Good Faith

Notes:: Pairing: Harry/Draco; Summary:Draco Malfoy will use what ever means available to get what he wants. And he wants Harry Potter; Disclaimer: I know these characters and this world belongs to JK Rowling, and that I am using them without permission. I'm not making any money from my writings.; Note 1:Many thanks to Geoviki, Regan_v, and Snakeling, for above and beyond story beta.; Note 2:This story was written for Merry Smutmas 2006

"Potter!" Malfoy called out as Harry was about to leave after lunch.

"What do you want?" Harry was not in the mood to deal with Malfoy on top of everything else.

That didn't stop Malfoy from advancing, and drawing a white envelope out of his robes. He held it out to Harry, looking smugly pleased.

Disbelief warred with horror as Harry looked from the envelope to Malfoy. This could not be happening. Not from Malfoy of all people.

It had been quite a shock when Malfoy turned out to be on the side of light, if not from the beginning as Snape had been, then by the end of the summer of sixth year. And certainly by the time they'd need him to find the Horcruxes that had eventually ended the war.

None of that mattered one whit to Harry right now, looking at the envelope Malfoy was trying to force on him. "You're joking. Please, tell me you're joking."

"I assure you, I'm not joking. Take it." Malfoy pushed the envelope at him again.

With his stomach twisting into a knot, Harry took it, jerking it out of Malfoy's fingers. It wasn't as if he had much of a choice. Damn the Ministry, and all of its idiotic laws, to all seven hells.

"Whatever you might think to the contrary, I'm quite serious. I'm acting in good faith."

That was such a load of rubbish. Harry snarled at him, ready to hex him for his arrogance. "There is nothing about this situation that is good. Especially not you."

For one second, Malfoy looked startled. Then, he stepped back and executed a perfect bow. His face held some emotion Harry couldn't identify, and it made him nervous.

As Malfoy walked away, Harry stood there staring after him, his mouth open. Despite everything he knew about Malfoy, or maybe because of it, Harry had no doubt what-so-ever that he was serious.

For a moment, he was too stunned to move, then anger set in. How dare Malfoy do this to him? It was unconscionable. Despicable.

Harry probably would have stood there all day had Ron and Hermione not taken one of his arms each and dragged him out. They took him all the way out to the lake, before they stopped.

How was it possible that six months after he'd defeated Voldemort, he was in this position? Hogwarts had reopened in the autumn, and McGonagall had invited everyone who had missed the previous year to return to complete their education. He should be enjoying his final year at school without having to worry about anything other than Quidditch practice and passing his NEWTs.

Instead, Scrimgeour and the Wizengamot had buggered him and every other Muggle born and Muggle raised witch or wizard under the age of twenty-five.

"I can't believe that prat would do this to me." He was still clutching the envelope, shaking with outrage.

"You'd better look at it. See what the terms are." Hermione nodded towards the envelope.

"Terms? There are no terms that exist that could make him an acceptable choice." Panic started to encroach, but Harry forced it back. He'd find a way out of this. He had to. There was no way he was going to marry Draco Malfoy.

"Didn't you read any of the proposals?" Ron looked horrified.

"No." Harry was horrified, too. It wasn't fair and it wasn't right.

"Ignoring the problem won't make it go away." Hermione's tone was chiding, but there was understanding as well. She was in the same dire straits that he was.

Company didn't make him feel any better. He didn't actually believe that if he ignored it it would go away, but he wasn't ready to deal with any of this yet. "Oh, I suppose you've read every one of the offers --"

"You can be sure that I have. Every detail, and everything I could find on the requirements of the Marriage Law as well."

"We already know the law," Ron said, without looking at her. His ears were as red as his hair.

"Actually, I'm not sure that you do. Did you know, for instance, that you can reject an offer based on sexual preference?"

Harry looked at her, a tiny bit of hope trying to work its way into him. "Then, I don't have to worry about most of them."

"You still have that one." Hermione nodded towards the crushed envelope in his hand.

"Isn't there any way out of this? I mean, it's Malfoy!" And he wondered if it might be worth leaving the Wizarding World not to have to get married to someone he didn't want to. No. He'd given too much of his life to this world to give it up now. There had to be a way out.

"You have to accept one of the offers within sixty days of the first one. You can reject on three things: sexual preference, marriage lines -- which isn't something you're going to be able to claim -- or irreconcilable differences."

"What are irreconcilable differences?" At least that sounded promising. Though knowing the Wizengamot, it wouldn't be easy.

"After arbitration, you both find that you're not compatible." Hermione didn't sound hopeful that this was a viable option.

"That sounds right to me. You can claim that. But it's never that easy, is it?" Ron said.

"I am not compatible with Malfoy." Harry knew he'd have a better chance with almost anyone else. Possibly even one of the girls who'd offered.

"You have to accept the offer, and then negotiate in good faith."

"Good faith? What the hell does 'good faith' mean, because there is nothing here that is good?" Harry lowered his voice. "Sorry."

"It's okay. I understand completely."

"How many offers do you have?" Harry asked, and pointedly did not look at Ron.

"Four. How about you?" Hermione sounded tired. Or maybe scared.

Harry felt the same way. "This one makes four for me, too."

Ron said nothing.

"What idiot came up with this, anyway?" Harry just couldn't get past the fact that this was real. It seemed like a nightmare he couldn't wake up from.

"Scrimgeour wants the Muggle born and Muggle raised young adults to be more fully integrated into Wizarding society."

Harry knew that. He'd argued until he was blue in the face that this wasn't the way to do it. It infuriated him that he was old enough to kill Voldemort for them, but he was not old enough to argue in front of the Wizengamot. "It amazes me that he thinks it's going to happen by forcing all of us to marry into pureblood families."

"It's not pure bloods per se. It's anyone who was raised in Wizarding society. Or has spent any amount of time in it," Hermione said.

Harry shook his head. "It is still wrong."

"Why aren't you more upset?" Ron asked, finally looking at Hermione.

"I've got a plan. I am going to accept the least objectionable offer and wait out my sixty days. Then negotiate in good faith for as long as I can draw it out. Then reject him on irreconcilable differences."

"It's a lot of trouble," Harry said. "Who were you going to accept?"

"No more so than marrying someone who I don't want to marry. And Neville made me a nice offer."

"Neville!" Ron looked sick. "You can't --"

"At least he asked me, Ronald." Her eyes flashed with barely suppressed fury. And no small amount of hurt.

"It's not that I don't want to! It's that I have nothing to offer you. Do you want to live at the Burrow with my parents?" Without waiting for an answer, Ron turned around and walked away.

Hermione sighed, looking after him, her expression sour.

"He's very self conscious --"

"I know what he is. Now is not the time for that!"

Harry had to agree. But neither of them had been able to convince Ron of that. It had occurred to Harry that there might be another reason for it, but if there were, then Ron needed to tell them that. But Ron wasn't talking.

"What are you going to do?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know. I suppose I'll do the same thing as you."

"There's a problem with that. Neville is willing to go along with it. He doesn't want to marry me either."

"Then why did he offer for you?"

"He wants to wait until Ginny finishes school. She's got another year after this one. After I reject him, he'll be able to offer for whomever he wants."

"They've been inseparable, haven't they?" After he'd broken up with Ginny, she'd started to date Neville. He'd thought it was spite, that it wouldn't last, but it had. And that had hurt, but he'd drowned his sorrows in ale at Bill's wedding, and ended up in bed with George of all people. It had been an eye-opening experience. Turned out boys tasted better than girls.

"You don't seem to mind."

"I don't. Really. I'm happy she found someone since it wasn't going to be me. How long can you stretch things out?"

"We're hoping to manage at least until school ends in the summer, possibly longer if we're lucky."

"Maybe things will change by then." Harry didn't actually believe that it would.

"I'll have to leave the Wizarding World if they don't."

It hurt that it might be his best option, too. "So if Malfoy doesn't agree, I'm not going to be able to claim irreconcilable differences?"

"It makes it much harder. And if he says that you didn't cooperate with the courtship, they can force you to wed him. Who else has asked you?"

"Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode, and Hannah Abbott." The first two were enough to make his blood run cold. And Hannah was nice enough, but she was too much a fan of what he was rather than who he was.

"Malfoy would be almost as bad as those two." Hermione closed her eyes and a visible shudder went through her.

"At least, he's a guy. But you know, maybe there were other wizards who might be willing? Maybe I could work out an arrangement like you've got."

"Who?"

That was the problem, wasn't it? Disappointingly, there weren't that many of his friends who preferred men, and of those who did there were fewer still who he'd trust with something this important. "I don't know. Maybe George would? Or Remus."

"Remus can't. He's barely got citizenship status as it is."

"That's something else that stinks about all of this." Harry hated all the new laws. Instead of helping anyone, Scrimgeour had totally fucked up every thing.

"And unless you're in love with George, it wouldn't be fair to him. You know how he feels about you."

He did. And he wished he could return those feelings, but it just wasn't in him. She was right. George was out. "Neville offered for you. Who else?"

"Unfortunately, anyone else would be like George. They'd expect to really be married to you. And then annulment wouldn't work. Still that might be better than Malfoy."

"I don't know. Maybe I can get out of it with Malfoy. That's at least worth a try."

"Or you could end up married to him. Which would be even worse."

Harry put his head in his hands. "Oh, God."

"Why don't you look at Malfoy's terms?"

A good idea, Harry supposed. Except that he didn't actually want to know. He unclenched his hand and opened the envelope. It was a single sheet of paper.

"May I see it?" she asked, holding out her hand.

"Sure."

"He's asking for a formal courtship with arbiters acting in your favor."

"What does that mean?"

"It's a much more complicated process. And very formal. You both will have to secure arbiters who negotiate the terms of your marriage contract."

Harry thought that was what they were going to do anyway. "How is this different?"

"This is the most formal and most binding of marriage contracts. He's very serious about this. He must really want you."

"Why, though?"

She shook her head. "I can't tell you that."

"Malfoy!" Potter's tone said he was very angry.

Draco turned, keeping his expression carefully blank. He didn't want Potter to see how important this was to him. "What do you want?"

"I want to know what you think you're doing with this." Potter brandished the envelope, now hopelessly mangled. He sounded utterly outraged, as if he were offended by it.

"I would think you could have figured that out from the proposal. You can read, can't you?" Draco smiled coldly, ignoring the fluttering of his heart.

Potter drew in a deep breath, and then let it out slowly. "Let me rephrase that then. Why are you doing this? What do you hope to gain?"

"You shouldn't take that tone with me. I'm honoring you --"

"Cut the crap, Malfoy. I'm not honored. And I don't trust you. What I want is to know what you want from me?"

Draco put a hand on his still rapidly beating heart. "I'm hurt. I make a perfectly gracious offer --"

"You don't know the meaning of the word!"

"Please. You have to choose someone. It's not as if you've got a choice about that."

Potter's head snapped up and his eyes flashed with anger. "You can force the courtship, but you can't force me to marry you."

Although he'd never tell Potter, what he wanted was a chance to compete. A chance to win him. "You must act in good faith."

"I don't have to do anything I don't want to do."

That attitude was going to get annoying very soon. Oh, wait, it already had. Draco sneered at him. "If you don't --"

"What? You'll force me to marry you? And how would that look? You couldn't win me fair and square, so you had to resort to the courts to force me."

He didn't want to do that. but he would. Anything he had to so that he'd have Potter. "You'll need to name an arbiter to negotiate for you."

Potter blinked. "You're going to continue with this farce?"

"I am indeed. My arbiter will be Sev...Professor Snape."

"I haven't accepted yet."

"You will."

"I --" Potter's legendary fortitude had clearly failed. He turned and walked away without another word.

Draco felt like laughing. He was finally going to win this, finally going to best Harry Bloody Potter. And in the most pleasurable way imaginable.

A little fantasy started to unfold in his mind, but he shook it off.

Before he got too far ahead of himself, he'd better make sure his arbiter was up to the challenge.

Severus looked up as Draco sidled into his office with a smug look of pleasure on his face. That was never a good sign with him. "Mr Malfoy?"

Draco sat down and grinned. "I need a favor."

"And you think I would just give it to you? Why would you think that?" He suspected that Draco was aware of how fond he'd become of him. Nothing like being on the run and in constant danger to draw the brat closer to him.

"There's no reason, really. I do think you'll find it amusing, though." Draco was clearly very pleased with himself.

And that worried him. Draco was not known for thinking things completely through. To be fair, he was slightly better than most boys his age. "What then? Since you clearly can't wait to tell me."

Draco's grin grew wider. "I'm in need of an arbiter. I was hoping --"

"Sweet Merlin, Draco, what did you do?" Severus closed his eyes in resignation. He already knew Draco had done something foolish.

That self-satisfied smile would have told him before Draco even said, "I merely went after a prize I wanted."

He put his head in his hands. "Who? No," he raised his head. "I know who. What were you thinking?" Severus hadn't meant to raise his voice so loudly, but...he was appalled.

Draco looked crestfallen, or what passed for it with his reaction. The look passed quickly. How could Draco have thought this was a good idea? "Has he accepted?"

"He doesn't have much choice."

