HP Fic: Turning Up the Heat (Harry/Draco, NC-17)
Title: Turning Up the Heat
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~2700.
Beta: nursedarry
Warnings/Contains: No real warnings. (Bottom!Harry, if you're concerned with that sort of thing)
Summary: "Every now and then, he had trouble believing this is where his life had led him, into the arms (and bed) of someone he used to loathe so thoroughly." Sequel to Warming Up.
Author's Notes: Written as a birthday gift for susan5124 . My bunny kept shifting shape on this one, but this is the final result. I'd originally planned on a significant amount of humour, bordering on crack, but apparently the boys were in the mood, and had no intention of deviating from their plans. Also, a thank you to kayoko for letting me bounce around multiple ideas.
Harry left the Ministry feeling frustrated. It was well after midnight, and he should have been home hours ago. He wanted to be in his bed, sleeping soundly with a familiar body beside him. But he knew if he were to Apparate home now, he wouldn't be able to sleep. His mind was going at full speed.
His day had been awful. A gruelling training session, topped off by a blazing row between the Head Auror and the man everyone knew was gunning for that position had made sure of that. Harry was physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. And yet, he was still keyed up. But it wasn't his day at work that he was thinking about. This was something that was much more important.
He sighed and stepped outside the Ministry, feeling the icy blast of wind and fog hit his face. It cut through his robes like they were made of nothing. He cast only the most rudimentary of weatherproofing charms on his clothing, wrapped his robes tightly against himself, and determinedly put one foot in front of the other. He needed time to himself, to think things over, and sometimes the best thing for him was to just walk.
The wind bit at his face, but Harry ignored it. He thought about what was waiting for him at home instead of focussing on the weather. A shower. Bed. Draco.
Draco.
He was another of those completely unexpected things in Harry's life, just when Harry thought he'd got used to them. He still couldn't pinpoint exactly when the other man had gone from being 'Malfoy, the Unbelievably Infuriating Prat' to 'Draco, the Occasionally Irritating but Nonetheless Caring Boyfriend'. He suspected there was a stepping stone in there somewhere that might be labelled 'Draco Malfoy, the Obnoxious but Very Fit Bloke Who Had a Good Sense of Humour, Really'.
There was no clear turning point, not by a long shot. There were tense months when they both had to play nice for the sake of their friends, then one night involving a lot of alcohol, some quickly-escalating remarks, and finally, commiseration. Sober or pissed, neither of them could understand what had brought Ron and Pansy together romantically. When that ill-advised tryst had ended and Pansy had gone back to Nott and Ron had gone back to Hermione, Draco had stopped by the Ministry, the scent of Pansy's cigarettes still lingering on his clothes, and insisted they both go out for drinks until he no longer remembered the last few hours of conversation. Harry, who had just spent the last hour on the Floo with Ron, trying to coach him on what not to say to Hermione, quickly agreed.
But even that night hadn't been the beginning of a new era. There were plenty of disagreements, periods where they didn't see each other for months, and when they did, it was purely by accident when they were both in Diagon Alley at the same time. Harry could have lived his entire life fine with that, he thought. But only because he didn't know.
He didn't know that Draco's acerbic manner was mostly a front, a long-ingrained habit that even Draco didn't like. He didn't realise Draco's scathing remarks were actually amusing at times, or that his quickly-fired retorts showcased his wit, if one were willing to get past the initial sting. And Harry didn't know that underneath all of that, buried somewhere underneath the sarcasm and privileged air and haughtiness, was someone who had quite the capacity to show his feelings once mutual trust had been forged.
But he knew those things now. And he was still discovering new things, some large and some quite small. Sometimes it was a food preference, sometimes it was learning to tell when Draco really did want a subject dropped and when he wanted Harry to press until Draco gave him the answer, and sometimes, it was knowing what a particular look or soft sigh meant.
