royal_musings | Dark Marks [01] for Circumpolar

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Dark Marks [01] for Circumpolar

This was not the way Harry Potter had imagined his life to be when he was a first year back at Hogwarts and just learning about this world.

Of course, after that first year and the years following, he thought himself lucky if he made it past Hogwarts in the first place.

It had been five years since the end of the war. The wizarding community was continuing to be rebuilt as the days, months and years went by. He had friends that had been a invaluable support to him during and after the war. Not only that, but he had a strong and beautiful woman who had been by his side since that final battle.

A woman that would be his wife in less than 48 hours.

It wasn't who he had expected by any stretch of the imagination but she had been there and they had grown closer than he ever imagined he would after Draco.

Draco, the boy Harry had considered his best friend for a number of years had ran off at some point during that final battle and he hadn't heard from him since. It had been infuriating but most of all, he had been... upset when he hadn't heard a peep from him the years since.

Harry shook his head and gave himself a look over in the mirror. It didn't do to dwell.

He had never been a vain man but he wanted to make sure the fit and color was just right. It was. He had learned some things over the years being best friends with a boy who made sure he looked impeccable.

He thanked the shop keeper after changing back into his every day robes, hung the dress robes over his arm and left the shop. It was mere minutes later that he returned to the flat he was renting and banished the robes to his closet. Harry took a moment to look around the front room and allowed himself a little smile. It was a far cry from where he started.

He wasn't needed anywhere for another few hours. It was just plenty of time to have some tea and catch up on some communication with friends.

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They both had to have know that Draco wasn't going to last long. Not with all the years on the run; all the years with no touch, no one near him. He had nothing for so long and now, now he had everything he fantasized about in the dark. He would have it all tonight. Even if he would lose it in the morning. Just for one night, he would have it all.

So his fingers tightened, twisted, not rough but steady, moving his hips as he fucked Harry's mouth carefully. Moaning his name, making soft needful sounds as he rocked on the balls of his feet, trying to keep himself on his feet and now falling.

"Potter. Fuck. I can't... I can't wait."

He wanted to. He wanted to draw this out as long as he could but he knew he couldn't.

Not with that delicious heat, and then he was coming, crying out Harry's name in what was nearly a howl.

The moment Harry dropped to his knees, Harry had known Draco wouldn't last long. Well, that and the 'it's been five years' bit. That would tip him off. But he wasn't disappointed - far from it. It just meant they could take their time the rest of the night. Harry moaned around Draco and dug his fingers into the other man's arse, squeezing as he worked him through his orgasm.

He slowly pulled back and licked any stray drops off before looking up at him with dark eyes. "Everything you imagined," he asked with a cheeky little smile.

With skills born of a fighter and from the years of experience, Harry noticed the movement out of the corner of his eye before he heard the pecking on the window.

"We have company," he said, standing. No one knew Draco was here though, right? Other than the patron's downstairs who he hoped hadn't noticed them too much through the drunken fog, no one would know Harry was there.

As much as he wanted to ignore it, it would stay there until it dropped off what it needed to drop off.

And why it had been five years was because in that moment, someone could have drawn a wand on him and Draco wouldn't have noticed. He would have noticed nothing but Harry, the way he looked, the drag of his tongue, and how all those touches left the paler wizard whimpering and whining, wanting more and yet already growing two sensitive.

It was Harry's words that brought Malfoy out of his daze. It took a second for them to sink in and then he was spinning towards the window, dipping down to try and get the wand out of his pocket and at the ready.

"Is that your bloody owl?" he asked, staring at Potter. Merlin's beard but he hoped so.

As the owl flew in closer and started tapping at the window, Harry made his way over to unlock it and let it in. "No, it's not mine," he paused as it flew over to his shoulder and stuck it's leg out. "It's Ginny's..." he said, feeling his heart start to speed up.

Bloody fuck.

He took the letter off his leg, stroked the owl's back before letting fly off - not without it nipping at him though without a treat to give it. He glanced over at Draco before unfolding the letter and reading the two short sentences.

We need to talk. I can be at your place in 30 minutes.

"She needs to talk," he said, his tone flat as he looked over at Draco. "Do you have a quill?"

He can't imagine she had heard about Draco THAT quick.

He stayed silent for a long minute before he looked at Draco. "You'll still be here, right?"

Harry wasn't going to loose Draco so soon after getting him back.

The moment Potter moved away, Draco was working to get his pants up and on. His blissful face had lost that edge of pleasure and held concern and the wariness of death once more. Nervously he tugged his sleeves down over his hands, the once manicured nails short and yet clean and flashing once as he brought the hood up and over his head from the hoodie he wore.

