"
"It's Wednesday, and you know what that means," Ginny hooted cheerfully.

Fuck, he'd forgotten. How he could have forgotten was beyond him, but he had. "Ginny, I really don't feel up to it tonight. Why don't you go without me this time?"

Face wrinkled in contemplation, Ginny shook her head. "What's up with you lately, Harry? And please don't tell me it's nothing, because I know you better than that."

She sat down next to him on the sofa she had picked out. She had chosen all of his furniture as a matter of fact, and he was grateful for it. She had impeccable taste. "I don't know, Gin, I just ... I don't know."

When she smiled, he wished for the hundredth time that he could love her. "Harry," she said softly as she took his large hand in her small ones, "you can't keep hiding. I understand why you don't want the world to know, but I can't cover for you forever. What happens when I find a man that I want to be with? What will you do then?"

"I'm not ready yet, Gin. It was hard enough to tell you and you—"

"Already knew? As did Ron and Hermione? We didn't turn our backs on you, and no one else who is truly your friend will either."

Harry smiled, not sure if what Ginny was saying was true, but appreciative of her saying it anyway. He kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Thanks. I'll think about it. Go out and enjoy yourself. Tell everyone I'm sick or something, would you?"

Ginny gave him a sad look, but nodded, Flooing out without another word.

~~~~~~~~~~

It wasn't like this was the first time Harry had done this, but it didn't seem to get any easier. It was helping him to accept who he was, though, and that was something. It had certainly helped him to sort things out, but at the end of the day, it always left him empty and alone. Maybe soon, he thought as his eyes scanned the dark Muggle street. Maybe soon he'd be able to come out of the closet, as it were, and have a legitimate relationship. One that he didn't have to pay for.

There were too many young boys tonight, leering at him, offering themselves up for unimaginable things ... for a price. Harry wondered sometimes if he didn't pay more than just the paper money in his pocket.

He rolled down his window when an older man knocked on it feverishly. "You just here to look, or are you buying, Mister?"

Harry bit his lip. He'd told himself he was just looking, but they both knew that was a big fat lie. "A bit on the young side tonight – got anyone a little ... older?"

The man smiled a dirty, crooked smile that made Harry feel just a bit sick. More sick than he already felt, anyway.

"I've just the man for you. Stay here. He's a bit new, but oh, so good." The man paused to examine Harry's car and clothes. "Yeah, you look like you can afford him." When he disappeared around the corner into an alley, Harry considered leaving, but knew himself well enough to know he wouldn't leave alone."

When the man reappeared from behind a tall, dirty brick building, Harry could only get a glimpse of the man trailing behind him, but that one glance was enough to make his heart race. He wanted to bolt, but his innate curiosity held him firmly in place. There was no mistaking that blond hair and haughty face, although the hair was much longer than it was the last time Harry had seen him and the smug look seemed a bit more ... human.

Draco approached him, cool and collected, and Harry almost laughed with glee as he anticipated how that expression would change when he saw who was waiting for him.

Leaning casually on the car door, Draco didn't look at Harry as he spoke. "One hundred pounds - minimum – more if you want anything more than a blowjob. Don't waste my time if you're not up for at least six hundred."

"How much for the whole night? Anything I want?"

Harry knew the exact second that Draco recognised his voice. His back stiffened, his hand clenched, and Harry imagined his eyes fell shut, but he couldn't see his face to know for sure. Draco turned slowly, leaning down so his face was in the window, even with Harry's. He stared for what was probably less than a minute, but seemed like an eternity, then grinned maliciously. "For the great Harry Potter? A special rate, of course. Three thousand pounds and I'm yours until morning."

Harry smirked. "Done. Get in."