By the time he reached home, his teeth were chattering, he couldn't feel his fingers, and his muscles were so tight from trying to hold in his body's heat that it hurt to stand up straight. Every light was off, but Harry didn't need a lamp or even a Lumos to find his way upstairs. The light from the moon fell through the window, illuminating the hall just outside the bedroom. He called Draco's name but got no answer in return. Making his way to the doorway, Harry called Draco's name again, softly. Draco shifted in bed. "Sorry I'm late," he said. "I walked home."
Draco popped his head from out from the duvet and looked at Harry blearily. Harry felt that familiar tug in his chest, the one that reminded him over and over just how happy he was to have this to come home to. When Draco held open the covers and invited him in, Harry went, grateful not only for the warmth Draco offered, but for everything else he gave as well.
~*~
The heat of Draco's body soothed him, the deliberate, calculated touches waking his muscles, invigorating his nerves. He pressed closer to Draco's body, wanting to be nearer, wanting to be a part of him, sharing impulses and longing and desire. Draco didn't demand Harry talk about what had had him out walking in this weather, and Harry was thankful. He couldn't tell Draco. Not yet.
"Next time," Draco panted in his ear, hands clutching at Harry's back, "I'm sending you off to the bath to warm up."
Harry pressed his face into Draco's neck again, running his tongue along the pulse point there and feeling Draco squirm desperately against him. "All by myself?"
"What on earth makes you think I'd send you off on your own?" Draco moaned as Harry sucked on the hollow of his throat. Harry could feel the vibration go through his head. God, he loved that. "When there's water and soap and you're all slippery."
Harry grinned, purposefully running his ice-cold hand over Draco's chest and trailing down his abdomen. "Promises, promises. You know tomorrow's supposed to be just as cold."
"And do you have things to think about that will keep you out walking in those dreadful temperatures?"
Harry moved his hand to Draco's hip and pulled him closer. "Don't want to talk about it. In fact," he said, now nipping at Draco's earlobe, "I think we're done with talking for a bit. I'd like to keep your mouth occupied other ways."
Draco shifted, looking at Harry with that flushed, lustful look that made Harry feel weak. "Then stop talking and take action."
Harry smirked, knowing he'd won-that they both had, really. He'd tell Draco what was on his mind soon enough. But for now, all he wanted to think about was how good it felt to be connected in this way, his physical needs being not only met, but anticipated. Fuck, but he loved this.
Harry rolled Draco onto his back and straddled him, grinning when Draco gasped at Harry's cold legs and feet pressing up against his own thighs. He leaned down and pressed his mouth against Draco's, taking what was his just as forcefully as Draco gave it. He kissed Draco long and deep, not breaking the kiss until Draco's hips bucked beneath him and shifted Harry out of the way. They nearly collided, Draco's chin narrowly missing Harry's nose, and Harry let out a breathless laugh. "Impatient, are we?"
"I'd nearly forgot what an insufferable tease you can be," Draco murmured, pushing against Harry's chest and making him sit up straight. "Tell me you're not teasing tonight."
Harry shook his head. "You promised to warm me up. No teasing."
"And aren't you warm yet?" Draco asked, his voice throaty. Harry felt his cock throb at the tone.
"Definitely warm. But I could always be warmer. How about you figure out how to make that happen?"
Draco laughed softly. "I've got a good idea, as it happens. Come here." He gestured up toward the head of the bed. Harry scooted up and watched as Draco retrieved the lube and slicked some over his fingers. Harry could feel his pulse quicken. "Kiss me again."
Harry did, sucking on Draco's lower lip before slipping his tongue inside Draco's mouth. As he bent forward to accomplish it, one of Draco's hot, slick fingers slid lightly up and down Harry's hole to the rhythm of his breathing. Harry shuddered.