"Surely you realize," he stopped. He wasn't going to change Draco's mind. That much was evident by the determined look on his face. All he could do was try and salvage the situation. "That Potter will not appreciate being forced."

"I'm not interested in what he wants."

"Haven't you learned anything?" he snapped. "He'll make your life miserable. For the rest of your life. Look at your parents. They both agreed to it. Potter will be forced. How much more hostile do you think he's going to be?"

"But --"

"Yes, I know you want him. Have done for years. And this is probably your best chance for actually having him." Some part of him admired Draco for going after what he wanted. However, if he were to have a chance in hell, Draco would have to rein back that abundance of Malfoy arrogance.

Draco scowled at that, but didn't even try to deny it.

"You must decide how you want him and make plans to bring him to your way of thinking. Slowly. Carefully. If you can make him think it's his idea, so much the better." He glared at Draco. "Then, and only then, do you have a chance to be happy. And maybe he'll be happy as well."

"Why --"

"Because this is your life, you idiot, as well as it is his. You may think you can keep him in a cage and take him out to play with when you feel like it, but do you really think that Harry Potter is going to quietly allow that, forced marriage or no?"

"He'll do as I say."

Severus could have laughed in his face. "As if he's ever done what you wanted him to do. Open your eyes. He's a man. He's the bloody Savior of the Wizarding World. He's never done what anyone has told him to do."

Draco squared his shoulders. "But --"

"Don't be any more foolish than you've already been."

The belligerence and arrogance went out of Draco's eyes and his shoulders slumped. "What do I do?"

Although he was arrogant beyond measure, there was also a pragmatism to Draco that most people missed and would serve him well in this case. "You coax him into agreeing to the courtship. You hope you can convince him it's a good idea."

"But he should be honored," Draco started to insist, yet again.

He couldn't really believe that, not after everything. "As much as it pains me to say this, and it does, you are the one who should be honored if he accepts you. Both of your parents fought on the wrong side of the war."

"I was on the right side."

"That is the only reason you're going to get a chance at all." Severus was having trouble believing Draco could be so willingly blind.

"I still need an arbiter."

"You're using a formal courtship? That will work in your favor. Do you know what you want to ask for?"

"I wasn't going to ask for anything. I was going to offer him money, status, being a Malfoy --"

Severus shook his head in disbelief. Trust the boy to have missed the obvious. "You don't know him at all, do you? Potter doesn't need your money or your status. He's got plenty of both."

"Why don't you simply tell me what you think I can give him?" There was the slightest hint of desperation in Draco's tone that told Severus just how badly Draco wanted Potter. It shouldn't be as much of a surprise as it was.

If nothing else, Severus knew what would win Potter. "He's silly enough to want to be loved for himself."

"You're joking, right? That's absurd."

And there spoke a boy who had never wondered if he were loved. Severus glared at him. "Do you know anything about his background? Never mind, of course you don't. You're far more interested in having him as some kind of prize to show off."

"And why shouldn't I have him that way?" The bravado in his tone rang so completely false that Snape wondered who Draco was trying to convince.

"Because you deserve better." And so did Potter, although Snape wasn't going to address that with Draco. "He's a man who has never had a family. A man who desperately wants one."

"What should I do about that?"

Severus hoped that he was actually going to think about it. "You're not stupid. If after all of this, you can't see the answer, then you're a lost cause, and I'm quit of you. Go away. Come back when you've had a chance to think this through."

"You'll be my arbiter?"

"Yes. Now go."

Draco admitted that Snape might have been right about Potter. He didn't know him. And if he wanted to have Potter, then perhaps he should think about what Snape had said. That said, he was quite sure he was smart enough to figure it out.

"Malfoy!" Potter came charging at him, robes flaring behind him in a very Snape-like way. "I want to talk to you."

Did Potter do or say anything that wasn't punctuated with an exclamation point. Not where he was concerned, Draco supposed. And maybe, that should bother him more than it did, but Draco couldn't even begin to address it. "What now, Potter?"

"We didn't finish from before."

"I thought we had. But clearly, you can't get enough of my company. I'm happy to indulge you." Draco smiled in what he hoped was a sweet way. "In anything you want."

"I can't stand you and you know it."

"Now, now, Potter. We both know you find me attractive." Draco hoped it were true, more than he actually believed it. In all likelihood, they both knew the reverse was more the case.

"As a snake. Is that why you're doing this? You want to sleep with me?"

More than anything he could think of. But if he said that, it would only annoy Potter more. "What are you on about?" he asked instead.

"That has to be it. Why else would you want to marry me then? Look, I'd be willing to sleep with you if you withdraw the offer."

Draco couldn't believe he'd said that. It said way too much about what Potter thought of him. He clearly had his work cut out for him. "What makes you think I won't take you up on it, and then renege?"

"You'd consider it?"

He wanted Potter to be his forever. Once would never be enough. But once would be better than never. It wouldn't be never. He'd do whatever he had to do to see to that. "Not a chance."

Draco watched Potter lick his lips. With a shiver, he closed his eyes, trying to shake off the need to follow the trail of Potter's tongue with his own.

Potter pulled the crumpled envelope from his pocket and shoved it at him. "Withdraw the offer. I don't want you."

"You just offered to sleep with me." Even saying the words were a thrill.

"A trade. Nothing more. You get what you want and I won't have to marry you."

"No. I want more than that." Draco stepped closer to him.

The most amazing thing happened, then. Potter stepped back.

Encouraged, he crowded Potter against the wall, and leaned into him. He couldn't hide his arousal or fail to notice that Potter was not in the same condition. It didn't matter. It wasn't going to be only him who was feeling this. He pressed further into Potter's warm body and a shiver of delight ran through him.

Potter's face was close, his eyes hard, wary. Something Snape said came back to Draco. When he leaned in to kiss him, instead of ploughing forth, ready to conquer as he'd done with almost everyone else, he reined in his aggression, and touched his lips gently to Potter's.

The soft dry touch sent a flicker of pure fire into Draco's groin. And drew a startled gasp from Potter. He leaned in again and let his lips cling for just one moment before pulling back to look into Potter's eyes.

The surprised pleasure encouraged Draco, and he kissed Potter again, slowly, nearly languidly. His tongue slid out to lick carefully along Potter's bottom lip. Merlin, and all that was holy, Potter tasted better than Draco's best dream of him.

Potter opened his mouth, allowing his tongue to slither in. He moaned, pleasure washing over him as Potter's hands settled tentatively on his shoulders.

He closed his eyes, letting the kiss take him. His hands moved into Potter's hair, sliding through the messy strands. Still pressing into Potter, Draco could feel that Potter was finally starting to respond in a way he'd hoped.

It thrilled him that he'd finally got it right. He put his hands on Potter's hips and pulled him closer, still. Potter's now hard prick ground into his. Draco moaned again.

Desire washed over him. Fuck, it was so good. He wanted nothing so much as to push Potter to the floor and pound into him until they were both too tired from the pleasure to ever move again. With the greatest reluctance, he pulled back. Before he could let Potter go completely, he pressed a few more soft kisses to Potter's lush mouth.

Draco smiled at the stunned look on his face. Yes. That had worked nicely. This little experiment had showed him how he'd have to approach Potter.

Blinking, Potter cleared his throat. He touched his fingers to his mouth. "Yes, well, that was unexpected."

"Do you accept?" Because unless he did, Draco wasn't going to get to do this again. And he wanted to, more than almost anything he'd ever wanted.

"I can't get you to rescind the offer?" Potter didn't sound nearly so harsh as he had when he'd approached.

"No." Draco hoped he heard just the tiniest bit of reluctance in Potter's tone. Maybe it was too soon for that.

"I'll find an arbiter." Potter pushed against him.

Draco would have liked to have held him for a moment longer, but it wasn't the time. He stepped back and let Potter move away. "Do you have someone in mind?"

"Hermione."

"All right. Usually it's someone older and wiser, but she's likely to know as much as anyone."

Potter looked surprised by his comment.

"What?"

"I thought you hated her. Thought she was a jumped up --"

He forced a laugh. "I'm not fond of her. But that has very little to do with bloodlines." Which was more or less true. That he wanted it to be truer than it was, was something he'd been working on.

After the Dark Lord murdered his mother because he'd failed to kill Dumbledore, Draco had spent some time actually thinking about what he'd believed and what had simply been spoon fed to him by his parents. It had occurred to him that perhaps following the Dark Lord was not the path to fame and glory. He'd found that a great many things he'd held as true and right, were not so easily decided. Of course, changing what you'd been taught for your whole life wasn't easy, either.

"Is there anything else she or I need to know?"

"No. She'll research it and I'm sure she already knows what needs to be done. Severus -- Professor Snape will be in touch with her." Draco caught Potter by his waist and kissed him quickly but softly.

Potter had that stunned look again. Draco was sure he could get used to seeing that look on Potter's face all the time.

Dismayed by the turn of events, Harry walked away from Malfoy. Who would have thought that Malfoy could kiss like that? He touched his mouth. That didn't make Malfoy any less objectionable, but Harry thought he'd be brutal. Not that he'd thought about kissing Malfoy that much. Or at all. Still, he couldn't believe how sweet it had been.

"Harry?" Hermione's voice penetrated his thoughts. "Where are you? You've got the most particular look on your face. Are you all right?"

Harry blinked at her. "What? Sorry. I need to talk to you about something."

She waited.

"Do you know anything about being an arbiter for a formal marriage contract?"

"Not anymore than I've already said. Does that mean you've accepted Malfoy's offer?" If Hermione didn't sound half so horrified as Harry would have expected, at least, she didn't sound pleased.

Well, Harry wasn't pleased, either. The whole thing filled him with a combination of outrage and horror. "It's not like I've got a choice."

"But Malfoy?"

"It's him, or one of the women." And Harry knew himself well enough to know that would not work out at all.

"You don't want one of them?"

"It's not that they are women. It is who they are. Malfoy is..." Harry didn't know what Malfoy was, but he wasn't just after Harry's name or out for revenge. "Will you do it?"

Hermione was silent for a moment, and Harry feared she might refuse him. He wasn't sure who he could go to if she did. McGonagall perhaps? Maybe Arthur Weasley?

"I suppose I'd better," Hermione said. She was silent again for a count. "I think I might be able to put off my own contract to negotiate yours."

"That would be great, if you could." For her, anyway. He didn't think he'd be able to get out of this once it started.

"I'll check on it. Maybe Neville and I can postpone. That will make my life so much easier. I'll stretch out your negotiations as long as I can."

"Go to it. Stretch it out. Make sure you demand as much as you can from him." He wasn't sure how much good it would do, but maybe Malfoy would get bored and renege on it. Admittedly, there was little hope of that, but Harry wasn't ready to give up yet.

"I don't expect to let his arbiter get away with anything. Don't worry about that."

"That might be more difficult than you think. His arbiter is Snape."

She didn't even blink. "I'll have McGonagall work out something with him."

"Do you think that's possible?" Because Snape would eat Hermione for breakfast if he were allowed to use his authority against her during negotiations.

"Oh, I think he'll do what McGonagall suggests. I know no one is happy with the new laws. Besides, Snape owes her. She let him come back, after everything that happened." It was Snape who had broken the curse on the Defense Against the Dark Arts position.

"Come on, she knew that Dumbledore set the whole thing up before he died. And for Malfoy, too. And the pensive evidence was pretty much conclusive." Harry had seen it all and been forced, quite against his will, to accept that Snape had not only always been Dumbledore's man, but also had obeyed him when he had clearly not wanted to. "He also helped us with the Horcruxes. And we wouldn't have got Voldemort otherwise."

"He still killed --"

"He did." There was a part of Harry that hated the man for that. But his own sense of fairness wouldn't let him hold it against him. In spite of being a total and complete bastard, Snape had done what needed to be done and Harry had to respect that.

"When do we start?"

"I don't know. Maybe you should go talk to Snape."

"First McGonagall. Then Snape."

He'd leave it all up to her.

Severus looked up at the unexpected and unwelcome knock on his door. He scowled at finding Granger in his office. "You're out after curfew. Ten points from Gryffindor."

She just looked at him, her arms folded across her chest.

No doubt she knew that McGonagall would give her the points back. He had an idea of what she wanted. None of it improved his mood.

"Headmistress McGonagall has given me permission to meet with you after hours."

Severus raised an eyebrow. He wasn't going to concede anything.

"I propose we meet in a neutral place --"

"No. We shall meet in my office." He had no intention of giving up his advantage. Draco had no parents to negotiate for him and he would see the boy happy, if he could.

"I've asked Professor McGonagall if we might use the Room of Requirements for our negotiations." Granger said it as if he'd not objected at all.

His estimation of her went up a notch. A small notch. "I thought I just said we'd meet here."

"I think you realize that I won't be your student in this." She met his eyes doggedly.

"What part of no don't you understand?"

"I understand that you want the advantage. I also understand that you think you can intimidate me. But be fair --"

"I am not fair."

"You're going to have to be in this. I will see Harry justly represented." She squared her shoulders in the Gryffindor way she had. It annoyed the bloody hell out of him.

"Why would you think I'd agree to that?" He knew her well enough to know that she'd not give up, but he wasn't about to let her think this would be easy.

"Because Professor McGonagall said that you would. Or she would know why not."

