The ficlet "Under the Maple Tree" is under the cut, if you're curious, but what you really need to see is the gorgeous artwork!
Title: Autumn
Artist: ile_o
Rating: G
Title: Under the Maple Tree
Rating: NC-17 (hard R?)
Time period: Post-war, AU from the end of Order of the Phoenix, so the epilogue never happened.
Word count: 700-ish
Notes:They're not mine, I just take them out to play occasionally. Also, the line "As you wish" is of course stolen borrowed from The Princess Bride by William Goldman.
A year after Voldemort’s death, on Midsummer’s Day, Harry Potter stood over his enemy’s grave, still cursing him for all of the precious lives lost. Draco Malfoy approached him and laid a hand on his shoulder. Harry flinched but didn’t move away.
“Potter, you’ve got to move on. Try thinking about the ones you saved. You stopped the Death Eaters just in time when they tried to brand me. All of them were destroyed through their link when the Dark L - When Voldemort died. If I’d been made one of them, I’d be dead now. I owe you my life.”
Harry regarded him bleakly. “But I killed Professor Snape.”
Draco sighed. “Come on, let’s get you away from here.” He led the other wizard out of the graveyard, through the streets of Little Hangleton and up a large hill, where they paused beneath a towering maple tree.
“Professor Snape knew what would happen, and he taught you the incantation anyway. He traded his life for the destruction of most of Voldemort’s followers with one spell. He made a good trade, and he didn’t give you any choice.” The blond pushed on Harry’s shoulders, prompting him to sit on the springy mat of grass beneath the tree.
“You are so tense, Potter. Let the dead rest, and try to relax, would you?” Then more gently, “Let me help you forget the war and get on with living.” As he spoke, Draco massaged Harry’s shoulders, working his fingers in to loosen the tight knots of muscle.
Harry gradually relaxed, allowing himself to be soothed. He grunted occasionally as Draco encountered especially tough spots, but the tension slowly drained away, and he dropped his chin to his chest, “I’ll give you a year to stop that.”
Draco smiled at his back. “As you wish.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~%%%~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The leaves fell from the huge maple, each a frozen flame crackling in the chill breeze. Draco sat with his back against the sheltering trunk with Harry snuggled into his chest, his legs around the Gryffindor’s hips. The blond slid his hands over Harry’s shoulders, up the column of his neck and into his thick mane of black hair.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~%%%~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The winter stars shone bright and hard as diamonds caught in the lacy net of the interwoven bare branches above them. Harry lay gazing up at them, sitting in Draco’s lap, his head tucked into the Slytherin’s shoulder. By their light, Draco traced the contours of Harry’s face, then dipped his head to place a gentle kiss on the soft silvered lips. A flame ignited in Harry’s soul, and he moaned with a waking desire. As the kiss deepened, its heat suffused them both, and the warming spell they’d cast faded away unneeded.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~%%%~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The warm spring breeze was doing its best, but the ground under their maple was still very cold and wet. The pair stood beside the trunk, wrapped in each other’s arms. Draco leaned his shoulders against the tree, arching his back to press his hips against Harry’s. He trailed his hands down the brunette’s back, skimmed over his hips, then gripped his buttocks to pull the man to him. They swayed together along with the budding branches above them.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~%%%~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Midsummer’s Eve had been a perfect day, clear, sunny and breezy. The glorious sunset had given way to velvet, star-sprinkled darkness. Draco lay trembling atop Harry, still inside him, though totally spent. The blond gave his lover’s cock a final stroke, and Harry came with a cry, pumping his release into the springy mat of grass upon which he knelt. Draco massaged his shoulders and neck, gentling him through his orgasm.
He whispered in Harry’s ear, “You said you’d give me a year to stop this.”
“Mm hmmm.”
“And what will you do to me if I don’t?”
“I’ll love you forever.”
Title: Autumn
Artist: ile_o
Rating: G
Title: Under the Maple Tree
Rating: NC-17 (hard R?)
Time period: Post-war, AU from the end of Order of the Phoenix, so the epilogue never happened.
Word count: 700-ish
Notes:They're not mine, I just take them out to play occasionally. Also, the line "As you wish" is of course stolen borrowed from The Princess Bride by William Goldman.
A year after Voldemort’s death, on Midsummer’s Day, Harry Potter stood over his enemy’s grave, still cursing him for all of the precious lives lost. Draco Malfoy approached him and laid a hand on his shoulder. Harry flinched but didn’t move away.
“Potter, you’ve got to move on. Try thinking about the ones you saved. You stopped the Death Eaters just in time when they tried to brand me. All of them were destroyed through their link when the Dark L - When Voldemort died. If I’d been made one of them, I’d be dead now. I owe you my life.”
Harry regarded him bleakly. “But I killed Professor Snape.”
Draco sighed. “Come on, let’s get you away from here.” He led the other wizard out of the graveyard, through the streets of Little Hangleton and up a large hill, where they paused beneath a towering maple tree.
“Professor Snape knew what would happen, and he taught you the incantation anyway. He traded his life for the destruction of most of Voldemort’s followers with one spell. He made a good trade, and he didn’t give you any choice.” The blond pushed on Harry’s shoulders, prompting him to sit on the springy mat of grass beneath the tree.
“You are so tense, Potter. Let the dead rest, and try to relax, would you?” Then more gently, “Let me help you forget the war and get on with living.” As he spoke, Draco massaged Harry’s shoulders, working his fingers in to loosen the tight knots of muscle.
Harry gradually relaxed, allowing himself to be soothed. He grunted occasionally as Draco encountered especially tough spots, but the tension slowly drained away, and he dropped his chin to his chest, “I’ll give you a year to stop that.”
Draco smiled at his back. “As you wish.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~%%%~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The leaves fell from the huge maple, each a frozen flame crackling in the chill breeze. Draco sat with his back against the sheltering trunk with Harry snuggled into his chest, his legs around the Gryffindor’s hips. The blond slid his hands over Harry’s shoulders, up the column of his neck and into his thick mane of black hair.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~%%%~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The winter stars shone bright and hard as diamonds caught in the lacy net of the interwoven bare branches above them. Harry lay gazing up at them, sitting in Draco’s lap, his head tucked into the Slytherin’s shoulder. By their light, Draco traced the contours of Harry’s face, then dipped his head to place a gentle kiss on the soft silvered lips. A flame ignited in Harry’s soul, and he moaned with a waking desire. As the kiss deepened, its heat suffused them both, and the warming spell they’d cast faded away unneeded.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~%%%~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The warm spring breeze was doing its best, but the ground under their maple was still very cold and wet. The pair stood beside the trunk, wrapped in each other’s arms. Draco leaned his shoulders against the tree, arching his back to press his hips against Harry’s. He trailed his hands down the brunette’s back, skimmed over his hips, then gripped his buttocks to pull the man to him. They swayed together along with the budding branches above them.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~%%%~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Midsummer’s Eve had been a perfect day, clear, sunny and breezy. The glorious sunset had given way to velvet, star-sprinkled darkness. Draco lay trembling atop Harry, still inside him, though totally spent. The blond gave his lover’s cock a final stroke, and Harry came with a cry, pumping his release into the springy mat of grass upon which he knelt. Draco massaged his shoulders and neck, gentling him through his orgasm.
He whispered in Harry’s ear, “You said you’d give me a year to stop this.”
“Mm hmmm.”
“And what will you do to me if I don’t?”
“I’ll love you forever.”