The surprise on Draco's face was worth every pound. If the man thought for a moment that Harry couldn't afford him, he needed to think again. His self-satisfaction waned when Draco stretched his long legs out to sit in the passenger seat. He'd not actually intended to have sex with Draco, until that very instant. His eyes followed the long legs up to where the slight bulge made Harry's mouth practically water. The trousers fit low on Draco's hips and the button-down shirt was opened at the bottom, just enough to show off a sliver of tight abs and the thin, almost invisible line of hair that led from Draco's navel into his waistband. By the time Harry's eyes had made it up to Draco's face, past the long, pale neck, the overly large Adam's apple, and the sharp strong jaw line, Draco was smirking again and Harry was absolutely sure his own face was flushing a fetching shade of red.

"So the wizarding world's famous hero is a poofter, eh? Who would've ever guessed?"

Harry scowled, trying to camouflage the ever-increasing bulge in his trousers. "I'm obviously not the only one, or did women just not pay well enough?"

Draco laughed. Really laughed, light and hardy and ... free. "I'm about as bent as they get, Potter. But anyone with eyes could figure that out. You on the other hand, look about as hetero as possible."

Harry put the car in drive and steered away from the dark street. He didn't expect to feel Draco's hand trail along his thigh. "What are you doing, Malfoy?" he asked with what was most certainly not a yelp.

"What you're paying me for. What did you expect?"

Harry pulled into the garage of his flat, driving through the wall that separated the Muggle area of the building from the wizarding area. He swallowed, trying to sort out what he really was paying Draco for. As they got out and waited for the lift to take them up, Draco answered the question for him, his lips warm and gentle against the back of Harry's neck. Fuck, he wanted this. More than he'd ever wanted any of the other men he'd brought home. More than he'd ever wanted any man period. Guilt cut through him like a sharp, poisonous knife. "Draco, stop." It came out breathy and pathetic, more of a plea than a demand.

"What if I don't want to stop?" Draco's tone was smooth and convincing. Harry wanted to believe it, but he knew if he weren't paying, Draco wouldn't give him the time of day. The lift opened and Harry stepped in, grateful to be away from Draco's lips before he gave into his urge to rip the man's clothes off and fuck him right there.

"But you don't want this," he answered softly. "What happened to you, Malfoy? You just disappeared. We all thought you were dead."

Draco leaned against the lift door, practically daring it to open and deposit him on his arse in the hallway. "Don't tell me you brought me here out of some twisted sense of curiosity. If you plan to ask me questions all night, I should just leave now. That's not how this works, Harry."

"You said anything I wanted. This is what I want. Answers."

"Just answers?" Draco asked, slinking across the lift to stand toe to toe with Harry. The man seemed taller than the last time Harry had seen him. Taller and softer, somehow. More vulnerable. More human. "Answers about me?" Draco whispered, his breath brushing Harry's ear in a blissful caress. "Or answers about you?"

Harry tensed at the words, but melted against the wall at the movements of Draco's tongue on the shell of his ear, his teeth nipping at the lobe, his lips caressing the sensitive part of Harry's neck. "Both," he admitted with a whisper.

Draco pulled back and looked at Harry quizzically. Perhaps Harry's honesty had surprised him. Something in his eyes softened, almost glowed, and the man nodded. "I'll give you your answers, Potter, but you have to answer a few of mine as well."

The lift bell rang and the doors swung open. Draco didn't move until Harry agreed with a nod, then he smiled that smile again. The one from the car that had made Harry's breath catch in his throat. He brushed his lips tenderly against Harry's before taking Harry's hand and dragging him, dumbfounded, from the lift.

None of the other men Harry had been with had ever kissed him. It was an unspoken rule. They'd suck you, rim you, finger you, fuck you, let you fuck them, let you beat the bloody hell out of them if you wanted to, but you didn't ask for a kiss. EVER. Harry swept his fingers across his lips, realising with an unhappy pang that he'd never been kissed by a man before. It was far better than he'd ever thought it would be and his heart ached that he now knew how much he would miss it.

Luckily, the wards recognised him and the door swung open of its own accord, because Harry didn't think he could remember how to do a simple Alohomora at the moment.

"Nice place," Draco commented as he looked around, trailing long, slender fingers along the back of the sofa. "You didn't decorate yourself, did you?"

The words pulled Harry from his stupor long enough to chuckle. "No. Ginny did it."