"You might have mentioned that to begin with."

"Never start with your strongest argument."

He inclined his head, giving her the point. "How Slytherin of you."

"There's no call to insult me," she said tartly, drawing herself up to her full height, and sticking her chin out.

This might not be quite so tedious as he'd feared. Still, he wanted it over with as soon as he could manage it. "Fine. Now get out."

Granger held her ground. "When do we meet to discuss the terms of the contract?"

"We can start tomorrow night at 10:00."

"The Room of Requirements at 10:00." She started to back towards the door. In anyone else, he would have thought she was intimidated, but he knew her too well for that.

"Fine," Severus sighed. He cursed Draco for putting him in this position to start with.

"Potter," Malfoy called as Harry was leaving the Great Hall after lunch. Wasn't this where they had started last week?

"What do you want now?" He glared at Malfoy. Class started in a few minutes and he had enough problems without being late as well.

"We need to decide on contract topics for the marriage document." The look of pleasure on Malfoy's face was too much.

Harry felt sick.

Several people stopped.

"You accepted him over me?" Pansy Parkinson sounded outraged. She looked at Malfoy and hissed, "Blood traitor."

"And that would be why." Harry glared at her, disgusted. Even if she hadn't been a woman, he wouldn't have considered her offer.

Hannah Abbott joined the group. "But...but he hates you. Every bit as much as she does." Hannah jerked her head towards Pansy. She looked like she just couldn't understand.

Harry almost felt sorry for her. She wasn't very bright. "He's a guy." Harry didn't want to hurt her, or anyone for that matter. But like Pansy, she was someone he never would have accepted. For different reasons, of course.

"Oh," Hannah said. She looked down and shrugged. Her shoulders slumped and she walked away.

Pansy glared for one more minute and when no one said anything else, she also left them.

He sighed and waited for Malfoy to tell him what he wanted this time. "I thought the arbiters decided what to negotiate."

"We give them the topics. They work out the details."

That was a problem. Harry was at a loss about what exactly went into the contract. He'd trusted that Hermione would research it and make the right decisions.

"Things like chores, children, who provides what. Elves. Linens. China. Money. Anything domestic or family related. Anything you have an opinion on."

"I have --"

"No. You shouldn't tell me. Tell Granger. Make sure she knows your preferences."

"Why don't we do the negotiating?" Harry hadn't thought about what it would entail. Hermione didn't know all of his preferences on everything. Many. But not everything.

"If this were an informal contract, we would. But a formal contract is usually negotiated by parents."

"Why did you choose this?" To Harry, it seemed like it was much more trouble than it was worth. Not to mention that it was so much more binding.

"That's how it's done in my family. I like the tradition."

"Neither of us have parents. It might be better if we did this ourselves." Harry realized how much that must hurt Malfoy by the dimming of his eyes. How much harder must it be to know your parents would have turned against you, possibly even killed you, if you rejected their beliefs?

What was he thinking? The very last thing he wanted was to feel any kind of sympathy for Malfoy.

"It's too late now. I've offered and you've accepted."

Just as well. The longer he could draw it out, the more likely it was that he could find something that Malfoy wouldn't agree to. "I think they should negotiate everything. Linens, children, chores, elves, dishes --"

"That's china, Potter."

"Right. That too."

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "Why do you care so much?"

"I have to live with it, and you, don't I? I want something I like." Not that he had any idea what he'd like. Hermione was a girl. She'd know about this stuff.

"All right. I suppose it makes sense. We should start with things like domestics and china. Color schemes for the house."

"Shouldn't that include where we're going to live?" Beyond not living with the Dursley's ever again, Harry hadn't given where he was going to live much thought. He didn't want to live with Malfoy. That was for sure.

"I thought we'd live at the Manor --"

The very idea was enough to make Harry's blood run cold. "Not a chance of that. I want to buy a place."

"I'm not giving up Malfoy Manor. It's my birthright." Malfoy's expression was hard and unyielding.

No matter what, Harry wasn't going to let him get away with giving any orders, and certainly not trying to tell Harry where they were going to live. "I don't care what you do with it. I'm not going to live there."

"You should be honored to live there --" That affronted dignity was so totally Malfoy and so totally not going to work with Harry.

"That's the stupidest thing you've ever said – no, asking me to do this was the stupidest, but this was bloody close." He tried to rein in his temper. If he hexed Malfoy, he'd get expelled and that would defeat the purpose of coming back.

Malfoy's face went red and his hand slid into his sleeve.

Yeah, go for it, he thought, shifting slightly to a battle stance. He'd wipe the floor up with the prat.

The tension lasted one second more, and then, Malfoy drew in a deep breath and met his eyes. "Insulting me accomplishes nothing. If you don't want to live at the Manor, where do you want to live?"

Harry felt like he'd been slapped. But it served to calm him. Where had Malfoy come up with the fortitude to pull back like that?

"I'd like to buy a house of my own." Harry had owned very little in his life that wasn't someone else's first, and having a house of his own felt right.

"All right. If we both put up the money for it, it could be ours."

Harry didn't want to share it. But since Malfoy was acting reasonable, he supposed that he could be too. "All right."

Malfoy blinked at him. "I assume you inherited the Black fortune as well as your father's?"

He opened his mouth to tell Malfoy that it was none of his business, but that would be foolish since unless Harry got very lucky, they were going to get married. "Yes. Why would it matter to you?"

"Because if I'm not going to live at the Manor, I still expect to live in the style to which I'm accustomed."

Harry wasn't sure if he should laugh or cry. In the end, he laughed. Malfoy was such a prat. He didn't want to live in a manor house, but he supposed anything would be better than Malfoy Manor. "Okay. I'll put up half of the cost of whatever we find."

"I'll look into it and we can start to look at houses this weekend."

"So soon?" Why did he want to start now? Harry was all for procrastination, draw it out as long as he could.

"It's not going to be that easy to find a place we both like."

Looking for a house of his own, even if he had to share it, filled Harry with excitement. "Fine."

Malfoy stopped and smiled at him. And it did bad things to Harry's peace of mind.

"We aren't supposed to be doing the negotiating ourselves. That's what we have arbiters for," Malfoy said.

"I think there are going to be things we'll need to discuss." Harry trusted Hermione with his life, but there were still things she didn't know about him and his tastes.

"Perhaps." Malfoy glared up at the clock in the hall. "You know we've missed half of charms."

"Bloody hell." As Harry started to concoct an alibi for Flitwick, McGonagall came into the hall, and made a beeline for them.

"What are you boys doing out of class?"

"Um...." Harry couldn't think of a reasonable lie.

"Forgive us, Headmistress. We were discussing the arrangements for our contract, and time got away from us." Malfoy actually bowed. The prat.

McGonagall didn't look at all impressed. "Twenty points from each of you. Now get to class."

"Yes, ma'am," Harry said as he hurried out of the Hall.

"Potter," Malfoy's tone carried his anger.

"What now, Malfoy?" It had been relatively peaceful for the last couple of days since the discussion of their living arrangements. And the kiss, which Harry hadn't allowed himself to think about at all.

"Severus says you flat out refused to have my children." More than angry now, Malfoy sounded insulted.

"I'm not a girl." How any man could agree to that was completely beyond anything Harry could understand. It was...unnatural.

Malfoy looked him up and down and leered. "I had noticed that."

Harry couldn't believe he was having this conversation in the middle of the corridor with other students milling around and no doubt taking note. "Men don't have children!" Harry hissed.

"Wizards can have children."

"Not this Wizard." The very idea appalled him beyond words. Harry folded his arms over his chest.

"Why not? It's perfectly acceptable in same sex marriages. I expect to have children." That autocratic tone was not going to get Malfoy very far, especially not with Harry.

"Get someone else to have them for you then. I don't see you volunteering to get pre --" Harry couldn't even say the word. Not in relation to a man. It was just too freakish to be normal.

There was a dangerous, speculative gleam in Malfoy's eyes. "I could have your children."

"Why would you want to?" Because Harry could think of no circumstance where he'd want to bear a child.

"I thought you wanted a family. Don't you want to have children?"

"Yes. I do," he said, cautiously, not trusting Malfoy. He wanted a family of his own more than almost anything.

"If you don't want to have children yourself, then how did you plan to get them?"

As much as it hurt, Harry had resigned himself to not having a family. "What difference does it make?"

"The difference between negotiating in good faith and being a total arse."

"I am negotiating in good faith. You're the one who is asking for something outrageous."

Something in Malfoy's expression changed and he stared at Harry. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"What do you think?" Harry asked, through his gritted teeth. That was the stupidest question he'd ever heard.

"I think you don't know that much about being a Wizard."

"Fuck you, Malfoy." Harry turned on his heel and started to walk away.

Malfoy put a hand on Harry's arm to stop him. "No. Wait. I didn't mean it as a slur. Really."

"Just how did you mean it, then?" Because to Harry it sounded bloody condescending.

"That it's not..." Malfoy paused and was clearly at a loss for words. Something Harry would not have believed possible. "You seem to think it's girly or bad or something. Wizards have children all the time."

"Then you do it."

"I already said I would. But you have to do it, too. It's not a pleasant process, or so I've heard."

Malfoy had surprised him again. He was serious. But if Malfoy conceded, maybe it wouldn't be that bad. Oh, who was he kidding? It would be awful.

On the other hand, he'd have a child. Still, "I don't want --"

"Potter --"

Damn, he wished that Malfoy wasn't trying to be so reasonable. No matter how reasonable he sounded, nor how much he wanted a family, Harry was never going to be able to agree to get pregnant. "Look, I can't. I mean...it's just too far from what I am."

"And what is that?"

A man. But he knew that wasn't something he could say. "I didn't grow up in this society. I can't do this."

For a second, Malfoy looked defeated. Harry had no sympathy for him. Irreconcilable differences. Only not as a scam to get out of the marriage, as reality. They were so different.

Malfoy frowned for a moment more. "I expect to be pampered and indulged completely."

He could just see Malfoy lying on the sofa demanding ice cream and his grapes peeled. If he were having Harry's child, then maybe Harry wouldn't mind coddling him, at least a little.

The reality of what he was thinking about struck him hard and he sobered. Malfoy had given in. Again. "I'll tell Hermione about this."

Malfoy came towards him, standing too close. "You do that," he said in a low voice, his hand sliding onto Harry's cheek.

Harry's heart started to pound and his breath got short. Malfoy was going to kiss him. A shard of excitement slid down his spine before Malfoy's mouth gently brushed his. He sighed and tilted his head into the second kiss. It was soft and sweet and everything that Harry thought a kiss should be. It amazed him that Malfoy would be able to kiss like this, like he meant it.

When Malfoy pulled back, Harry followed without thinking, not wanting to lose that luscious feeling yet.

The next kiss was even better. Malfoy's tongue touched his lips, and Harry couldn't help but open to it. Warm wet sensations washed over him as Malfoy's mouth moved on his. It was lovely and engaging and Harry was afraid he might drown in it. How could anyone as vile as Malfoy kiss so wonderfully? Harry didn't know, and really, by this point, he didn't care. He wanted the kiss to go on and on and on.

Someone clearing their throat broke them apart.

"If you two don't stop...negotiating, you'll be late for class. Again." Hermione sounded way too amused for Harry's peace of mind.

His face flamed. Stepping back, he glanced quickly at Malfoy. He looked well-kissed and that was surprisingly sexy. Harry was not going to think about that at all.

"Good grief, what did you think you were doing?" Hermione didn't sound nearly so amused now.

"What did it look like I was doing?" Because, really, he shouldn't have to tell her.

"Something you should not have been."

"Is it against the rules?" Maybe he could get thrown out on a technicality. But then, he wouldn't get to kiss Malfoy anymore. That would be disappointing. But he also wouldn't be forced to get married, which would make it worth it.

"It isn't that it's against the rules. But I thought you didn't like him."

"I don't. He kissed me." Maybe that last one was more of a mutual kiss, but he wasn't going to admit it, even to Hermione.

Of course, she knew better. She always did. "You didn't look like you were objecting in the least."

He hadn't. What did it say about him that his prick hardened just thinking about kissing Malfoy? "I...bloody hell..."

"You're not starting to fall for him, are you?" Hermione sounded just horrified by the possibility.

"No!" Okay, so maybe he kissed well, and Harry had enjoyed it. But that didn't mean he wanted to marry Malfoy. Bloody Hell, he didn't even like him. Much.

"Did you talk about children?"

"Yeah." Harry's face heated again. "He agreed to have them."

"I can't believe he gave in," Hermione said, clearly shocked.

"I told you I wasn't going to do it. I don't want to be a Malfoy brood mare."

"That's not how it works in the Wizarding World." Hermione said it as if he should know what she meant, but he didn't. There were still too many things like that in this world.

"That's easy for you to say." Harry looked down when she glared at him. "When do you negotiate with Snape again?"

"Tomorrow." Hermione sounded tired.

"Is it that bad?" Harry knew the answer to that already. How could anything with Snape involved not be awful?

"Pretty much. On the positive side, I've been granted a six month extension on my own negotiations with Neville since they realize I can't do both. Also I've heard that Crystal Macklin is going to argue the unfairness of the law in front of the Wizengamot."