Draco made that little pleased-with-himself noise and bit lightly at Harry's cheekbone. It made Harry think that it was Draco's way of claiming him in some fashion, and it always pleased him in a way he had no words for. Harry mouthed at Draco's collarbones and chest, wanting to taste and feel every inch of him, while Draco alternated light touches with pressure at Harry's entrance. It made him feel so fucking alive and hot and needy. And Draco knew it, Harry was certain.
"Warm enough yet?" Draco murmured, now stroking Harry from the inside with his first two fingers. "Or can we raise the temperature?"
Harry nipped at Draco's jaw. "Think it's time to raise it a bit." He lifted himself up, feeling Draco's fingers slip out of him, and reached a hand back to grasp Draco's erect cock. "Ready?"
"Absolutely," Draco said with a grin, propping himself up on the pillows. "Was just waiting for you to be."
Harry laughed and repositioned himself. Slowly, he lowered himself down onto Draco's cock, savouring the feeling of it sliding past the rings of muscle. He rocked back and forth slowly, letting his eyes flutter closed so he could focus all his energy on this.
Draco took Harry into his hand and stroked in time to Harry's movements. "Well, at least parts of you are warm," he said with a shuddering sigh.
Harry murmured agreement. Oh, he was definitely warm now. Every now and then, he had trouble believing this is where his life had led him, into the arms (and bed) of someone he used to loathe so thoroughly. But then Draco would place a feather-light touch on Harry's back or give him that crooked smile with the arched eyebrows, or even just whisper Harry's name against the back of his neck in the dark, and he trusted in everything again.
He had no idea how long he rode Draco, how long they communicated only with moans and sighs and grunts and touch, but he dimly registered Draco's body going rigid beneath him and Draco's stroking becoming quicker as his own orgasm approached. Harry came in quick spurts, feeling his entire body flood with sensation so intense he squeezed his eyes shut and held his breath. A few moments later, he felt Draco's release fill him, watched Draco's entire body tense and shiver before going slack. Draco rolled Harry over next to him and kissed him, face flushed and eyes glassy.
"I think," Harry said, trying hard to catch his breath, "I'm finally warm."
Draco snorted. "I should hope so." He propped himself up on his elbow and brushed Harry's sweaty hair back from his forehead. "Can't have you freezing to death on me, if you insist on staying out all night in the cold. Which reminds me-wouldn't kill you to let me know where you are, or at least that you're safe, would it?"
Harry shook his head, trying to contain the little flip of his stomach. The very thing he had been thinking so hard about for days, and especially on the way home, and now… "You're right."
Draco got up and kissed Harry on the top of the head before heading to the loo. "I'm always right. You know that."
~*~
With anxiety trying its damnedest to shatter his concentration, Harry gave the thing on the table one final inspection before covering it with his Invisibility Cloak. He could find nothing wrong with it. Every detail was to specification, and yet he was afraid it was all wrong.
"Harry?" Draco's voice floated into the room where Harry was hiding.
Harry quickly turned and met Draco on the stairs. "You're home early. Everything all right?"
"Everything's fine. The new client is just quite efficient. Merlin, one would think he took organisational lessons from Granger." Draco paused and cocked his head slightly. "Speaking of early, I thought you had errands that were going to take all day."
Harry shook his head, feeling his heart speed up. "Finished early as well. Do you have a moment? I have something for you."
Draco toed off his shoes. "A present?" He grinned devilishly. "Is this at all like what you had for me on my birthday?"
Harry flushed. "No, not like that."
"Oh. Pity. You know, anytime you want to try that again…" Draco trailed off, looking hopeful.
"I'll keep that in mind. Come on, it's upstairs."
He led Draco into the spare room that had been turned into a study and watched him look around the room. "Is this a test?" Draco asked after a moment. "Is there something I'm supposed to notice?"
"No." Harry took his place behind the desk and rested his hand atop the covered object. "I just wanted it to be a surprise." Slowly, he removed the cloak, biting his lip as he waited for Draco's reaction.