Draco's head shot up the instant Harry mentioned her name, his eyes suddenly cold and defiant. "She lives here? You two are still—"

"No, she ... well, everyone thinks we're still dating, but she knows I'm gay. We don't—" There was an odd look on Draco's face as he listened. The softness returned and his shoulders slumped slightly in what looked almost like relief. "Why does it matter?"

Draco shrugged nonchalantly. "Just curious. Don't want her to walk in on us doing unspeakable things, now do we?" The smirk was back, teasing, daring. It was just about the sexiest thing Harry had ever seen. He couldn't tear his eyes away from Draco's lips, the memory of the soft kiss seeping into his skin. He wanted to do it again, but he didn't dare try. He watched as the lips turned up, the smirk turning into a leering grin. Draco moved closer, licking his lips slowly, teasing Harry with the flickering of that sharp, pink tongue.

"You liked that kiss, didn't you, Harry?" Draco whispered as he came closer, closer, too close. "I could probably make you come just by kissing you couldn't I?" His lips were almost touching Harry's, his breath minty and warm. "Should we test my theory? Should we bet on it? If I make you come just by kissing you, you answer any question I want. Deal?"

Harry had no idea what Draco said after the part about coming and kissing and he didn't really care what he had to agree to, just as long as those lips moved the millimetre closer so he could touch them. "Yeah, de—" Before the words had left his mouth Draco's lips were on his, not just a brush this time, but hard, hungry, teeth and tongue and breath and moans and holy mother of earth it was good. Draco tasted like toothpaste and he smelled like cheap cologne, but he felt like molten gold, like fine silk sheets, like a summer breeze.

Draco's fingers were threading into Harry's hair, scraping his scalp, making it tingle. He wasn't sure when his hands had found purchase on Draco's hips, but they had and he wasn't planning to move them anytime soon. When he came, hard and fast in his trousers like a pathetic adolescent, he wasn't sure if it had been the kisses that had caused it. It might have been the rutting against Draco's cock, the breath on his skin, Draco's fingers along the back of his neck, but it could have very well just been the kiss because fuck he didn't want it to stop, not even now.

He leaned against Draco, who was grinning triumphantly, one arm still wrapped possessively around Harry's shoulder, the other still twined, perhaps permanently, in Harry's messy hair. "I'd like to say that I win, but from the looks of it, we both won that one, didn't we?"

It took Harry a minute before he understood. He opened his eyes to see the wet splotch spreading on Draco's trousers was identical to his own. He pulled his wand from his sleeve and cleaned them both with a quick wave. "I guess you get to ask your question, then." Harry was grateful that when Draco moved away to sit on the sofa, he tugged Harry along with him.

Draco sat and cocked his head as if pondering which question he would ask first. Harry thought of a thousand questions that the man would likely ask, but would have never expected the one that came out of his mouth.

"Why did you save me?"

"Why wouldn't I have saved you?"

"Because you hated me. Because I was the bane of your existence. Because I'd just tried to capture you and turn you over to Voldemort."

"Because I didn't want you to die," Harry answered softly. He could think of other reasons, perhaps better reasons, but ultimately that was what it came down to. He hadn't wanted Draco to die. He hadn't wanted anyone to die, but he hadn't been able to save them all. The hand that seemed to be permanently wrapped around his chest tightened, squeezed almost unbearably, and then loosened as it had never done before. It wasn't until Draco had whispered the soft "Thank you" into his ear that he realized the man's fingers were twined with his and that Harry was squeezing them so tightly it was probably painful.

"Sorry." He tried to pull his hand away, but Draco held onto it, squeezing gently. "Thank you," he repeated, as if Harry hadn't heard him the first time. "This is the part where you say you're welcome and kiss me."

Harry's head shot up so quickly he almost felt dizzy. "Why do you let ... clients kiss you?" He knew it was none of his business, and half expected Draco to tell him as much.

"I don't," Draco answered hesitantly. "I let you kiss me. I am free to chose who I kiss, am I not?"