"When?" Even though he knew she understood, he hated how desperate he sounded.

"At some point before the year is out."

"Why don't you sound happier?"

"It's not going to be soon enough for you."

"But it might be for you." Harry hoped it was. At least one of them might not be forced into such a huge mistake.

"Even if I had to marry Neville, we could still get it annulled when the law is repealed. I think that's what most people are hoping for. You don't have that option."

"Divorce?"

"Nearly impossible. I mean, you can break the legal ties, but the magical ones are so much harder."

Harry had known that. What he still didn't get was why Malfoy wanted to do it this way. Why he wanted Harry tied to him so badly. It just didn't make sense.

"Potter!"

"What now?" It had been almost a week since he'd last had to deal with a tantrum from Malfoy and he'd been enjoying the peace.

"How dare you refuse to take my name?"

"You didn't actually think I'd give up my name, just because you wanted me to? Even you are not that stupid." What audacity Malfoy had! Harry bit back a bitter laugh.

Malfoy's face got redder. "You should be honored --"

"Anytime you start to say something that stupid you should think before you finish it. It would save time." The whole superior attitude was enough to make Harry grind his teeth in annoyance.

"You should be! My name is a revered Pureblood --"

"Revered amongst Death Eaters. Need I remind you that your father was executed for treason and your mother actively supported Voldemort?" Well, until he killed her. But Harry wasn't cruel enough to mention that to Malfoy. "I would be ashamed to have your name. And you should be ashamed to have it." Maybe that was a bit over stated, but Harry had no intention of ever being a Malfoy.

Something crossed over Malfoy's face, something that did look like shame. For a second, Harry felt bad for having said what he had. What Malfoy's parents did wasn't Malfoy's fault, but to say his name was so honored was a joke.

Whatever was in Malfoy's face was gone in a second, replaced by a stubborn look. "It doesn't matter. You will take my name."

"No." Harry folded his arms over his chest. Malfoy could argue until he was blue in the face, but Harry wasn't going to give in. Irreconcilable differences. A few kisses should not have made him forget about that.

"I won't back down on this. You're going to have to agree."

"What part of no don't you get? I am not going to change my name to Malfoy. Not in a million years. Not for any reason. You're being unreasonable. You don't see me asking you to change your name to Potter, do you?"

Malfoy drew himself up to his full height, which unfortunately was still a couple of inches taller than him. "As if I'd ever agree to that."

"Exactly. Why on earth would you think I'd agree to take your name?"

"It's tradition that if you're married, your names should be the same."

"Okay. So how is it chosen when it's two men or two women?"

For a moment, Malfoy looked confused. "The same way it is when it's a man and a woman. Most times, the most prominent family name is taken."

Harry had thought that the woman would take the man's name in all cases. He should have known better. "When does it not apply?"

"When the person is the last of their line. Or the more prominent person is agreeable to something different."

"We're both last of our lines. Why not just keep our own names?" That seemed the sanest thing to do to Harry.

"I think we should follow tradition and have one name." Of course he did. Malfoy wanted what he wanted and didn't care about what anyone else had to say about it.

"That's going to be difficult unless you're willing to take my name," Harry said, firmly.

"No."

"Stalemate." Maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. They could both walk away and that would be for the best. There was some very tiny part of him that would miss the kisses, but most of him would be well rid of the prat.

Malfoy stood there. His expression caught between surprise and belligerence. "I won't take Potter, but what about something else?"

Malfoy was trying to find a compromise, but Harry had never been good at that. "What did you have in mind?"

"I have no idea. Something that would not be objectionable to either of us."

That was way too fair. Harry wondered where the catch was because the Malfoy he knew wouldn't be doing this. But he was and that meant that Harry had to be fair, too. "So, what do you think of Black?" Harry found himself asking.

"My mother's maiden name?" Malfoy's expression was incredulous, but he didn't seem displeased and he wasn't saying no outright.

"My godfather's name." He didn't want to give up his father's name, but if he had to Black would be one of the few names that would be palatable to Harry.

Malfoy's eyes glinted for a moment. "The first child I bear will be a Malfoy."

"The next will be a Potter. Any after that will be Blacks," Harry said, not quite believing he was making demands like this.

"Only if you want to have them. You never know, you might like having children." Malfoy smiled at him in such a way that Harry had the feeling he was imagining him pregnant.

He shuddered. That did not bear thinking about. Ever. "Not bloody likely."

Malfoy took a step towards him.

It was all Harry could do not to step back. "We don't have time for this." Harry hated how out of breath and eager he sounded.

Malfoy laughed as he crowded Harry against the wall, pressing into him.

Not this time. If they were going to kiss, then Harry was going to take charge for once. He turned them so that Malfoy was against the wall.

Leaning up, he brushed his mouth over Malfoy's. The lightest of touches. Malfoy's lips felt a little chapped and dry. They still tasted sweet. And Harry remembered too well how soft they were. He pressed a longer kiss to Malfoy's lips. Damn, he would never understand why kissing Malfoy felt this good.

Harry moved closer. This time his tongue slid out along Malfoy's mouth, which opened at the briefest touch. Malfoy hummed in pleasure and the sound of it went straight to Harry's groin.

Oh, oh, Harry could not believe how good kissing Malfoy was. He swirled his tongue against Malfoy's and the sweet sensations rippled through him.

Malfoy's hands somehow found their way into Harry's robes, and under his shirt. Desire shot through him as a calloused finger made contact with his nipple. Harry groaned.

"Like that?" Malfoy's tone was as out of breath as Harry felt.

"Yes." His voice rose on a moan as Malfoy tweaked his nipple again. Squeezing lightly, just enough to cause Harry to arch into the touch.

Harry's hands scrabbled at Malfoy's robes. He wasn't going to be the only one feeling this. He managed to get his hand into Malfoy's shirt, touching bare skin for the first time. Malfoy's chest was smooth and well defined. Lovely to touch. Harry wanted to see him. More than that, he wanted to taste him.

A noise in the corridor broke them apart. Panting, Harry bent down to put his hands on his knees, trying catch his breath. God, what just happened? Humiliation rolled over him. He couldn't believe he'd been snogging in the corridor with Malfoy and worse, he'd started it. Worse than that, he'd enjoyed it.

Then he made the mistake of looking at Malfoy. His hair was disheveled, his robes undone, he looked debauched. Wonderfully so.

A deep hunger slid through Harry. He wanted nothing more than to push Malfoy to the carpet and plunge into him.

Oh, no. He was in big trouble. The only consolation was that Malfoy was looking at him the same way.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" Draco asked as he came into Snape's office.

Snape looked up from the pile of parchments on his desk and put his quill down. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

Usually, he could make sense of what Snape was talking about, even without a lot of context Not this time, however. "About what?"

"About this entire situation with Potter."

Draco wondered what Harry had done this time. "I'm not sure what you mean. Did he demand something else?"

"Miss Granger has informed me that you'll be changing your name, after all," Snape said his eyes hard and disapproving.

With an effort, he didn't cringe before it. Perhaps he'd made too much of a point to Snape that he wasn't going to change his name. "Um...well, it seems that Potter was fairly adamant against changing his name."

"I did mention that I thought he would be." Merlin, he hated it when Snape said, I told you so.

"I didn't realize he'd be that stubborn." About anything. He probably should have listened to Snape in the first place. It annoyed him no end that Snape knew Harry so well. That meant that Draco didn't.

"You simply gave in? Is marrying Harry Potter worth this to you?"

Oh, but Snape couldn't even begin to understand. The more he got to know Harry, the more worth it everything became. To Snape he said, "It's not about marrying him."

"Then what is it about? I'm fairly certain that he'd do just about anything to sabotage the proceedings."

That was unfair. "He didn't sabotage anything. We came up with a solution we both can live with. We're both going to change our names to Black." And if it bit into his conscience to give up his name, then he was sure Harry felt the same thing.

Snape arched a brow. "So, you are willing to give up your family name to sleep with him."

He wanted Harry in the worst way imaginable, but he wasn't doing this for that. "Of course not. I want him willing." The fact that he doubted he could force Harry into anything didn't enter into it.

"That's a change."

"Besides, as he pointed out, the Malfoy name is in disgrace right now --"

"It has been before and will be again, if it goes on. It ends when you take the Black family name."

"Actually we worked that out, too," Draco said and told him about the rest of the compromise.

Snape looked impressed for one second. "Are you sure that's what you want?"

"I can probably go further in life with the Black name, right now. By the time our children are in school, it won't matter anymore."

"That is very Slytherin of you. But think hard about this. Once it's done, you'll have to live with it, and Potter, too."

Draco was counting on that. "He and I both compromised on this one. And all the other ones as well. What is the real problem?" Admittedly, he'd given in a bit more than Harry had, but it was his suit. And whatever the price, he'd have Harry at the end.

"This doesn't seem like you. I'm simply wondering if you know what you're doing."

"I thought about what you said when I started this. It occurred to me that if I tried too hard to force him, he'd claim irreconcilable differences and be done with me." Nearly anything would be worth not giving Harry that out.

"You could force him to wed."

"As you said, what would that buy me? He has to be willing." Draco wanted Harry to want him. To give those sweet kisses without hesitation, like he had yesterday.

Snape's smirk said he knew just what Draco was thinking. "You are a fool to think that sexual attraction will make things easier for you."

"You don't understand at all, do you?"

"It's not my job to understand what you see in Potter. It's my job to see that your best interests are looked after."

"Was there anything else?" This conversation had gone on long enough. He didn't want to alienate Snape.

"Not at this time. Granger and I are still working out the details on various issues."

"I bet she is as bad as Potter, never letting things go." Not to mention that she didn't have the compensations for Snape that Harry had.

Snape breathed out a sigh that sounded particularly frustrated. "You have no idea. I would not care to face her across a court room. She will no doubt be a formidable solicitor."

"I hadn't realized she planned to read law." But Draco supposed that would make as good a career for her as any.

"I suspect she plans to go into politics. The marriage law has incensed her."

"I hope she doesn't get it repealed in the next couple of months." He knew it was selfish to want that, but Harry had to be his.

"I wouldn't count on it lasting for any great length of time regardless of what she does. It's very unpopular," Snape said, and his view on the law was clear as was he disappointment in Draco.

It bit into his conscience, but having Harry would be worth it. "While I plan to use it to my advantage, it's a very bad law. A lot of misery is going to come out of it."

"See that you aren't one of the ones who are made miserable."

"I won't be."

After talking with Snape, Draco did not feel much like socializing. Feeling frustrated and tense, a workout seemed like a good idea. He went back to his dorm long enough to pick up his broom. Mid-morning on a Hogsmeade Saturday, no one would be on the pitch.

No one except Harry, of course. As Draco approached, he could see a familiar figure coming down the hill with his broom. He wanted to be alone, to work off some of the excess energy from this week and his talk with Snape had created in him.

"Are you following me?" Harry asked. His tone sounded as annoyed as Draco felt.

Because the question was so absurd, Draco leered at him. "Of course I am. I'm after your little virgin arse, aren't I?"

To his amazement, Harry blushed. "You're an idiot. And far too late for that."

Draco laughed at him and wondered just how much or little experience Harry actually had. "Why are you here?"

"What does it look like I'm here for?" Harry glanced at the broom he was holding.

"I didn't ask what, since that is obvious. I'm asking why. It's a Hogsmeade weekend."

"I didn't want to see anyone. I thought I'd go a few rounds with the Snitch."

"Care to make it one on one?"

"Sure. First one who gets the Snitch wins." Harry pulled the Snitch from his pocket, and tossed it into the air. Mounting his broom quickly, he took off after it.

Draco did the same.

The wind whipping through his hair exhilarated him. He loved to fly. This was just what he needed. He zoomed past Harry, diving for the sheer joy of it.

Finally though, Draco saw the Snitch and went after it, nearly crashing into Harry who was also going after it.

"Watch it!" Harry cried as he swerved to avoid Draco.

"Get out of my way and I won't hit you."

"And let you get the prize? I don't think so," Harry called as he sped past him. But the snitch had already moved away.

Breathing hard, Draco pulled up and watched Harry go after the Snitch again. Despite being Muggle raised, Harry was one of the most accomplished flyers Draco had ever seen. As silly as it was to think it, he was like poetry in motion.

Harry caught the Snitch while Draco was watching and held it up in victory, his face flushed with the wind and excitement. Draco drew in a deep breath. He was magnificent and Draco wanted him with a hunger he could barely contain.

Before he could do something stupid, Draco headed toward the floor of the pitch. Unfortunately, Harry followed him.

"What's your problem?" Harry asked, dismounting and putting the Snitch back in his pocket.

"Nothing. I've had enough." Draco didn't dare look at him, not if he didn't want to be ridiculed for the rest of his life.

Harry put a hand on his arm, and Draco could feel the heat of his touch right through his robes. He closed his eyes for one second, savoring it, then pulled his arm away.

"What?" Harry sounded confused.

Draco was not about to explain. The very scent of Harry's sweat was making him dizzy. Oh, no, this was getting out of control. "I'm going back to the castle."

"Without even a shower."

Wet, naked Harry danced through his mind, and Draco's already hard prick got harder. He gave up and turned to look at Harry, knowing what he wanted was in his eyes and on his face.