Draco blinked as the object came into view. "It's a clock," he said slowly. "A very nice one, actually. Is that cherry? With silver hands?"
It was, just as Harry had requested when he'd gone in to see about having it fashioned. "Yes. But it's not a normal clock. Take a closer look."
Bending down so he could peer at the face of the clock, Draco glanced up at Harry. "I know what this is. You've mentioned it before. About the Weasleys." When Harry nodded, wondering if he was about to be told he should have picked something in better taste, or at least tried to be original, Draco stood up and looked Harry square in the eye. "You did this for me." He ran a finger carefully up one of the hands. "Home," he said softly, reading the word at the end of the hand.
Harry nodded. He'd wanted to do something for Draco that meant something, that showed his commitment, that told Draco he thought about him when they were apart and didn't want him to worry, but that most of all, showed they were a family, just the two of them. "You said I should let you know I'm safe."
"I'd meant for you to send an owl, or Floo call or something," Draco said with a soft smile. "Not something like this." He traced around the face of the clock, whispering some of the other points. "Work. Travelling. Political Function. Hospital. Burrow. Mortal Peril." He looked at Harry again. "I don't know what to say. I just wish this didn't have to sit here at home. Sometimes I worry while I'm at work."
Grinning broadly, Harry laughed. "Already thought of that." He tapped the base of the clock with his wand. A hidden drawer appeared and opened, showing two pocket watches-one silver and one gold. He handed the silver one to Draco. "See?"
Draco flipped open the watch and looked at it for a moment before bursting into laughter. "I see you added a few more things to these." Harry blushed. The clockmaker had just given him a long look, shrugged, and said he'd take care of it when Harry had asked for a few alterations to the pocket watches. "Bedroom," he said with a smirk. "So I can know when you're waiting for me, and vice versa, I presume."
Harry cleared his throat. "What do you think?"
"I think," Draco said slowly, closing the watch and slipping it into his pocket with care, "that we should test it out and make certain it works." He leaned across the desk and pulled Harry into a kiss by the front of his robes. "Right now."
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: ~2700.
Beta: nursedarry
Warnings/Contains: No real warnings. (Bottom!Harry, if you're concerned with that sort of thing)
Summary: "Every now and then, he had trouble believing this is where his life had led him, into the arms (and bed) of someone he used to loathe so thoroughly." Sequel to Warming Up.
Author's Notes: Written as a birthday gift for susan5124 . My bunny kept shifting shape on this one, but this is the final result. I'd originally planned on a significant amount of humour, bordering on crack, but apparently the boys were in the mood, and had no intention of deviating from their plans. Also, a thank you to kayoko for letting me bounce around multiple ideas.
Harry left the Ministry feeling frustrated. It was well after midnight, and he should have been home hours ago. He wanted to be in his bed, sleeping soundly with a familiar body beside him. But he knew if he were to Apparate home now, he wouldn't be able to sleep. His mind was going at full speed.
His day had been awful. A gruelling training session, topped off by a blazing row between the Head Auror and the man everyone knew was gunning for that position had made sure of that. Harry was physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. And yet, he was still keyed up. But it wasn't his day at work that he was thinking about. This was something that was much more important.
He sighed and stepped outside the Ministry, feeling the icy blast of wind and fog hit his face. It cut through his robes like they were made of nothing. He cast only the most rudimentary of weatherproofing charms on his clothing, wrapped his robes tightly against himself, and determinedly put one foot in front of the other. He needed time to himself, to think things over, and sometimes the best thing for him was to just walk.
The wind bit at his face, but Harry ignored it. He thought about what was waiting for him at home instead of focussing on the weather. A shower. Bed. Draco.
Draco.
He was another of those completely unexpected things in Harry's life, just when Harry thought he'd got used to them. He still couldn't pinpoint exactly when the other man had gone from being 'Malfoy, the Unbelievably Infuriating Prat' to 'Draco, the Occasionally Irritating but Nonetheless Caring Boyfriend'. He suspected there was a stepping stone in there somewhere that might be labelled 'Draco Malfoy, the Obnoxious but Very Fit Bloke Who Had a Good Sense of Humour, Really'.