"What does she need to talk about?" He sounded as nervous as he might, worrying about why she was looking for them.

Yet he went to a bag in the corner, digging out a quill and bringing it to Potter. That question made him pause. He knew he shouldn't. At this point it was too dangerous. If Ginny knew, she might be clearing Harry out to protect him from Draco's arrest... or his death.

"For you," he finally managed. "I'll be here for you."

"It doesn't say. Only that she'll be at my place in thirty...," he took the quill from Draco's fingers and scrawled back a quick response.

I'll be there.

Ever the Slytherin, he didn't give anything away.

He attached it to the owl's leg and watch it take flight before turning to Draco. Salazar, he wanted this man. More than he wanted to go meet up with... his future wife.

He nodded and walked over to him. "I will be back, Draco," he said. He so badly wanted to kiss him. Wanted to hold him. After a slight hesitation, he leaned in and pressed a kiss to the blonde's mouth. "I'm not letting you go so soon after seeing you again."

Did that sound possessive? Maybe. That wasn't to say that Harry wouldn't let him go if that was truly what the man wanted. He didn't think so though. Not after their evening so far.

He stayed quiet, not sure what to say. There was a part of him that was sure this was a set up and a desire to make sure that Harry wasn't caught up in the crossfire. Taking a long, deep breath, he managed to return the kiss, even as he said what he needed to.

"If they come for me, I'm not going down without a fight, Potter. I don't care who they send in here." It might be a friend of Harry's. It might be Ginny herself. He didn't care. He had fought this long, he would fight until they pushed him beyond the curtain.

"Don't fight them if it comes to that. Don't let them use you against me," he murmured, his fingers brushing lightly over Potter's cheek.

He looked at him seriously for a long minute and gave him a nod. "I'd be more surprised if you did go down without a fight, Malfoy." Harry had known Draco Malfoy longer (and better) than anyone else. He had no doubt to Draco Malfoy's survival instincts - especially five years on the lam.

Harry leaned into Draco's touch and looked at him seriously. "Between the two of us, I'm hoping it won't come to that," he said. "I'll talk to you soon."

He didn't want to leave it there but he had to make it back home before Ginny arrived.

Harry pulled himself together, put his cloak back on before stepping out of Draco Malfoy's room. He waited until he left the Inn before apparating back to his flat. He'd gotten cleaned up and changed as the floo chimed, alerting him of Ginny coming through. When she did, he had wonder why he didn't feel that strong surge of love and want. Truth be told, he hadn't in a while. It had become comfortable, if that was the term for it.

"Harry," she said with a smile, one that didn't reach her eyes. She stepped forward and embraced him, giving him a small kiss.

"Ginny," Harry said and wrapped her up in a hug before leading her over to the couch. "Sit - what did you need to talk to me about?" He had always been a fan of getting straight to the point when it came to Gryffindors.

He watched as she sat on the couch and visibly gathered herself together - taking a long, slow breath. "I think we need to call the wedding off."

There, it was out. She watched his expression as her words sunk in. "I'm so sorry, Harry," she said and reached for a hand. "I - I can't do this. I love you. I have for years. But, I've realized it's not - it's not that passionate and all consuming kind of love. It's a - I love you as my best friend and like my brother."

Harry sat there in shock as Ginny's words registered and blinked. He had been prepared for a number of things - she had found out about Draco, she simply just wanted to see him and be there with him -- a number of things. But, this? He hadn't factored in. He couldn't exactly figure out why he didn't feel as hurt as he expected to feel.

He actually felt... relieved?

"- I think you feel it too, don't you? Harry?"

He shook his head coming from his thoughts and looked at her. He could tell this had been weighing on her mind for a while. He should be trying to change her mind, right? "No - no, you... you're right. I feel the same way, Ginny," he said, looking at her. It was almost as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

For years, Ginny had dreamt of being the girlfriend and future wife of Harry Potter, as every school girl does with their celebrity crush. They had been happy for years now - being friends and then dating and becoming engaged. She'd been thrilled when he finally asked her. The closer the date came to tie the knot, the more upset she was starting to feel. She was sure that wasn't normal. She had talked to Luna and it was there she had finally decided to get up the nerve to confront Harry. She didn't want to hurt him - that was the last thing she wanted. Now that she had done it, she felt... right, with her decision. She felt happier for it.

She visibly relaxed and leaned in to embrace him. "You will always be one of my best friends, Harry and don't worry - I'll talk to Mum and Dad."