Harry tilted his head, and then leaned up and kissed him. It was sweet and hot and good. Only the strongest of will kept Draco from grinding himself against Harry's sweaty body. He undid the buttons on Harry's Quidditch robe and his shirt. Harry was no fool, he'd discarded Draco's robe, and shirt just as quickly

Draco sank to his knees, dragging Harry down with him. He wondered again just how much experience Harry had. It didn't matter. A bit of touching would be fine. Anything would be fine as far as Draco was concerned, as long as he got his hands on Harry.

Lying down in the warm grass, Draco pulled Harry down next to him, kissing him deeply. Harry's hands slid across Draco's chest, plucking at a nipple, much as he had done to Harry. He arched into it, groaning softly. Harry's hands on his skin were exquisite. Nearly a dream come true.

After loosening Harry's belt, and the buttons on the placket, Draco shoved his hand into Harry's trousers, closing his fingers around the surprising girth of Harry's prick. A moan escaped Harry and Draco echoed it.

Sweet Merlin and all that was holy, Harry was a hot handful. Draco stroked down the length, grateful for the precome because he wasn't in any kind of shape to figure out more than that. He stroked again and gratifyingly, Harry's hips canted up into his hand.

"Now," Harry moaned.

"Soon." Draco wanted to stretch it out, but couldn't find the patience. He squeezed a few more times, and felt the warm rush of Harry coming over his hand. It was almost enough to make him come. Draco brought his hand to his mouth and licked his fingers. It wasn't much of a taste, but it would have to do for now.

Harry was watching him with wide, sated eyes. That look was so hot Draco wanted to make him come again. Wanted to make him scream with the pleasure of it

After a second or two more, Harry's hands were on him, opening his trousers, and pushing them down his hips enough for his aching prick to spring free. Harry wrapped his hand around him and Draco's brain turned to mush. He thrust up into Harry's fingers, moaning softly as the wonderful sensations of Harry's hand on his skin sent him into pure bliss. Harry only had to move up and down a few times.

Draco arched his back and dug his hands into the soft earth as orgasm hit him.

For a few minutes afterward, Draco lay there, wondering if the world would look as changed as he felt. He opened his eyes, and found Harry staring down at him, looking pleased with the proceedings. Draco was too.

Harry was everything he'd hoped and dreamed he'd be. Draco doubted he'd ever get tired of that, of him.

"That was good," Harry said, sounding surprised.

"Did you expect it wouldn't be? What did you expect?"

"I haven't thought about it." The prevarication in Harry's tone was so clear that Draco was annoyed to hear it. Who did Harry think he was kidding?

"I suppose you're going to tell me that it meant nothing?" Draco sat up.

"Are you saying that?" As unlikely as it seemed, Harry sounded hurt by the idea.

And that was the last thing Draco wanted. But he also didn't want Harry putting all of this on him, saying he hadn't even thought about them being together. "I'm not saying that at all."

"What are you saying, then?" Harry's tone dripped with suspicion, as if he half-expected to be scorned by Draco.

"I'm not saying anything. But if you must know, it was lovely. I enjoyed it. You." Draco hated having to spell it out, but he realized somewhere along the way with Harry that he was going to have to or be misunderstood.

"I liked it, too. I didn't think it would be this good." Harry smiled that silly pleased smile he had, and Draco's heart sped up for a moment.

As much as Draco might want to return the grin, he forced himself not to. There was no need to give Harry any more ammunition than he already had. "I thought you hadn't thought about it."

"I tried not to." Harry was starting to sound far too defensive.

All things considered, Draco was all for stopping while he was ahead. He pulled on his shirt and robe and straightened his trousers. "We should probably get back up to the castle."

Harry blinked at him and stood, straightening his own clothes. "Right."

Harry came out of the castle in the late afternoon. He should be revising, but it was such a nice day, he just couldn't bear the thought of being cooped up. Ron was sitting under a tree, a book in his hand. He didn't look like he was getting any more done than Harry was.

"Hey mate," Ron said as Harry sat down beside him.

He'd wanted to talk to Ron for a while now, but he hadn't had the chance, and now that he did, he wasn't sure where to start. "Revising?"

"Not getting very far." Ron closed his book.

"Too nice a day." Harry looked up at the sky, hoping for inspiration.

"Been thinking about Hermione," Ron said, and then seemed very interested in the grass under his fingers.

"It's about time." The situation between them had gone on far too long, and Harry simply could not believe that Ron was being so selfish.

"It's not what you think. I...." Ron squared his shoulders. "I don't want to marry her. At all."

Harry swallowed hard. He'd half-hoped he'd been wrong. But he knew Ron well enough to know that he wasn't the type to be this stupid without what he thought was a good reason. "Why not? I thought that --"

"--I was in love with her? I kind of thought that myself. But when it came down to it, I found too many excuses why we shouldn't get married now. All of my excuses were just --"

"Excuses?" Harry had known that. He was also pretty sure that Hermione had known it as well.

Ron pulled a blade of grass out and tore it in half. "You knew?"

"Yeah. Just not why."

"I don't...I don't love her. Not like that."

"You might tell her. It seems only fair." Harry rather hoped she'd worked it out on her own and wasn't going to be devastated by the news.

"I don't know what to say. I don't want to hurt her."

"The truth might work. You're hurting her worse this way."

"How is it going with Malfoy?" Ron asked. The non sequitur was a sure sign that Ron was done talking about the situation with Hermione.

Harry would have been happy to let it go, but this particular subject wasn't one he wanted to discuss.

"That badly?" Ron asked after a second or two of silence.

"He's given in a lot more than I thought he would. I'm not sure what he's after or what it means." Harry told him about the negotiations they'd had.

"Wow. I wouldn't have expected that. Not from that selfish prat. He must want you very badly" Ron's whole countenance was half-shocked, as if he found it as hard to believe as Harry did.

The implications were clear and hard to ignore. Except that he didn't trust Malfoy enough to buy into what he was seeing. There had to be more to it. He just couldn't work out what it was. "The law makes it pretty easy for him to force me."

"I don't get why he's conceded so much. Unless he's trying to win you over rather than forcing you."

"He is forcing me. I don't want to marry him. That's the whole point."

"He's also giving in on everything."

Harry tilted his head to look at Ron, not really believing what he was saying. "Why are you defending him?"

"I'm not. Merlin forbid it. But this is Malfoy we're talking about. I wouldn't offer for Hermione because I didn't love her enough. Or maybe the right way."

Harry thought about Malfoy's mouth on his skin and shivered pleasantly, his prick giving a slight jump of approval. "There are other reasons. It's not about love. Not with Draco Malfoy. I'm sure of it."

Ron's grin grew. "But...he's asking for you for life. That isn't about sex. Or not only about sex."

"He wants to own me." That was where Harry ran into his biggest problems with this. He liked the sex just fine, but he hated being forced into the rest of it. He'd had too much of that in his life already.

"It sounds more like he wants to placate you into agreeing to be his."

"The difference is?" Because being Malfoy's whatever was not a position Harry wanted to find himself in. He wanted an equal partner and they would never be that if he were forced into marriage.

"That it seems like he cares about you," Ron said.

Harry could not believe that, even if it gave him a warm feeling in his chest. "It could be true. But I don't care. I don't want to get married at eighteen. I'm too young."

"In this society, most people marry right out of school and have children right away. Once the kids go off to school, then they go out and have careers and live."

Harry would just as soon skip the whole thing, not that he actually thought he'd have a choice. "I think I want to start my career early."

"Still want to be an Auror?"

Harry shrugged. "Not really. You?"

"Yeah. I have a good chance for making it into the program. If my NEWTs are decent." Ron sounded excited by the prospect.

"I'm not sure what I want to do." All he really knew was that he wanted to do something interesting, something useful. And being his own boss sounded good as well.

"That's going to make it hard to do it right away, isn't it?" Ron picked up his books. "It's almost time for supper."

Trust Ron to not want to miss a meal. Harry had no appetite right now, but he dutifully stood up and followed Ron back to the school.

"Malfoy, I'd like a word," Harry said as he was leaving the Great Hall after lunch. It had taken him a week to work out what he'd wanted to say.

"You know, given everything, you could call me Draco." There was a definite undertone of something in Malfoy's voice.

"I think of you as Malfoy." He supposed that Malfoy had a point. They'd had sex. They probably should be on more intimate terms. Except he wasn't sure he felt that way.

"What did you want?"

"I wanted to know," Harry paused and pushed open the heavy doors, nodding to Malfoy to follow him down the steps. He didn't want to issue an invitation to be overhead. "What were you thinking of doing, once you left school?"

"Aside from marrying you?" Malfoy looked puzzled by the question.

Why was he being so dense? This wasn't like Malfoy at all. "For a living? To earn your keep?"

"I was going to raise the children." As if that were enough to keep him busy past the ten or twelve years it took to get the children to Hogwarts.

"After that. As a career?"

Malfoy looked down his nose at Harry, in that perfectly hateful, snotty way he had. "If you mean a day to day job? I wasn't planning on having one. I --"

"Why not?" He was never going to get used to that causal arrogance.

"I don't need to work. Neither do you for that matter. Don't tell me you're planning to have a career and go to work every day." He said it with such disdain that Harry was ready to smack him. This was the Malfoy he knew and hated.

"Actually, yes. I plan to have a career." Even if he wasn't sure what it would be yet.

"Sweet Merlin. Why take a job away from someone who needs one?"

"I need to work. And I think you do, too." The thought of what trouble an idle Malfoy could get into was enough to send Harry's heart racing with fear.

"You're joking. I have no intention of working for a living."

"I have no intention of lying about doing nothing. And what's more, if you're living with me, you're going to do something productive." It was offensive to think about Malfoy sitting around being useless for the rest of his life. Harry had no intention of allowing that.

"I do plan on doing something productive. I plan to go into politics."

How could Malfoy be so blind? Harry snorted. "That's absurd. Malfoy, your name is linked with Death Eaters. With Pureblood elitists. No one will have anything to do with you."

"My name will be Black by then. And my politics are actually quite progressive. I also fought on the side of light."

He had a point, Harry supposed. "Politics are so slimy."

"It's about power and using it for the right thing. You could have a brilliant career, if you had any ambition." That seemed to offend Malfoy, as if everyone should crave power.

"I hate being in the spotlight."

"More's the pity." Malfoy looked at him for a moment. "What do you want to do?"

He would ask, wouldn't he? "I've always fancied owning my own business. A shop, perhaps." It was not something he'd said out loud to anyone. Harry liked the idea of dealing with people one on one. Getting to know them. Being part of a community.

"How utterly middle class of you."

That tone and the superior look on Malfoy's face annoyed the bloody hell out of Harry. "It's better than being a sleazy politician."

"Public Service --"

"Is about service, not about how much power you can amass. You need to work at it to be any good at it."

"I've been trained most of my life to do that."

By those who set a very bad example of what public service should be. "You're going to be just like Fudge and Scrimgeour, aren't you? Always looking to fortify your power base. Never thinking about what you're doing to people."

"I'm not nearly as stupid as either one of them. Look at Scrimgeour He's going to lose his position over the Marriage Law, as well he should."

His whole attitude surprised Harry. "You make it sound like you think it is a bad idea."

"It is monstrously bad. It is stupid and ill considered all the way around."

"If you think that, how dare you use it to force me! You have no integrity at all, do you?" This was beyond the pale and it infuriated Harry. But it was so like what he'd expected from Malfoy that he should have realized it.

It took Malfoy a second to respond and when he did, his voice was low and sincere. "I have integrity. But I...I wanted you."

Drawing in a deep breath, Harry fought for calm. Hexing Malfoy would only get him suspended, not to mention not help matters any. "You think that's a good enough reason to force me into something I don't want? Even though --"

"You wouldn't have --" Malfoy cut himself off, his face coloring slightly.

"You're damned right I wouldn't have looked at you. I --" He started to say he hated Malfoy, but really, he didn't anymore. After this little revelation, Harry didn't like him much, but it was hard to hate someone who touched you like you really mattered to them.

"Exactly," Malfoy said. "But this way, you've got to know me."

"You're still forcing me to do something I don't want to do."

Malfoy looked down and then back at him. The desire in his eyes was shocking. "I want you."

For a second, Harry was at a loss for words. He'd known Malfoy had wanted him. Why else would he have done this? The extent just didn't make sense. Or maybe it did. And he couldn't even say that Malfoy should have tried something else. There wasn't anything else that would have worked. Harry would never have looked at him. "I can't believe you used a law you don't even believe in like that."

"I'm not a Gryffindor. Try not to forget that. I saw an opportunity and took it."

Typical, wasn't it? He'd do well to never forget what a snake Malfoy was. "You don't care whom you'll hurt along the way?"

"I do care. I won't hurt you. I'm trying to give you what you want to be happy. But I want to be happy, too. I do hope they repeal the law." He sounded sincere, like he really believed it.

"But not until after you have me tied to you."

"You said yourself you wouldn't consider me otherwise."

"Do you think that I'll be any less angry now?"

"I don't know. You're not going to stay angry at me for the rest of your life." Malfoy sounded hopeful, as if he weren't sure that Harry couldn't hold a grudge that long.