Harry grinned, amazingly pleased with that answer for more reasons than one. "You're welcome," he said quietly as he leaned forward and kissed Draco gently. He felt those soft lips curve up into what he knew would be a dazzling smile and he was almost tempted to pull away, just so he could see it. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, Harry wasn't entirely sure, Draco's hand was on the back of his head and it prevented any escape Harry might try, not that he was foolish enough to try with Draco's tongue doing such glorious things.

"What do you want to do, Harry?" Draco finally asked, flushed and breathless.

So many visions swam through Harry's mind in answer to that question it wasn't even funny. Things that he would never have asked anyone else to do. Things that he would never have done to any of the other men that he'd brought home. But first, he needed his answers. He pulled Draco into his arms, tucking the blond head gently under his chin. It was far more affection than he'd ever shown anyone before, but it just felt right somehow. It felt more than right; it felt bloody perfect. "Tell me what happened to you after the trials."

Harry felt Draco stiffen and try to pull away, but Harry held on steadfastly until he relaxed again with a sigh.

"I went back to the Manor with Mother and Father at first. They tried to act like nothing had changed, but ... everything had changed. Everyone hated us. People who had always despised us were smug and took every opportunity to rub our failures in our faces, and the people who had previously grovelled at my father's feet spat on him. I felt like it was all my fault, that I had somehow failed them. When I finally couldn't handle the guilt anymore, I left. Have you ever heard the saying - It's better to be a king among peasants than a peasant among kings?"

Harry shook his head. "Well, I left, looking for peasants to lord over. This isn't exactly where I planned to end up, but it's not as bad as you might think. I'm well compensated for my services, and I'm good enough that I can choose my clients. They get what they want and I get what I want. It's all fair in the end."

"But they're Muggles. I can't believe you'd—"

"I suppose life has a strange way of punishing us for our sins," Draco said quietly.

What could Harry say to that? If he were smart, he'd say nothing. He'd fuck Draco six ways to Sunday and then he'd walk away. But somehow, he didn't see it happening like that. "Why did you come with me ... after you found out who I was?"

"Morbid curiosity, maybe?" he asked with a wicked grin. "I don't know why, Harry. Are you not glad that I did?"

"I ... I am now, but I'm not sure I will be tomorrow." Harry didn't exactly know what he meant by that, but he had a strong feeling that this night was going to cost a lot more than three thousand pounds.

"Ah, post-purchase regret." Draco lifted his head from where it had been so comfortably resting. "I might be able to prevent that," he mumbled against the delicate skin of Harry's neck, his hands snaking up the bottom of Harry's shirt. "I'm sure I can give you your money's worth."

Harry closed his eyes, the hand on his heart, once again, squeezing painfully. This wasn't what he wanted. Draco discovered his left nipple and twisted it between those long, talented fingers. Fuck, he did want it, wanted it more than he realised, but not like this. He felt Draco climbing on top of him, felt muscular thighs settle on either side of him while those fingers continued to tease him, skirting around nipples, down his side, over his stomach, under the waistband of his jeans, and fuck the simple brush of a finger on the tip of his cock made him almost mad with the desire to drive Draco into the mattress. He could only imagine what Draco would feel like. Tight and warm and gloriously wanton. But then again, Draco would be anything he wanted as long as Harry was paying.

"Don't frown, Harry Potter," Draco whispered seductively. "Doesn't this feel good?" Draco emphasised the words by popping the button open on Harry's jeans and brushing a single finger over the head of his cock. "Do you want me to taste you, Harry? Lick you, suck you, swallow you down until you pull away from my swollen lips and come all over my pretty face?"

"Oh, fuck," Harry whispered, grabbing a handful of Draco's hair to pull him down, lips crashing together in a feverish desperation. It was wrong, so very wrong, and Harry knew it, but he didn't care. He wanted this, needed it, and if Draco was willing to offer it for a price, he was willing to pay, however high the price might be. Draco wrapped his hand around Harry's cock and all coherent thought escaped his mind. Draco slid off Harry's lap to land with a slight thud onto the floor between his legs. He tugged at Harry's trousers and, like it was second nature, like it was something they'd done a hundred times, Harry lifted his arse off the sofa to let Draco pull them to his ankles. Draco's tongue was perfect, swirling and dipping and flicking and teasing and fuck ... his lips ... Draco Malfoy's lips, wrapped around his cock, sucking, sliding up and down with such absolute precision, and Harry thought he would surely die and it would be okay, because dying like this was far better than living without it.