There was no clear turning point, not by a long shot. There were tense months when they both had to play nice for the sake of their friends, then one night involving a lot of alcohol, some quickly-escalating remarks, and finally, commiseration. Sober or pissed, neither of them could understand what had brought Ron and Pansy together romantically. When that ill-advised tryst had ended and Pansy had gone back to Nott and Ron had gone back to Hermione, Draco had stopped by the Ministry, the scent of Pansy's cigarettes still lingering on his clothes, and insisted they both go out for drinks until he no longer remembered the last few hours of conversation. Harry, who had just spent the last hour on the Floo with Ron, trying to coach him on what not to say to Hermione, quickly agreed.
But even that night hadn't been the beginning of a new era. There were plenty of disagreements, periods where they didn't see each other for months, and when they did, it was purely by accident when they were both in Diagon Alley at the same time. Harry could have lived his entire life fine with that, he thought. But only because he didn't know.
He didn't know that Draco's acerbic manner was mostly a front, a long-ingrained habit that even Draco didn't like. He didn't realise Draco's scathing remarks were actually amusing at times, or that his quickly-fired retorts showcased his wit, if one were willing to get past the initial sting. And Harry didn't know that underneath all of that, buried somewhere underneath the sarcasm and privileged air and haughtiness, was someone who had quite the capacity to show his feelings once mutual trust had been forged.
But he knew those things now. And he was still discovering new things, some large and some quite small. Sometimes it was a food preference, sometimes it was learning to tell when Draco really did want a subject dropped and when he wanted Harry to press until Draco gave him the answer, and sometimes, it was knowing what a particular look or soft sigh meant.
By the time he reached home, his teeth were chattering, he couldn't feel his fingers, and his muscles were so tight from trying to hold in his body's heat that it hurt to stand up straight. Every light was off, but Harry didn't need a lamp or even a Lumos to find his way upstairs. The light from the moon fell through the window, illuminating the hall just outside the bedroom. He called Draco's name but got no answer in return. Making his way to the doorway, Harry called Draco's name again, softly. Draco shifted in bed. "Sorry I'm late," he said. "I walked home."
Draco popped his head from out from the duvet and looked at Harry blearily. Harry felt that familiar tug in his chest, the one that reminded him over and over just how happy he was to have this to come home to. When Draco held open the covers and invited him in, Harry went, grateful not only for the warmth Draco offered, but for everything else he gave as well.
~*~
The heat of Draco's body soothed him, the deliberate, calculated touches waking his muscles, invigorating his nerves. He pressed closer to Draco's body, wanting to be nearer, wanting to be a part of him, sharing impulses and longing and desire. Draco didn't demand Harry talk about what had had him out walking in this weather, and Harry was thankful. He couldn't tell Draco. Not yet.
"Next time," Draco panted in his ear, hands clutching at Harry's back, "I'm sending you off to the bath to warm up."
Harry pressed his face into Draco's neck again, running his tongue along the pulse point there and feeling Draco squirm desperately against him. "All by myself?"
"What on earth makes you think I'd send you off on your own?" Draco moaned as Harry sucked on the hollow of his throat. Harry could feel the vibration go through his head. God, he loved that. "When there's water and soap and you're all slippery."
Harry grinned, purposefully running his ice-cold hand over Draco's chest and trailing down his abdomen. "Promises, promises. You know tomorrow's supposed to be just as cold."
"And do you have things to think about that will keep you out walking in those dreadful temperatures?"
Harry moved his hand to Draco's hip and pulled him closer. "Don't want to talk about it. In fact," he said, now nipping at Draco's earlobe, "I think we're done with talking for a bit. I'd like to keep your mouth occupied other ways."