He embraced her and realized, in that way that you do with something that's been right in front of you for years, that they wouldn't have last. In another time and place, perhaps they would have. But that wasn't them now. "And you'll be one of mine. Always," he said and tightened his arms around her gently then slowly let go.

"I better be, you prat," she said with a smile and stood from the couch. She lifted a hand up to her eyes and rubbed them, not even realizing that she was crying. It was sad, of course - this was a man she had been with longer than anyone else. This had been the right thing to do though. She wasn't ready and Harry wasn't the right one. After some time and some more conversation about who was going to do what, she stood from the couch and gave Harry one final hug. "I'll be by soon to get my things, ok? I'll start letting everyone know."

"Of course, let me know when. I'll let everyone know on my side," he said and watched her as he walked to the floo and left - calling out The Burrow on her way. He stood there for a long minute before exhaling a slow breath. In all the conversation took a little over an hour.

He'd need to owl Zabini but first, he needed to talk to Draco. He was sure the man was on guard for people to come and arrest him.

Harry grabbed his cloak, a good bottle of scotch and apparated back to the Inn Draco was staying at and headed up to the room. Using the knock they had perfected years ago, he waited for Malfoy to open the door.

Panic was settling in. Draco set the window with a charm, the door as well. Even the toilet and the faucet had been set with charms to ensure that no one could enter the room through use of flue powder.

Setting the ear in the hall, letting it pick up any sounds, preparing for a war to come. He knew it was possible, and he would die in this place. He had already made his peace with death a long time ago. Years before when he had been certain he would die for not ending the life of Dumbledore.

The knock made him drop down to a crouch, wand at the ready. With a muttered sound he dropped the ward on the door. "Come in," he called, expecting the door to be blasted in by way of magic.

Instead of barging right in (like a Gryffindor would), Harry opened up the door slowly. "Wand down Draco, it's just me," he said, showing him the bottle of scotch and his free hand. This was the reason he was here, after all, to make sure Draco didn't stress himself about a battle that wasn't coming.

"I brought a good bottle of scotch - you'd be proud," he said and widened the door so he could get a good look at Draco. "No one is coming, I assure you."

He stayed there, watching as Harry came into view. He trusted him enough to lower the wand, rising to his feet. If it had been a ploy, he was dead.

Frowning, confused about the alcohol. "Don't tell me she called you to tell you that you're going to be a father. I can't toast to your happiness over that," he admitted.

He released a small breath when Draco finally lowered the wand and shut the door behind him, locking it when a wandless/wordless charm. He smirked wryly before shaking his head.

"No, there will be no Weasley-Potter children on the horizon. In fact," he said, walking toward the table and opening up the bottle of scotch. "In fact, she called to say she couldn't go through with the wedding."

He was still tense, shoulders tight and his chin lifted. It was the posture of a Malfoy, the kind he had taken often during their school days. This was about losing Potter again, and losing his life as well. As much as he had fought to live this long.

Then those words and he was fairly certain he was already dead.

"Pardon me, but you're going to have to repeat that for me. Also, do find a way to assure me that I didn't die before I believe you came through that door, because I think you have."

He looked around for two glasses before transfiguring two stones into a tumbler and poured them each a finger. "She called off the wedding," he said and offered the glass to Draco while picking the other up.

"Unless we both have died, I can guarantee that we are both alive and well... more or less," he said with a wry look. He watched Draco's facial expressions and exhaled a soft breath.

"She didn't even mention you once, Draco - you have nothing to worry about. No one... other than me, knows you're even here. I can help you now -- if you want it," he said and took a drink from the glass.

Draco was still so tense, worried. Not that he thought Harry was lying to him, but he wasn't sure that he could trust anyone else in the world. Nor could he trust them not to use Harry against his will, even if he couldn't sense anything around his favorite mate, and first love. Only love, if he was honest.

"Why would she end things, Harry. She's spent her life trying to join your families. Why would she change her mind now?"

And he couldn't believe that it was possible that she was just let Harry go. Leaving him had been the hardest thing that Draco had ever done.

"According to her? She didn't feel that overwhelming passionate kind of love for me anymore. Just in the way one would feel toward a brother or sibling."

He wasn't hurt.

Well, okay - a little but not in the way it might've been otherwise. He was, more importantly, relieved.

"I'm okay though," he said and looked at Draco. He realized, it didn't hurt nearly as much as losing Draco had. "Losing you had been worse," he admitted, softly.

It was those words that brought him closer, crossing the room as he pocketed his wand and pulling Harry close to him. "She's a fool. An utter fool. Whole family is," he said, meaning it in that moment. What else explained giving up a man like Harry?