He felt his orgasm building and tried to hold it off, but Draco was just too good. He wanted to stay right where he was, but that was another rule – you didn't come in a whore's mouth unless you had permission, and it had been quite clear that he didn't have permission.

Draco must have felt the first pulse because he pulled away before Harry had the chance to, his warm lips replaced by an equally warm hand. Harry opened his eyes, not sure of what to expect, but most certainly not expecting what he saw. Draco's eyes were closed almost blissfully as he rubbed his cheek along the tip of Harry's cock, white bursts decorating the smooth, pale skin and dripping down the sharp chin. It was raw and dirty and sinful and so gloriously erotic that Harry couldn't breathe. He gasped when Draco wrapped his lips around the overly sensitive head and sucked the last pearly white drop from him, his eyelids fluttering open to look up at Harry with unabashed lust in those crystal grey eyes.

Harry lost what little control he had left when Draco's tongue flicked out, lapping up a string of the thick liquid as it trickled over his upper lip. "Fuck." It was more of a groan than a word, but it was all Harry could manage. He pulled Draco up by the handfuls of hair he'd unwittingly tangled his fingers in and kissed him, all open mouths and lapping tongues as his come, still warm and bitter, smeared between their faces. Harry fumbled frantically with Draco's buttons, wanting ... needing to feel his warm skin, to touch it, kiss it, paint it red with his teeth and blue with love bites that would be a reminder of this night for days to come.

"Shh," Draco whispered, too tenderly, too affectionately, and if Harry closed his eyes, he could fool himself into thinking Draco wanted this as much as he did. Draco's hands rested on his, stilling his fumbling fingers instantly, and when Harry looked up at him, a shy smile graced his beautiful pointed face. "We have all night, remember? There's no hurry."

Draco finished the last two buttons and shrugged his shirt from his shoulders, letting it fall carelessly into the floor at Harry's feet. It was a brilliant sight, Draco Malfoy kneeling in front of him, face still wet and shimmering from Harry's come and saliva, shirtless, elegant fingers unsnapping the button on his soft grey trousers, unzipping them slowly, eyes completely focused on Harry's face. Fuck, brilliant wasn't a good enough word but he couldn't think of one that was and when Draco freed his cock, Harry gave up trying to think at all. Draco stood up, his movements slow and sensuous; his cock so close to Harry's face that he could smell it, could almost taste it.

"Touch me, Harry." It was such a soft whisper, but it felt like chains, dragging Harry's clenched hands from the sofa. He pushed Draco's trousers down, allowing him to step out of them and kick them to the side before taking Draco's cock into his hand. He'd never sucked anyone off before, not that he hadn't wanted to, he just ... it hadn't ever felt right before, but now ... now he knew he couldn't help himself even if he tried. He ran his tongue along the bottom of Draco's cock, from base to tip, feeling almost jubilant when those long fingers found his head and tugged roughly at his hair. He cupped Draco's balls in his hand, running his finger behind them, along the soft skin that led to Draco's arse and when Draco moaned, low in his throat, hoarse and needy, Harry felt a spike of need shoot through him, like white-hot fire, ready to scorch him into ashes at any moment. Then his mouth was being pulled away and Draco's tongue replaced his cock, searching, demanding. "Fuck me, Harry. I want you to."

Harry squeezed his eyes tightly shut. He would let himself believe that it was true, just for tonight. He couldn't speak so he just nodded against Draco's cheek, shucking his jeans as he led the naked man into his bedroom. He'd never allowed any of the other men into his bedroom. Oh, he'd fucked them, no doubt. Against the wall, on the sofa, on the floor, on the kitchen table, but never in the bed, never where lovers would fuck. But Draco deserved better than the hard floor or even the soft sofa. He deserved satin sheets, Champagne, candlelight.