Draco shifted, looking at Harry with that flushed, lustful look that made Harry feel weak. "Then stop talking and take action."
Harry smirked, knowing he'd won-that they both had, really. He'd tell Draco what was on his mind soon enough. But for now, all he wanted to think about was how good it felt to be connected in this way, his physical needs being not only met, but anticipated. Fuck, but he loved this.
Harry rolled Draco onto his back and straddled him, grinning when Draco gasped at Harry's cold legs and feet pressing up against his own thighs. He leaned down and pressed his mouth against Draco's, taking what was his just as forcefully as Draco gave it. He kissed Draco long and deep, not breaking the kiss until Draco's hips bucked beneath him and shifted Harry out of the way. They nearly collided, Draco's chin narrowly missing Harry's nose, and Harry let out a breathless laugh. "Impatient, are we?"
"I'd nearly forgot what an insufferable tease you can be," Draco murmured, pushing against Harry's chest and making him sit up straight. "Tell me you're not teasing tonight."
Harry shook his head. "You promised to warm me up. No teasing."
"And aren't you warm yet?" Draco asked, his voice throaty. Harry felt his cock throb at the tone.
"Definitely warm. But I could always be warmer. How about you figure out how to make that happen?"
Draco laughed softly. "I've got a good idea, as it happens. Come here." He gestured up toward the head of the bed. Harry scooted up and watched as Draco retrieved the lube and slicked some over his fingers. Harry could feel his pulse quicken. "Kiss me again."
Harry did, sucking on Draco's lower lip before slipping his tongue inside Draco's mouth. As he bent forward to accomplish it, one of Draco's hot, slick fingers slid lightly up and down Harry's hole to the rhythm of his breathing. Harry shuddered.
Draco made that little pleased-with-himself noise and bit lightly at Harry's cheekbone. It made Harry think that it was Draco's way of claiming him in some fashion, and it always pleased him in a way he had no words for. Harry mouthed at Draco's collarbones and chest, wanting to taste and feel every inch of him, while Draco alternated light touches with pressure at Harry's entrance. It made him feel so fucking alive and hot and needy. And Draco knew it, Harry was certain.
"Warm enough yet?" Draco murmured, now stroking Harry from the inside with his first two fingers. "Or can we raise the temperature?"
Harry nipped at Draco's jaw. "Think it's time to raise it a bit." He lifted himself up, feeling Draco's fingers slip out of him, and reached a hand back to grasp Draco's erect cock. "Ready?"
"Absolutely," Draco said with a grin, propping himself up on the pillows. "Was just waiting for you to be."
Harry laughed and repositioned himself. Slowly, he lowered himself down onto Draco's cock, savouring the feeling of it sliding past the rings of muscle. He rocked back and forth slowly, letting his eyes flutter closed so he could focus all his energy on this.
Draco took Harry into his hand and stroked in time to Harry's movements. "Well, at least parts of you are warm," he said with a shuddering sigh.
Harry murmured agreement. Oh, he was definitely warm now. Every now and then, he had trouble believing this is where his life had led him, into the arms (and bed) of someone he used to loathe so thoroughly. But then Draco would place a feather-light touch on Harry's back or give him that crooked smile with the arched eyebrows, or even just whisper Harry's name against the back of his neck in the dark, and he trusted in everything again.
He had no idea how long he rode Draco, how long they communicated only with moans and sighs and grunts and touch, but he dimly registered Draco's body going rigid beneath him and Draco's stroking becoming quicker as his own orgasm approached. Harry came in quick spurts, feeling his entire body flood with sensation so intense he squeezed his eyes shut and held his breath. A few moments later, he felt Draco's release fill him, watched Draco's entire body tense and shiver before going slack. Draco rolled Harry over next to him and kissed him, face flushed and eyes glassy.
"I think," Harry said, trying hard to catch his breath, "I'm finally warm."