"You don't know that." Except that Harry knew he wouldn't. Not forever. However, it would be a damned long time before he forgave Malfoy for this. And it would always taint their relationship.

Malfoy let out a sigh and didn't meet his eyes.

"Withdraw the suit."

"If I do, you'll have to marry one of the others. Or someone else."

Harry didn't want to marry anyone, but if he had to, wasn't it better to marry someone who wanted him. "The lesser of many evils?"

"I'm not sure I care to be categorized that way, but you may do as you choose." Malfoy sounded almost hurt, but his expression changed. "As for the law, I'm sure it will be repealed at some point. It's stupid of Scrimgeour to think that this would work. There are much better ways of making sure Muggleborn children are integrated into society."

"How would you do it?"

"First, I wouldn't wait until they were eleven, especially with powerful children. I'd open a primary school and make sure it had mandatory cultural training as part of the curriculum. I'd see that as many Muggleborn and Muggle raised children as possible attended." He looked at Harry. "And I'd make sure that magical children weren't abused by their caretakers."

"I'm surprised you feel that way." Harry folded his arms over his chest. This was all too much to take in at one time.

"You asked what I thought and I've told you. Are we done?"

For a second, Harry thought about their original topic. "Almost. If I open a shop, I expect you to help me out."

Malfoy was already shaking his head.

"If you plan to go into politics, you should know the people you're going to serve."

"I'll be busy with the children."

"Part-time, then."

The scowl got worse, but Harry knew he'd won. Again. Feeling magnanimous, he slid a hand around Malfoy's neck and drew him down for a kiss.

Malfoy's arms wrapped around him and pulled him closer. And he was kissed deeply. When Malfoy's tongue touched his lips, he opened his mouth. Hot sensations washed over him with every movement of lips and hands. It was so incredible that someone like Malfoy could make him feel this way. Harry slid his hands into Malfoy's soft hair, ready to surrender to the passion. But Malfoy pulled back with a sigh.

Harry blinked at him. "What?"

"We're standing on the steps of the school."

Oh. They were, weren't they? Harry fought the blush that was trying to overtake his face.

"We'd better get going or we'll be late for class."

Harry was ready to skive off, but the smug look on Malfoy's face sobered him as much as it infuriated him. "We wouldn't want that, now would we?"

Harry sat by the lake, tossing rocks into the water, and hoping he wasn't going to annoy the giant squid enough to retaliate. After the Dementors had been to this part of the lake in third year, most people were afraid to come here. It was a place he could think without being bothered. His conversations with Ron and Malfoy were vying for top billing in his head. Really, he'd rather not think about either.

"Harry," Hermione called as she tromped down the slope towards him. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"You've found me." Harry sighed. She always did, even when he didn't want to be found.

She sat down next to him, and tossed one of the rocks into the lake.

"Problem?" he asked.

"I talked to Ron."

"I'm sorry." Which was inadequate, but he also didn't know what else to say.

"It wasn't as if it were a surprise. He's not very good at hiding what he's feeling, or not feeling in this case."

"He should have said at the onset."

"I'm not sure he realized it." That was awfully grown-up of her. She should be more upset than this.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, concerned.

"It was probably unrealistic of me to begin with."

"Why would you say that?" Harry remembered how much Hermione had wanted Ron, for years. And now she was just walking away. He didn't understand that at all.

"We have such different goals and interests. Not to mention our outlooks on life are so different. There wasn't much overlap." That didn't sound like she was making excuses, trying to make herself feel better. That sounded like she'd thought about it and come to the conclusion long before Ron said anything. Though knowing Hermione, that was entirely possible.

"You know what's funny?"

Harry shook his head.

"He told me that if things don't work out with Neville, and the law still wasn't repealed, he'd be willing to offer for me as a friend until we could get the marriage annulled."

That was the Ron he knew. "I wish I had that option."

"There's a rumor of a no-confidence vote being levied against Scrimgeour."

"Not going to be soon enough, is it?"

"It's going to take a full act from the Wizengamot before the law is repealed. And that won't happen quickly."

He knew that and it sat like a stone in his stomach. "You know what the irony is? Malfoy thinks it's a bad law, too."

"He's not stupid. I don't know anyone who thinks it was a good idea. It's making a lot of people miserable."

"Yeah, that would be me, too."

"Has he been awful to you?"

"Awful how? He's actually been himself." Except that he hadn't been a toad, or that demanding. He'd been, if not pleasant company, then at least, tolerable. And then there was the sex, which... Harry wasn't going to consider.

"He's given up a lot of concessions. I thought he might be trying to pay you back for them in other ways."

Harry supposed that was what was bothering him about all of this. "He's been okay."

"I'm surprised at how well things have turned out with the contract. You are lucky. Snape has been spitting nails."

The thought of that amused him no end.

"Malfoy has given up Malfoy Manor; he's going to bear your children; he's agreed to work with you in whatever business you open; and he's even given up his name," Hermione ticked it off like a list.

When Malfoy had said he'd wanted to make Harry happy, he hadn't considered what he'd done. "I agreed to give up my name, too." But that wasn't nearly as significant as what Malfoy had given up.

"I think it's pretty obvious that he will give you what you want. I think he wants you very badly."

"Ron said that, too." On some level, Harry understood. However, it didn't sync with his view of Malfoy, especially given how Malfoy was forcing the issue.

"It's the only answer to why he's done this. I think he must have at least some genuine feelings for you."

It was so totally different from everything he'd ever thought about Malfoy. Beyond the sex, Harry couldn't conceive of a world where Malfoy had feelings for him, real feelings that weren't about lust. "I can't buy that."

Hermione's expression was so exasperated that Harry knew she was thinking he was dense, but really, he wasn't. This was Malfoy they were talking about.

"You should think about it. Really. And I need to get to the library to do a bit more research on a couple of technical issues with the contract." She stood up. "It's going to be done, soon."

Harry's guts twisted. "How soon?"

"A week, maybe two. I've stretched things out as long as I could. I hope we can push it to the end of the term."

"Great." The longer the better. But nothing would be long enough.

Almost as soon as Hermione was gone, Malfoy showed up. Without so much as a by your leave, Malfoy sat down beside him and kissed him.

Harry groaned into the kiss. They hadn't had that many opportunities to be together where they weren't likely to be interrupted. This might be one. Anticipation started to sing through him, and his prick throbbed with want.

After a few minutes, Harry couldn't remember why doing this might be a bad idea. He reached for the fastenings on Malfoy's robes, wanting to feel that lovely firm flesh beneath his fingers.

Malfoy pulled back a little, just enough to whisper, "Well, hello to you, too," against Harry's lips.

"Let's not talk," Harry said as he leaned forward and captured Malfoy's mouth again.

"Let's not." Malfoy pushed him flat, starting to undo the buttons on Harry's robe and then his shirt.

When Malfoy got to Harry's tie, a speculative gleam entered his gray eyes. He smiled mischievously, letting the tie dangle from his long fingers, his eyebrow raised in question.

A deep thrill went through Harry. His heart started to pound. How could Malfoy have known? It didn't matter how. Harry nodded once, and closed his eyes. God, how he had fantasized about that.

"I knew it," Malfoy said without arrogance or any smugness. He wrapped the tie around Harry's wrists loosely and positioned it above Harry's head in the sand. A quick sticking charm made sure that Harry was held securely.

Harry knew he could get out of it, if he wanted. But what fun would that be? Malfoy opened Harry's shirt and robes, but left them on him, and took off the rest of Harry's clothes. Being naked from the waist down and exposed like that was oddly sexy. Harry shuddered and tugged on the bonds.

It was weird to lie under Malfoy's heated gaze. The expression in his eyes was almost enough to convince Harry that Hermione and Ron were right. That there was more than just lust for him in Malfoy.

Harry liked that look. A lot. He'd always wanted someone to look at him like that, like he was the most important thing in their world.

That it was Malfoy...Draco, should have disgusted him, but at some point over the last couple of months, Harry had stopped hating him. If he didn't love him, at least he was beginning to like him. It was a start. What did he know about love anyway?

Draco's mouth making wet contact with his neck brought Harry back to the present and in the most pleasant way possible. He moaned softly, arching up under the sweet assault. "God, Draco."

The sudden halt of sensation made Harry look up. "What?"

"You said my name." There was a note of wonder in Draco's voice that was amazing to Harry. He really did care, didn't he?

But Harry was not prepared to deal with it at this point in the proceedings. "I didn't say you could stop."

"Who said you're in charge here?" Draco smirked at him.

The answer was actually pretty obvious. "Please," Harry said, willing to give in for the moment. Draco definitely had the advantage.

It was clearly the right thing to say. Draco bent his head and licked down Harry's chest, veering first to one nipple, giving it a gentle bite and then doing the same to the other. The sensations of his wet mouth were amazing. Harry's hands tightened around the tie, and he shuddered. It felt so good. He felt so wanted, cherished even.

Thought left him completely when Draco's mouth closed over his achingly hard prick. Harry bucked up into warm wonderful heat. "Draco, Draco, Draco," Harry chanted in time with his thrusts.

Draco's hands seemed everywhere at once, and Harry struggled with the bonds holding him, wanting to touch, but also turned on unbearably by being denied the ability to do so. "I'm going to...."

And he did. Stunningly hard. The whole world seemed to white out in a moment of pure bliss. Waves of sensations washed over him and Harry fell into it, feeling loved like he never had before.

When Harry opened his eyes a million years later, Draco was smirking at him. Well, he earned the right to a smirk or two with that performance.

"My hands?" It was getting a bit uncomfortable with his arms stretched out above his head like that.

Before he could finish the request, his arms were freed, and Draco was rubbing the circulation back into them.

"Can I do something for you?" Harry asked, leaning up to kiss Draco.

"Actually, yes. I was hoping to fuck you." But the words lacked the confidence that they should have had.

Harry's insides clenched in anticipation. "All right."

Draco looked just delighted, as if he'd been given a gift he'd always wanted and never expected to have.

For some reason, that bothered Harry. "Did you think I wouldn't want to?"

"You seem like a total top to me."

That was so silly. Harry laughed. "Sometimes. Except when I turn into a pushy bottom. I'm actually pretty flexible about it."

"Pushy doesn't surprise me at all." Draco laughed, too. And then leaned down to kiss him deeply.

Harry pulled back. "I'd like for you to take all of your clothes off before we go any further."

Draco looked down at himself and then back at Harry, smiling. "I suppose I got carried away."

"I suppose you did. Stand up and strip for me," Harry ordered. He'd never seen Draco completely nude. Most of the good bits, he'd seen, but not the whole package as it were. Being at school made it difficult to find privacy of any kind. But they had a bit now, and Harry wanted to enjoy it.

Draco gave him a come-hither look as he stood up. He shrugged out of his robe, bending from the waist to spread it on the ground. Slowly, he unbuttoned his cuffs and then one by one opened the buttons on his shirt. He put his hands on his hips and eased his trousers off. It was as if he were dancing to his own private music. Not so much moving to a rhythm, Harry realized, as it was his natural grace and abandon.

By the time he was naked, Harry was rock hard. Draco lay down on his own robe, holding out his hand in invitation to Harry.

Pulling off his own robe and shirt as he went, Harry lay beside him, drinking in the sight of his pale flesh. He was fascinated by Draco's light body hair. Rooming with Ron for seven years had taught him it didn't all come in black, but he'd never considered how pale it could be.

His hands went to Draco's chest. The hair was lightly sprinkled over his pectoral muscles, and Harry had to touch it. Draco moaned as he tweaked one nipple. That sound went right through him and Harry wanted to hear it again. Leaning forward, he licked across the lovely length of Draco's torso, but stopped before he got to the good part.

"Don't stop there," Draco whined.

"I thought you wanted to fuck me." And Harry wanted that too. There was nothing like a hard prick pushing into him, making his body sing with pleasure. He had no doubt at all that Draco knew what he was about.

"More than anything in the world." Draco pulled him in for a long, slow kiss.

"More than me fucking you?" Which he knew that Draco wanted as well.

Draco just laughed and rolled Harry onto his belly.

"Um...this is not my favorite position for this." As a matter of fact, Harry didn't like it from behind at all.

"I'm just starting here. Don't worry. I won't do anything you don't like. Promise." Draco smoothed a hand down his back and over his bum.

Harry believed him. He liked being touched, especially when it seemed to mean so much to Draco. The kisses started at the nape of his neck and slowly, languidly worked their way down his spine.

He didn't guess Draco's intent until he was there. His tongue sliding across sensitive skin had Harry moaning softly. No one had ever done that before and now having experienced it, Harry felt deprived for all the other times he'd missed this. It was amazing, thrilling and just the slightest bit dirty. Nothing ever felt like that.

Then Draco bit down and Harry howled, sweet spicy sensations rippling through him, tormenting him, making him harder, more needy.

"Draco..." Harry pleaded, pressing back, begging, seeking. Oh god, needing more. "Please, please, please."

When Draco's slick fingers eased into him, the mindless pleasure changed subtly. Harry whimpered, chasing after each sensation as it morphed and turned. His eyes closed tightly, He thrust back, wanting more, and being denied again. "Please."