"All night, Draco," he whispered as he pushed the man onto the bed, starting at his lips and leaving a line of unmistakable marks all the way to his toes. Draco moaned beautifully – whimpered, begged, pleaded beautifully – and when Harry got to his toes, he flipped him over and started all over again. Tongue and hands and lips all working in perfect unison to touch every silver hair on the man's calves, to trace even the faintest vein on the inside of his knee, to caress every muscle on those strong thighs.

When Harry got to the paler-than-white arse cheeks he knew exactly what he wanted and rules be damned, he was going to do it. He grasped one cheek in either hand, opening Draco up to feast upon, literally. When his tongue touched, Draco keened, arching his arse up like a cat in heat, and Harry took that as a yes. One swipe of his tongue, then another, then another until he thought the noise coming from Draco's throat might have been a sob. "Please, Harry. Please." Harry shoved his tongue in as deep as it could possibly go and the litany of swears streaming from Draco's mouth was almost comical. He thrust his tongue in and out with the same unconscious rhythm with which he was grinding his cock against Draco's calf and it wasn't until he felt Draco's nails dig into his forearm that he understood Draco's incoherent pleas. "Fuckmeharrypleasefuckmeplease."

Luckily, he still had enough of his faculties to do a lubricating charm, the words barely making it from his lips before he was inside Draco. It wasn't romantic or pretty or graceful; it was wild and furious and animalistic and ... perfect. Harry knew the exact moment when Draco came because his body went rigid and then snapped like an elastic band, going limp and motionless. If not for the heaving of the man's back, Harry would have been worried. A few more thrusts and Harry joined him in a lifeless mass of sweat and semen and legs and arms.
They lay there for what seemed like forever, Harry draped over Draco's sweaty body, unable and unwilling to move away until Draco wiggled and whimpered like an injured animal. Harry immediately rolled off, asking if he was okay. The tenderness in his voice surprising even him.

Draco looked up at him, blinking as if to bring his world back into focus. "Sweet Merlin, Harry," was all he said as he rolled onto his back and pulled Harry back on top of him, kissing him possessively, as if he might never let go. Harry wished that it was true, that Draco wouldn't let go, but he knew come morning the clock would chime and their time would be up.

He watched as Draco drifted off, his handsome face turning even more beautiful as the soft lines of peaceful sleep swept over him. The hand around Harry's heart clenched tighter than it ever had and he closed his eyes, branding the sight into his memories before climbing out of bed. He found his jeans and pulled out all the Muggle money that he had. It was far more than three thousand pounds, but Draco had been right; he had been worth it. Worth more than anyone's money could buy. He laid it on the bedside table before climbing back into bed. Draco mumbled something that sounded like tuna fish and Harry chuckled as he wrapped his arms around him, savouring the last hour before the sun rose.

When he awoke, Draco was gone. Harry knew he would be, but that didn't make the ache in his chest hurt any less. When he rolled over, every muscle in his back throbbed, reminding him painfully of why he was so sore. He sat up to stumble to the loo when the pile of money on the bedside table caught his eye. He picked it up, thinking Draco didn't seem like the type to count out exactly three thousand pounds as agreed upon, but when he flipped through it, he realised it was all still there. Draco hadn't taken a single pound, and on the nightstand, next to Harry's wand, was a neatly scribbled note that simply said, thank you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"It's Wednesday, are you coming tonight?"

Harry shook his head, avoiding Ginny's piercing gaze.

"Neville's bringing his new girlfriend and I think Dean and Jessica have an announcement to make. Are you sure you want to miss it again?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," Harry answered with a sigh, slouching onto the sofa. It had been three months since his night with Draco. He had gone back to the dark Muggle street the next night, and the night after, and the night after that, but Draco had once again disappeared without a trace. After two weeks, someone had finally taken pity on him and explained that Draco had moved out of his flat. He didn't know why he couldn't let it go, but the hand around his heart had been clenching more tightly than it ever had and he didn't know how to make it stop.