Draco snorted. "I should hope so." He propped himself up on his elbow and brushed Harry's sweaty hair back from his forehead. "Can't have you freezing to death on me, if you insist on staying out all night in the cold. Which reminds me-wouldn't kill you to let me know where you are, or at least that you're safe, would it?"
Harry shook his head, trying to contain the little flip of his stomach. The very thing he had been thinking so hard about for days, and especially on the way home, and now… "You're right."
Draco got up and kissed Harry on the top of the head before heading to the loo. "I'm always right. You know that."
~*~
With anxiety trying its damnedest to shatter his concentration, Harry gave the thing on the table one final inspection before covering it with his Invisibility Cloak. He could find nothing wrong with it. Every detail was to specification, and yet he was afraid it was all wrong.
"Harry?" Draco's voice floated into the room where Harry was hiding.
Harry quickly turned and met Draco on the stairs. "You're home early. Everything all right?"
"Everything's fine. The new client is just quite efficient. Merlin, one would think he took organisational lessons from Granger." Draco paused and cocked his head slightly. "Speaking of early, I thought you had errands that were going to take all day."
Harry shook his head, feeling his heart speed up. "Finished early as well. Do you have a moment? I have something for you."
Draco toed off his shoes. "A present?" He grinned devilishly. "Is this at all like what you had for me on my birthday?"
Harry flushed. "No, not like that."
"Oh. Pity. You know, anytime you want to try that again…" Draco trailed off, looking hopeful.
"I'll keep that in mind. Come on, it's upstairs."
He led Draco into the spare room that had been turned into a study and watched him look around the room. "Is this a test?" Draco asked after a moment. "Is there something I'm supposed to notice?"
"No." Harry took his place behind the desk and rested his hand atop the covered object. "I just wanted it to be a surprise." Slowly, he removed the cloak, biting his lip as he waited for Draco's reaction.
Draco blinked as the object came into view. "It's a clock," he said slowly. "A very nice one, actually. Is that cherry? With silver hands?"
It was, just as Harry had requested when he'd gone in to see about having it fashioned. "Yes. But it's not a normal clock. Take a closer look."
Bending down so he could peer at the face of the clock, Draco glanced up at Harry. "I know what this is. You've mentioned it before. About the Weasleys." When Harry nodded, wondering if he was about to be told he should have picked something in better taste, or at least tried to be original, Draco stood up and looked Harry square in the eye. "You did this for me." He ran a finger carefully up one of the hands. "Home," he said softly, reading the word at the end of the hand.
Harry nodded. He'd wanted to do something for Draco that meant something, that showed his commitment, that told Draco he thought about him when they were apart and didn't want him to worry, but that most of all, showed they were a family, just the two of them. "You said I should let you know I'm safe."
"I'd meant for you to send an owl, or Floo call or something," Draco said with a soft smile. "Not something like this." He traced around the face of the clock, whispering some of the other points. "Work. Travelling. Political Function. Hospital. Burrow. Mortal Peril." He looked at Harry again. "I don't know what to say. I just wish this didn't have to sit here at home. Sometimes I worry while I'm at work."
Grinning broadly, Harry laughed. "Already thought of that." He tapped the base of the clock with his wand. A hidden drawer appeared and opened, showing two pocket watches-one silver and one gold. He handed the silver one to Draco. "See?"
Draco flipped open the watch and looked at it for a moment before bursting into laughter. "I see you added a few more things to these." Harry blushed. The clockmaker had just given him a long look, shrugged, and said he'd take care of it when Harry had asked for a few alterations to the pocket watches. "Bedroom," he said with a smirk. "So I can know when you're waiting for me, and vice versa, I presume."
Harry cleared his throat. "What do you think?"
"I think," Draco said slowly, closing the watch and slipping it into his pocket with care, "that we should test it out and make certain it works." He leaned across the desk and pulled Harry into a kiss by the front of his robes. "Right now."