"Are you sure you're okay?" Life had suddenly and abruptly changed, after all and that couldn't be easy. "What do you need?"

He could take that moment to focus on Harry, to leave behind his panic and pain. For a moment, clinging to this night for as long as it lasted.

He felt a smile tug on his mouth as Draco pulled him in close and wrapped his arms around the other wizard. "I know - you kept telling me," he couldn't help but tease him before becoming serious. "It's okay. I'm okay, promise," he said and looked at Draco with a serious expression.

He knew there was a lot he would have to do but he was almost happier now that it was done. Maybe that had something more to do with Draco than being separated from Ginny, he didn't know.

"All I want right now is you and this scotch." Mostly it was Draco though. Simply being here with his best friend, whose cock he had in his mouth a couple of hours ago, was all he wanted.

Harry seemed to be doing a lot better than Draco was. Draco was still trying to cope with it, to make it all make sense. He was a rogue wizard, on the run, and wanted by both sides, and he knew that he could die in the end. He had come here to see Harry, accepting it would be the last thing he did before Harry married a Weasley and Draco did his best to disappear and live out his life.

One thing had changed. How much more could change.

"We still hav tonight," he murmured softly. "At least there's that."

He was sure that part of it was shock. First Draco contacts him, they meet and reconnect and then Ginny decides she wants to call off the wedding. A lot had happened over the last twelve hours. Still, he was glad he wouldn't have to hide this.

Harry wasn't bound to let Draco go, not without a fight and even then, if the wizard insists on leaving, he'd make sure he would do everything he could to keep him safe. Even after all these years with Draco MIA, he counted him as his best friend.

"We have tonight," he agreed then looked at him squarely in the eye. "If you think for one minute I'm letting you leave again Draco Malfoy, you have another thing coming."

Leaving Harry was the hardest thing Draco had ever done. Yet when Potter left that evening, he had faced that he was going to die in that room when Ginny sent someone to kill the remaining Malfoy. So it was still hard to cope with this, to know he was alive, and Potter was single and this was not the end.

'But you have..." A life. Friends. So much more. "Potter, I'm still wanted by both sides. You can't take that chance." Could he?

Harry arched an eyebrow and blinked at him. "You forgot about something - I'm the Chosen One. As far as I see it, I've done more than my share. I can take the chances I want to take."

He never used that 'title'. He loathed it, in fact. However, he was a Slytherin and it wasn't below him to use it to his advantage when he wanted to.

Which include Draco Malfoy.

Beautiful, snarky and intelligent Draco Malfoy.

"If, in the morning, you decide you want to leave, I can't stop you. There are ways to keep you safe."

It was exactly that reason that he wasn't sure that Potter could. People would look for him, they would notice his behavior. Especially when the announcement was made that he and Ginny were no longer engaged.

"You and I both know that's why you can't," he said, giving him a look. "You live in a spotlight, Harry, and they won't forgive even you for me." he didn't think. Was it at all possible?

"I don't want to use you to regain my place in society," he said softly. "You know that, right? That I wouldn't do that?"

Harry understood what Draco was saying. He knew very well how the very fickle public was and how they were bound to react. Despite what people may think, he was certainly not blind to it.

Truth was, he wasn't as uptight about what people may think as Draco seemed to be. It was years now since the end of the war and he had stepped in many times during those initial months speaking at trials for those he felt deserved it.

Those who may not have had any other choice.

"Draco, they didn't forgive me for years when they found out I was sorted in Slytherin. Or that I speak Parseltongue. Or when I was selected as the fourth champion - insisting that I did it myself." His voice wasn't raising nor was he getting agitated. He was simply stating a fact - or many. He knew Draco's concerns but he had long since given up trying to make everyone else happy.

"I know you wouldn't, Draco." He took a drink from his glass then sat it down. "Do you know I spoke at many of our friends' trials? Getting them pardoned?"

It meant, he could do the same for Draco.

"They are not Malfoys."

And in his mind, that said a lot. There were names that were so ingrained in the darker side of the wizarding world that they may never change. Then there was the fact that Draco bore the dark mark, and actions that could well be held against him.

"And you ..." He sighed, pulling Harry closer to him, kissing his cheek tenderly. "All I've wanted was to come back and find you. And that is why i've stayed away," he admitted, clinging to the other man. "I don't want to drag you down, Harry. Tonight though... I needed to see you again, but I never thought this could happen.

"Do you know how much I wish we could just disappear," he sighed.

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