"Fine, but you're coming shopping with me today." Harry recognized that tone and knew it would be pointless to argue. "You need to buy Ron a birthday gift and there's a new Quidditch shop that just opened in Diagon Alley. I think it'd be the perfect place to find what you've been looking for, don't you?"

Harry smiled. He realised how lost he'd be without Ginny and it amazed him that she still put up with him after all this time. "Yeah, okay," he answered. "Thanks." He knew she understood. She understood him better than anyone. He'd never told Ron or Hermione about that night, but Ginny had managed to get him stumbling drunk one night and had drug out every sordid detail. She hadn't chastised him or lectured him. He didn't know why, but somehow, she had understood.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry looked up at the sparkling silver sign that hung over the door and grinned, a memory flittering like a butterfly at the base of his skull. "King's Quidditch?"

Ginny giggled. "Yeah, I thought that was a rather odd name too, but once you go in, you'll understand. The stuff he stocks is all the highest quality, fit for a king, I suppose."

Harry reached for the door and held it open for Ginny to enter, but she simply shook her head. "I've an appointment at Caroline's to have my nails done. I'll meet you at the Leaky when you're done."

Harry shrugged and waved as she walked away. The shop was indeed, rather amazing. The most expensive brooms on the market decorated the brightly coloured walls. The glass case near the counter was full of Golden Snitches, pure gold from the looks of them. This didn't look like the kind of place to shop for Ron, but he supposed he'd have to ask the shopkeeper for something suitable.

"Er, excuse me. Anyone here?"

"A moment please," came a muffled voice from behind a large wooden door that must have led to a stockroom of some sort.

Harry continued to browse the various magazines that adorned a rack beside the door. Apparently, the shop had managed to get magazines from all over the world, something that Quality Quidditch had never been able to procure.

"May I help yo—"

The magazine fell from Harry's hand when he turned to find Draco Malfoy staring back at him, a box full of something gold and shiny in his arms.

"Harry," he said softly, as he sat the box on the counter. "It's good to see you. I wondered when you'd come in."

He didn't know what to say, or what to do. He stood there gaping like a fish, probably looking about as stupid as he'd ever looked in his entire life. The shy smile on Draco's lips made his heart ache. He wanted to wrap the man in his arms and kiss him into tomorrow. He wanted to assault him with a thousand questions. He wanted to throw him down on the counter and fuck him until he came all over the sparkling glass.

"Say something." The words were but a mere whisper, but they twirled around Harry like a monsoon.

"Where did you go? I looked for you, I—"

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you take the money?"

Draco moved from behind the counter, to within arm's length of him, and Harry wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch him. To drag him into arms that had ached to hold him for months, maybe years.

"I didn't want your money, Harry. And before you say it, I didn't do it to pay you back for saving me. I did it because I wanted to. I told you that."

"Then why did you leave?" Draco flinched at the words as if they'd been said harshly instead of the pathetic whisper that they were.

"I didn't want you to have to save me again. I wanted..." Harry watched Draco's Adam's apple bob as he swallowed. "I wanted us to be like this. Equals. I wanted you to want me becau—"

Harry closed the distance between them and kissed Draco before he could finish the sentence. He didn't care why; the reasons weren't important. Draco wanted him, and he wanted Draco, reasons be damned. Long fingers carded through his hair and a soft tongue teased his lips, and the hand around Harry's heart loosened and fell away. "I missed you," he mumbled against Draco's lips and he felt the smile form. He had to pull away to see it this time. It was as beautiful as he'd imagined it would be.

"You do realise someone could walk in at any minute to see the great Harry Potter kissing another man, don't you?"

"Fuck it," Harry answered, not caring in the least if the entire editorial staff of the Daily Prophet walked in with cameras in tow. "Come home with me."

Draco grinned, laying his hand over Harry's heart. "It'll cost you."

Harry laughed, feeling truly happy for the first time in months. "I know you'll be worth it."


~Fin~