A moment later, he was on his back, his legs draped over Draco's shoulders, and finally, finally, finally Draco was pressing into him, filling him. Shifting against the slight discomfort, his body adjusted quickly. Harry canted his hips. Draco didn't need a second invitation. His stroke was smooth and deep. Fire ignited with each thrust.

Harry panted, sweat slicking his body as he moved in time with Draco. Almost there. Almost perfectly there. Harry felt it build, pressure, light, heat. There. Perfectly there.

Perfection sluiced down on him and the world grayed out in pleasure.

Sometime later, the chill forced Harry to open his eyes. The sun had gone down. When had that happened? Damn, they had probably missed dinner.

Draco stirred. "Mmmm...." He kissed Harry languidly.

As much as he hated to say it, "We should get back."

"Yeah." He sounded as reluctant as Harry felt. "You know some day we're going to get to do this in a bed."

"Someday." But probably not until they were married. That thought chilled Harry worse than the weather.

"What?" Draco asked. "Is something wrong?"

"No." Harry stood up and looked around for his clothes. An unwrinkling charm worked fairly well on his robes and clothes, but his tie was a lost cause.

As they approached the back entrance, McGonagall came out and looked surprised to see them. "Mr. Potter, what on earth happened to your tie?"

Harry could not remember ever blushing so hard. It was so obvious that there were two spots of color on McGonagall's cheeks as well. Draco, on the other hand, looked pleased with himself.

"I'd like to see you in my office, Mr. Potter." Her tone was ominous enough to make Harry worry he'd done something wrong. But for the life of him, he couldn't imagine what.

"Surely we haven't done anything wrong by missing dinner," Draco said, smoothly.

"Of course not. Mr. Potter?" She held out her hand for him to precede her through the door.

"I'll talk to you later," Harry said as he followed McGonagall into the school.

Harry didn't look at McGonagall until they were in her office. "What did you want to see me about?"

"I thought you should see this," she said, and handed him a copy of the Prophet.

The headlines read: Boy-Who-Saved-Us-All forced to marry Death Eater's son. The details were surprisingly correct. The slant was favorable to Harry as the latest victim of a bad law, but Draco was painted in a very bad light. Not that he didn't deserve it, because this was his idea, but Harry hated to see him humiliated this way.

"Tomorrow's paper?" Harry asked. "Where did you get it?"

"There are Order members everywhere." McGonagall didn't seem inclined to tell him anything more than that.

That was fine with Harry. He didn't care who it was. "Can I let him know?"

McGonagall's brow arched. "Do you care that much?"

"Enough." At her look, he sighed. "I don't want to be forced into marriage, but he's...not quite what I thought he was." He couldn't bring himself to tell her that he thought Draco cared about him. And that made a big difference. Or that maybe, possibly, he was coming to care for Draco.

"I don't think this is going to do you any good. You're going to have to marry him by the end of the term to comply with the law."

"I know. Hermione says they will eventually repeal the law." It wouldn't be soon enough for him, but he tried to be happy for those who wouldn't be hurt by it. For himself...he hoped to make the best of a bad situation.

"I'm sure of it. Most of those who were forced to marry will be able to have their marriages annulled."

"Not me." That was the part that stuck in Harry's craw. If Draco had been decent about it...no, there was no use going over it again.

"Can you ask him for an engagement period?"

"I didn't think that was possible."

She pushed her glasses up farther on her nose and sighed. "I'm not sure whether it complies with the law or not, but if no one reports it, then I don't see how it could do much harm. The ministry only cares that the contracts are signed, not any of the details."

"I don't think he'd go for that. He wants me tied to him." Harry thought about the state of his tie and blushed.

McGonagall cleared her throat and looked like she was trying hard not to smile.

Harry hoped that Draco had thought to wait for him, to see what McGonagall wanted. But when Harry got downstairs Draco was nowhere to be found. He was probably back in his dorm or at least his common room. Which meant that Harry would have to brave the dungeons or let Draco flounder when he got the Prophet tomorrow.

Taking a deep breath, Harry headed downstairs. Unfortunately, he encountered no one to ask to retrieve Draco for him and he had to knock on the door.

Vincent Crabbe answered and sneered at him. "What do you want?"

"Malfoy." Harry folded his arms over his chest and tried to look intimidating. Crabbe towered over him, but he wasn't the bravest bloke who ever lived.

Without a word, he closed the door in Harry's face.

Just about the time Harry was going to knock again, the door opened and Draco stepped out.

"Come for a good night kiss?" he asked. But his tone was all wrong for a slur. It sounded to Harry that he hoped it was true.

"I just wanted to warn you." Harry handed him the paper.

"Fuck," Malfoy muttered. "They certainly managed to twist things, didn't they?"

Harry hadn't thought so. "You did...are forcing me to marry you."

Draco didn't meet his eyes. "You didn't seem unwilling earlier."

Some part of Harry wanted to hex him for misunderstanding everything. "It isn't about sex."

A lot of emotions that Harry didn't recognize crossed Draco's face, and a second later he was slammed against the wall. Draco was kissing him hard, passionately, not giving him time to think or react.

Harry held out for a second or two, but then gave in and kissed back. The kiss eased up, turning, if not gentle exactly, then not quite so angry, and Harry let it seduce him. He loved to kiss, and he loved to kiss Draco. There was just no two ways about it.

He wrapped his arms around Draco and pulled him closer, pressing against him as his prick hardened. Draco's tongue begged entrance at his mouth, and Harry groaned his compliance. Draco could reduce him to this, to mush with just a kiss. It should bother him more than it did.

Just as he was completely relaxing into the kiss, Draco pulled away. "It's about you and me and what we might have together."

"That's the problem. If what it is is worth anything, it can't be forced." He wanted Draco to understand, but he could see that he wasn't even getting close.

"That can't be changed. The law is what it is. Don't you think it will be worth it in the end?"

Some part of him did. But mostly he resented being in this position, not matter what might come of it. "If I can't chose you then it won't matter."

"God you are so difficult," Draco said, stepping completely away from him. "Why can't you just accept what has happened."

"I don't want to." Why couldn't the stupid prat understand that? What was being done to him and everyone else concerned was wrong.

Draco swooped in and kissed him again. Hard. And again, Harry let it seduce him until Draco pulled away again.

"Give it up, Harry. You know you want this. Me." And Draco was gone, behind the closed door to the common room, before Harry could even draw a breath to answer him.

Bloody Hell. What was he going to do now?

A week later, Harry still didn't know.

Hermione came into the common room and sat down beside him. "The contract is done."

"How soon do I have to sign it?" Harry stomach twisted. As much as he liked Draco, and loved the sex, it still made him angry that he wasn't given a choice.

"I think you can stretch it out until after exams, next week. Not any further than next Saturday, though."

"I had hoped that article would --"

"Spur on some action? I was hoping that, too. But there hasn't been anything in the Prophet on the Wizengamot at all. Snape told me that he's heard a rumor that the Wizengamot were going to accept the vote of no confidence against Scrimgeour, but it's not official yet."

"Snape? You talk to Snape about me?"

Hermione looked at him as if he were crazy. "Yes, of course I talk to him. We've been negotiating your contract for months."

"But I didn't think you'd actually talk to him about anything else." Harry realized that was a fairly stupid thing to say. But he just couldn't imagine Snape having a conversation with anyone about anything.

"That's ridiculous. Snape said that even if they do vote Scrimgeour out, it still won't repeal the law."

"I was afraid of that." Harry didn't have a lot of hope for getting out of the marriage. Maybe things would work out, even with a bad beginning. It was possible, just not very likely.

She sighed and pushed her hair back from her face. "I wish there was something I could do to help you."

"I'm resigned to it now." It probably wouldn't be that bad. Draco did care about him. And he did care about Draco.

"But?"

"But nothing. If things could have been different. Maybe...." Maybe what? Maybe he'd be willing to marry Draco?

"Do you want to marry him?"

"No." Harry expected that was the bottom line. He was coming to care for Draco, but the unfairness of the situation was too much for him.

"You spend an awful lot of time with him."

"Since I'm going to end up married to him, I guess that's not such a bad thing." Harry blushed. He and Draco stole as many moments together as they could manage. Having sex with Draco was beyond anything Harry could have imagined. He was a generous lover and Harry was starting to crave his touch. There was only this one little thing and it marred everything else. Maybe he was being unreasonable. Except it didn't feel that way.

"You can admit you care about him."

"I thought I did. But --"

"I know. I'd feel the same way." Hermione stood. "We should go to bed."

"Yeah. And thanks for doing this for me. I do appreciate it."

"It was very good for me, too." There was something in the way she said that that had Harry wondering how it could have been that good for her. Knowing Hermione, she probably loved all the research she'd done.

Draco hated Leaving Feasts and even though this would be the last one, he couldn't wait for it to be over. There was the usual year-end party in Slytherin tonight, and he had planned to attend. He and Harry had decided they'd spend their last night with their housemates. Tomorrow, they would sign the contracts. Tomorrow, Harry would finally be his.

Tomorrow.

He wasn't foolish enough to think things would start out smoothly. They wouldn't. But he was committed to making Harry as happy as he could. And eventually, Harry would come around. If not, they'd have a lot of great make-up sex.

Oh, good, there was McGonagall walking briskly up to the dais where the professors were eating. That could only mean the meal had finally come to an end.

"Before we get to the house cup, I have an announcement to make," she said, her tone surprisingly bright. "The Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, was removed from office with a vote of no confidence this afternoon."

That set everyone to talking at once, and McGonagall held her hands out to get them to quiet back down. "That's not all. The marriage law has been repealed."

No. Draco's stomach dropped so hard it made him dizzy. This could not be happening. Not after everything he'd done, compromised.

"Yes!" Harry's voice rang out sharp and clear. He stood and yelled again, pumping his fist in the air. Pandemonium erupted, everyone talking and shouting at once.

Draco didn't hear it. He stood, and made his way down the aisle between the long tables towards the exit, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the next. All he had to do was make it past the doors and he'd be free of this. He could do it.

Okay, he was out. Where to? Not to the common room. Too many smirking people. Too many who would take pleasure in his pain. To his dorm? Pack. Get out before anyone came back to torment him.

He'd go to the Manor. Home.

He made it as far as the boys' toilets in the dungeons before his stomach rebelled. After he'd given back his dinner and then some, he slid to the floor. His legs no longer seemed to want to hold him.

Merlin, how had he come to this? After all of his schemes, all of his planning, all of his compromises, all of everything, he'd lost. And he'd been so close. It made it all the more unfair. He'd almost had Harry. His chest tightened uncomfortably.

Don't lose it, he told himself sternly, but it was getting hard to breathe around the lump in his throat. He hadn't accounted for this possibility.

There was no way Harry Potter would ever accept him. Maybe if he went straight into politics and did something great, Harry would see that he was worthy. Would regret rejecting him. Would want him.

Except that Harry had always made it plain that he didn't want Draco. That he hated being forced into marriage with him. All the great sex in the world wouldn't change that one fact.

Nothing mattered to Harry, except being free of him. Draco put his head in his hands and tried to stop the shaking that was taking over his body.

What was wrong with him?

"Draco! You're an idiot," Harry said as he came into the room. His voice echoed off the tiles.

On the list of people Draco did not wish to see right now, Harry was number one. "Are you here to gloat? That's not very Gryffindorish of you." Draco forced himself to his feet, but had to lean on the wall. He wiped a hand across his face.

"Why the bloody hell did you leave like that?" Harry sounded annoyed, as if Draco leaving before he could be totally humiliated was offensive to him.

Draco scowled at Harry, hating him for being so dense. Loving him for being so...Harry. "I was trying to save us both some dignity."

"Why? I wasn't going --"

He might love Harry, and he might want him, but Draco wasn't befuddled enough to fall for that big eyed innocent look. No matter how adorable it was. "I heard you. Everyone in the Great Hall heard you."

"You know," Harry said. "You never even gave me a chance. You assumed I'd just walk away, now that I could."

It was a fair assumption, given everything. He, hell, everyone had seen Harry's joy at the announcement. That wasn't faked. "I'm not a fool."

"You might have considered that this would leave me free to choose you. That I would want to choose you instead of being forced."

Draco knew better than to trust anyone, but especially not someone with a grudge. "Which you weren't going to do."

"God, you don't listen, do you?"

He had no idea why Harry was putting them both through this. But it had to stop. Now. "Just say whatever you have to say and get it over with."

"All I have ever said was that I didn't want to be forced into marriage."

"And I was forcing you. Now you don't have to and you want nothing to do with me. I get it." Draco was appalled that his voice broke. Could he be any more pathetic than he was right now?

Harry looked appalled, too. "Actually, that's where you got it wrong. I wasn't planning on rejecting you."

"How can you not be rejecting me --" Draco heard what he was saying and against his better judgment, a little worm of hope slid into his gut.

"I'm not sure I'm ready to get married, but I'm not about to give you up. This was too much work."

"What does that mean, exactly? Will you...."

"Will I what?"

He hated to spell it out. It gave Harry too much power. But it wasn't as if he could find another way to ask. "Will you marry me?"

The look of surprise on Harry's face did not inspire any confidence. "I don't know. Not right now, that's for sure."

