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You Set Fire to the Rain	By : icicle33 Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 11826 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter characters or any part of the HP fandom or universe. This story is written purely for pleasure and no money is be made from it. None at all.

Chapter List
- 9
- 10
- 11
Warnings: none for this chapter...except for Harry directing some misplaced anger towards his poor breakfast food. ; )

Author's note: Thank you so much to everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter! I'm overjoyed by the positive response so far for this story. Right now, with 31 reviews it's the most reviews any of my stories have ever gotten, so thank you so much. *Hugs you all and hands you red velvet fairy cakes*.

Once again, a special thank you to my betas: ashiiblack and sonnyisforlovers, and as always, feedback makes my day!

Enjoy.

: : Ten : :

"You can close your eyes to the things you do not want to see, but you cannot close your heart to the things you do not want to feel." ~HJP¹⁰

: : :

That night, I didn't get much sleep.

I couldn't stop visualising your woeful, tear-stained face and latent but profound sobs in my mind. I had always seen you as so withdrawn and detached from the world, from your feelings; you seemed ruthless and unaffected by anything that was thrown at you no matter how cruel or vindictive. It was as if you wore an impenetrable suit of armour that nothing could destroy. I've always hated you for it, envied it really, and wanted to find a way to crack your shield. I thought it would bring me peace, satisfaction, but now that I had finally achieved my goal, it felt all wrong. Instead of celebrating, I felt like a worthless pile of shit. And worst of all, I couldn't take it back. No matter what I said, the damage was done. You would never get those tears back or that sleepless night.

It just didn't seem fair. For the second time in my life, I had broken you and caused you an almost inconsolable amount of pain. Why did I do these things? These were not the actions of the hero I was supposed to be. A real hero would never lash out and keep trying to strangle the only person in the world that I wanted to hold in my arms and call my own. I was more defective than even you were.

Christ, I had only wanted to tame the fierce dragon not slaughter it.

: : :

The next morning, I planned to sleep in.

Under no circumstances, was I ready to face Andromeda or your pained, dejected face just yet. Unfortunately, Andromeda had other plans. Andie has always been respectful of my privacy, even before I lived with her and only came for short visits. She was the perfect hostess and never disturbed her guests or made a ruckus in the morning no matter how early she rose. In fact, she would barely even knock on my door in fear of troubling me. Well, that morning she stormed in at barely half past seven and didn't bother to knock. Her pale cheeks were flushed and her bright eyes blazing. She raised all the shades in the room to ensure that as much sunlight as possible was blinding me, and then she tore the comforter from my grasp and vanished it. To say that she was brassed off would be an understatement.

Things went pear-shaped rather quickly, and she lectured me for the good portion of an hour. She raved at me about how immature, petty and cruel my behaviour had been, how she had never expected such callous antics from the likes of me, and how she had never been more disappointed. If that wasn't bad enough, then she had to bring up the fact that she spent half the night attempting to console you, her poor nephew, who thought that not a single person cared for him in the entire world.

Hanging my head in shame, I just listened to everything she threw at me. If anything, she was being kind. I deserved worse, much worse.

When she was finally done fuming at me, I slowly met her disillusioned eyes and knew that I had fallen from my final pedestal. There was no turning back.

Not for lack of trying, but I couldn't hold back the pools of tears that had been threatening to flood my eyes since the beginning of her speech. I swallowed what was left of my shoddy dignity and told her that I would pack my things and be gone my lunchtime.

Apparently, I had put my foot in my mouth again because Andie's face turned a violent shade of red, and she pursed her lips in such a sour fashion, which was so reminiscent of Aunt Petunia that I was afraid she was going to lash out and strike me. Instead, she took a deep breath and pulled me into an almost suffocating embrace.

"Harry James Potter," she said, her voice stern and eyes locked in that don't you dare argue with me look that only an irate mother could perfect. "You are absolutely forbidden to leave this house! What in Salazar's name is wrong with you?" She pulled me closer to her chest and held me tighter if that was even possible. It was getting hard to breathe.

"You and that obtuse nephew of mine are both ridiculous. You're both cut from the same cloth, I tell you. Both of you thinking that I want you to leave...I've never heard such rubbish in my life." She released one hand from our embrace and started running it through my matted hair.

"Oh, Harry," she sighed and continued playing with my hair. "Don't you know how much I love you? How much I love having you here?"

My voice was caught in my throat, so I only nodded my head in response. Andie released me and then lifted my chin to meet her eyes.