Hope died. He closed his eyes for a moment. Why had he even expected anything else? Harry was out for revenge, pay-back for his having tried to force him. But Draco couldn't leave it alone, either. "Someday, then?"

"I don't know. All I know is that I don't want to lose you."

"If you don't marry me, you'll lose me." He needed to know that Harry would be his, even if it were someday. If not, he'd cut his losses and try to move on with his life. Though, admittedly, that would be difficult.

Harry was silent for so long that Draco opened his mouth to give in to whatever Harry wanted.

"What about an engagement? McGonagall said that you can put an engagement clause in the contract."

That was not what he wanted to hear, but it wasn't as bad as being told no outright. "How long?"

"A year, at the least."

Too long. Neither of them would be able to wait that long. "What about six months?"

"Christmas?"

"It's a lovely time for a wedding. We might even be able to do it here." It would not be Draco's first choice of venue, but he knew how Harry felt about the school.

"That would be lovely." Harry beamed at him.

That smile was too gorgeous for words. Draco's heart just melted and he knew he had the most idiotic look on his face. He tried to scowl to hide it, but couldn't quite pull it off. "You'll live in the house we bought?"

Harry took a step closer. "I thought we might live there together."

It still amazed him how little Harry knew about Wizarding traditions. "Wizards don't do that. Not if they are going to be married."

"Do you want to live at the manor by yourself, or do you want to live with me in our house?" Harry took another step closer to him.

With his heart starting to pound, Draco cast a quick breath freshening charm and leaned in to kiss him. "I like following tradition."

Harry didn't answer as he pushed Draco back against the wall. "I want you to be mine."

As if he'd ever been anything else

"I want you to live with me," Harry growled. He waved his wand and Draco's clothes slid off him into a neat folded pile.

"Nice trick. Maybe I'll live with you." Draco shivered as a fully clothed and robed Harry pressed him into the cold tile wall. He held out a hand, pushing Harry back a step. "Make yourself naked. And ward the door."

Two more flicks of his wand, and Harry's naked body was sliding against his. Draco ran his hand down Harry's back. Perfection, Harry's round arse seemed made for his hands. He sighed in pleasure, letting his fingers dance along the crease, and over the smooth curves.

"Mmmm," Harry murmured, pressing back into his hands. If he'd learned nothing else, Draco had learned that Harry loved being touched. And he indulged them both as often as possible.

Draco was lifted, and he wrapped his legs around Harry's waist. Even leaning heavily on the wall, he wasn't sure this would work. "I'm too much taller than you are."

"Wait. Accio wand." Harry tapped his wand against Draco.

A second later, Draco felt lighter. Still propped between Harry and the wall, one of his legs was pushed further up, and the tip of Harry's wand was pressed against him. Draco shuddered at the feel of wood right there. Oh, Merlin. Something wet slithered up inside him and he moaned. Anticipation crawled through him. He wanted Harry so badly.

Harry maneuvered Draco's legs over his arms. It was a bit awkward, but it would work. Hitching one of his legs a little higher on his shoulder, Harry pushed two fingers into him, sliding right over the perfect spot. Draco whimpered.

The preparations took far too long and Draco was desperate, moaning pitifully by the time Harry finally slid into him. He closed his eyes in perfect bliss. It was almost too much, this feeling. This perfect feeling of being taken and held and wanted. He tried to thrust his hips forward, but the angle was wrong. "Move," Draco ordered.

"When I say." Harry chuckled and moved his hips slightly. Not enough to do anything more than tease. Bastard.

"Now." Draco panted. He needed more. He needed to feel it. He needed Harry to take him to that place that only he could. "Now. Please."

There was another minute movement.

"More," Draco begged.

Harry pressed deep, tilting his hips so that he could rake over Draco's prostate. And then he did it over and over again until Draco was mindless with the pleasure of it, whimpering, begging, wanting. It was torture of the purest, finest kind. He loved it and wanted it to go on forever. He also wanted it to end as he knew it would.

"Good. Good. Good." The world narrowed to the movement and the sensations. It built and built until he couldn't bear it a moment longer. Finally, it broke, washing over him, filling him with ecstasy.

The charm must have worn off because Draco hit the floor hard, startled. "You need to work on making that last longer."

Harry sat down next to him, and rubbed his hands along Draco's hip and arse. "Sorry."

Smiling, Draco kissed him. "I'll forgive you."

"I'm sure you will." There was a bit too much self-assurance in Harry's voice for Draco's peace of mind.

As much as Draco would have liked to have been annoyed about that, it was true. And they both knew it.

Epilogue

Harry handed Draco a glass of champagne and smiled softly at him. "Pleased with the proceedings?"

"Very." Draco took a sip and sighed in pleasure. Nothing like a good glass of champagne to soothe the nerves. It amused him no end that the Muggles still thought they'd invented it.

Harry took a sip of his drink. "How much longer?"

"We have to stay at least three hours to have any hope of respectability." Draco wasn't sure how much longer he was going to hold out. He was having trouble dragging his eyes away from Harry, who looked splendid in his wedding robes.

"How long has it been?" The plaintive sound of the question left no doubt that Harry was suffering.

Draco was, too. Need crawling through him, making him want. "It's been less than two hours."

"I'm not going to make it." Harry all but squirmed beside him.

He touched Harry's shoulder and then pulled back. That was far too dangerous. "Yes, you are. Try not to think about it."

"You were the one who said we had to spend a week apart before the wedding, too. How did I ever let you talk me into that?"

Admittedly that might not have been his smartest move ever. "It's traditional. The contract called for it. Besides, you agreed to it."

"I didn't think it would be this hard."

"It's the spells. They want to be consummated."

"Yeah. I want that, too."

"You know, if you didn't love me so much, this wouldn't be such a problem for you." Or for Draco. Not that he was ever going to admit how hard it was for him to stand there and watch Harry and want him. It was only another hour. He could make it.

"Hermione didn't tell me anything about that." Harry wasn't denying that he loved him.

That in itself was a major boost to Draco. But in the wrong direction. He was dying to touch Harry, to hold him, to run his hands.... He cleared his throat. "The spells are designed so that the more feeling between the couple being joined the more powerful the need to consummate them."

"Would it work with hate?"

Where had that come from? A shard of something cold pierced through Draco's heart. "Do you hate me?"

Beside him, Harry snorted, inelegantly. "That's a really stupid question. Of course, if you'd forced me, you'd never know for sure. I don't hate you. Not even close."

It wasn't enough, though. He wanted confirmation, but he wasn't going to ask. He wasn't. "Do you love me?"

"I wouldn't know love if it bit me on the arse."

"It has." More than once and with great pleasure for both of them.

The smile on Harry's face was tender and melted that cold spot in Draco's chest. "I know it has. I do. Love you. I think you know that, too."

Draco's heart leapt. He wanted to scream at the top of his voice that Harry had finally admitted it. He'd never said it before, at least not in so many words. "Me, too."

"How long has it been?"

"Since I fell in love with you?" The answer to that question was fairly pathetic and he rather thought that Harry knew it.

"Actually not. Though I wouldn't mind knowing that. I was wondering how much time had passed?"

Draco laughed at the expectant look on his face. That was one answer Harry wasn't getting unless it was forced out of him. "My parents made it all the way to the end of the reception."

"That doesn't surprise me. How long?"

"Don't think about it."

"My prick is like iron and it's dripping. The only reason I don't have a wet spot on the front of my trousers is because it's spelled not to show." He leant closer to Draco and whispered, "I want to be inside you, fucking you, making you shout with pleasure. Wouldn't you like that?"

More than anything. Draco shuddered. He did not need that visual. They needed something else to focus on. He nodded to a couple dancing too close to each other on the dance floor. "Look at them. I can't believe they are acting that way."

"I still find them hard to believe. They're even more bizarre than you and I." Harry's tone was affectionate. And the lust in his eyes as he gazed at Draco had nothing to do with anyone else.

"Who would have thought they'd have anything in common?" Not Draco, that was for sure. When he'd heard, he'd been in shock for days.

"You're trying to distract me." Harry's tone had developed a definite whine.

At any other time, Draco would have pointed that fact out, and teased him unmercifully. However, he wasn't doing much better. "Is it working?"

"No. But I'm happy for them."

That was a bit of a surprise. "I didn't think you could stand Snape."

"Since he's making Hermione very happy, I'm willing to put up with the git."

"Do you think she makes him happy?" They were such an odd couple. "I can't believe the scandal they caused, getting married like that."

"Hermione told me he wouldn't touch her until after she left school. Not even a kiss."

"You believe her?" Actually, Draco was pretty sure it had to be true since Snape had gone back to Hogwarts for the autumn term. McGonagall would not have allowed that had she not been sure of Snape.

"Yes."

Draco watched them kiss again.

All he wanted was to kiss Harry. Now. But he dared not. He glanced at the clock. Just past the two hour mark. "I'm not going to make it," he muttered.

"Do we have to? I mean it's not as if everyone doesn't know how we feel about each other anyway."

Draco sniffed. "If you hadn't fucked me in the boys' toilet for so long, we wouldn't have had a crowd waiting for us when we left."

"If you hadn't been so loud, no one would have known what we were doing in there," Harry fired back and then chuckled.

"Didn't anyone ever teach you a silencing charm?" They had left with their clothing disheveled and holding hands. It wouldn't have taken a genius to figure out what they'd been doing.

"You might have mentioned it at the time."

They had been greeted by cheering and applause. After what had happened in the Great Hall, it pleased Draco no end that everyone had seen that Harry had been willing to marry him anyway.

Harry looked out at the dance floor and then back at Draco. "What's the worse that can happen if we left now?"

Nothing would happen. In all likelihood they were torturing themselves for no good reason. And even if someone had a problem with it, Draco didn't care. "You're right. We should just go."

"Finally." Harry's smile was brilliant.

By the time they reached the entrance hall, Draco was too aroused to think. The fireplace had been spelled to let the guests come through. "Let's go," Draco said, taking a hand full of powder and throwing it down. "Black Hall."

As Draco arrived in their sitting room, he turned and caught Harry, who despite his years in the wizarding world, rarely had a graceful floo exit.

Draco was pulled into Harry's arms and kissed thoroughly. Then, pressed down onto the rug in front of their fireplace. He pulled Harry down with him.

At this point, Draco wasn't up to finesse. With a flick of his wand, they were both naked. Firelight danced over their skin, but he only gave it a passing note as he leaned over Harry, kissing him. "I want you so badly."

"Then have me," Harry whispered, his eyes glazed with not just lust, but with honest real emotion.

It nearly drove him over the edge. "Oh, I will." He kissed Harry softly, slowly, his tongue making a tour of Harry's mouth, mapping all the moist surfaces, driving him mad with the simple pleasure of it

He tried to put everything he was feeling into it. Despite how much Harry meant to him, how much he loved Harry, he couldn't always put it into words. Sometimes it had to be physical, touching, kissing, anything where he could tell him how precious he was to Draco. Harry arching into him made him hope that Harry understood.

Even with Harry's luscious skin tempting him to explore, he didn't have the patience to linger. He was so hard, aching with need, his prick demanding that he take.

When Draco's mouth closed over Harry, he moaned, bucking up. There wasn't time for more than a taste before Harry's fingers were in his hair, signaling what was imminent. Draco pulled back, reaching for his wand.

The lubrication spell sent a shiver through Harry. With a needful sigh, Harry reached up and pulled Draco in for a long kiss. Draco luxuriated in it, loving the feel of Harry's mouth on his. But it was too much. He had to have more. He had to have Harry. Now.

Draco arranged Harry's legs over his shoulders and pressed slowly in. At Harry's soft grunt, he stopped, giving Harry a moment to adjust. This was the hardest part. He wanted to thrust, to take, to claim what was his. What would always be his. That he was Harry's as well, chosen and claimed, was beyond his wildest dream.

It was only a moment to wait.

"Move. M'close,' Harry moaned against his shoulder, pushing his hips up to punctuate it.

Draco would have liked to have drawn it out, make it last for both of them, but he had nothing left. Only pure need existed now. Pure desire. He pressed in and then again. It was a race to the end. He couldn't hold back, couldn't contain it. Biting his lip and moaning softly, he still tried.

Vaguely he heard Harry swearing and ordering him on. He was blinded by the intensity, the pleasure, the passion. It was so strong, so good, so amazingly hot that Draco was completely lost.

A long time later, they were lying naked wrapped around each other, the sweat cooling on their skin. Draco's head rested against Harry's chest.

"I can't believe how this turned out."

"Oh?" Draco asked, half-afraid of what he meant. With Harry, he never knew.

"Yeah. Who would have thought we'd end up here?" There was a pleased kind of wonder on Harry's face.

Draco liked that look. "I did."

"You almost fucked the whole thing up." Harry's hand running down his back soothed over the sharp words.

"I wanted you. I went after you. And now I have you. How is that fucked up?" Everything had all worked out exactly the way it was supposed to. Harry was his, willingly his. That was all that mattered.

Harry shook his head and there was another affectionate look in his eyes. "You have a very convenient memory."

"I suppose so. Are you going to argue with me about it?"

"No. I think I'd rather fuck you."

"I think that's a grand idea."

And so Harry did.

-finis

Good Faith

by Meri