"Listen to me," she said gravely, "because I'm only going to say this once." She took a breath but never broke contact with my anxious gaze. "You, Teddy, and Draco are my only family. I've already talked to Draco, and now I'm telling you the same thing."

I had never pictured Andromeda as a particularly threatening woman before, but at that moment, I was terrified.

"Draco has agreed to stay for the summer," she continued. "The four of us are going to have a perfectly lovely summer together. And with Salazar as my witness you and that berk of a nephew of mine will get along or there will be hell to pay!" She paused for a second and regarded me darkly in order to prove that she was completely serious.

All I could do was gulp in response.

"Do you understand?" she asked, her sapphire eyes still glowing dangerously.

I nodded my head and stared at the floor.

"Splendid, dear." She released my face and then smiled at me kindly as if nothing was wrong at all. "Let's go have breakfast."

: : :

When I joined the others at the breakfast table, I wasn't sure what to expect. I was afraid that I would see you again in your adorable flannel pyjamas with your hair all ruffled and your eyes blotchy and panic-stricken. Imagine my surprise, when the man that greeted me was as far removed from the broken child I had glimpsed last night in your room as possible.

It was only a quarter after nine when I entered the dining room and my hair was sticking up in all directions since I hadn't bothered to run a comb through it yet. I was clothed in an old Gryffindor tee shirt and some old sweats that had probably belonged to my cousin Dudley at some point, but I still found them absurdly comfortable and wore them often around the house. As I made my way to the table, I was greeted warmly by Teddy who was also still in his pyjamas, which just happened to be blue flannel as well. A small smile crossed my lips at seeing the little boy look so endearing, and it didn't leave my face until after I greeted Andie who was uncharacteristically clothed in only her dressing gown and a pair of silk pyjama bottoms. I assumed that I had disrupted her morning routine, which was why she was at the table in such an unusual state of disarray.

But when I finally spotted you, sitting at the head of the long table, I couldn't help but gawk.

You were dressed impeccably in fitted black trousers and a perfectly pressed blue oxford shirt; your long hair had been brushed and was loosely tied back hanging neatly at the nape of your neck (most likely to keep it from falling into your runny eggs). God, you are so fastidious sometimes. You looked positively edible in that smart outfit, and it almost hurt to look at you. Still, what was most striking about your appearance was your eyes. Yes, they had slight bags under them, which you had tried to cover up with a poorly placed glamour—the vain git that you are—but it was their utter lack of emotion that threw me. Your eyes appeared an almost midnight shade of blue rather than the clear grey I had witnessed the night before, and they were no longer bright and panicked with unshed tears. Your gaze was hard and detached again, impenetrable like two jaded stones staring through me. Watching you sit there so calmly was unnerving. You sat there regarding me coolly as if you didn't have a care in the world and hadn't spent the last night on the verge of an emotional breakdown.

I was completely flabbergasted and couldn't do anything but gape at you with my mouth hanging slightly open and what had to be a stupefied expression on my face.

"Good morning, Potter," you said, greeting me as casually and naturally as if we had been friends for years.

"Erm—" I stuttered sounding even more idiotic than I felt.

"What's the matter, Potter? You look like someone just drowned your pet crup."

You sounded much too pleased with yourself, and I finally had the familiar urge of wanting to hex that smug smirk off your face. You were so infuriating. One minute your Adonis beauty dumbfounded me, and the next I wanted to rearrange your haughty face.

"Don't tell me even the saviour of the wizarding world gets lovesick?"

Your eyes were utterly amused and your smirk grew wider.

"Shut it, Malfoy," I snapped finally regaining my voice.

Andromeda cleared her throat very pointedly and at least you had the decency to look abashed.

"I was just kidding, Potter. Just a little joke between two old school chums. No harm done."

You turned to your Aunt and rewarded her with your most charming and innocent smile. It was breathtaking and once again, I felt a sharp pang in my chest, my anger completely forgotten.

Andie seemed satisfied and then excused herself to fetch some raspberry jam for Teddy.

I looked down at my plate of runny eggs and slightly burnt toast, pretending that it was the most interesting thing in the world. God, I hated toast and eggs. I didn't understand why we couldn't have bacon or those delectable French pastries again for breakfast. I really needed comfort food if I had to sit across from you and your smug face at every meal. I would much rather spend the time stabbing you repeatedly with my fork.

But I had promised Andromeda that I would play nice with you, and I was intending on keeping that promise even if we had to spend the rest of the summer drenched in silence.

"So, Potter," you said, interrupting the uncomfortable silence that continued to grow between us.

"Yes, Malfoy?" I answered evenly. If you were going to pretend to be polite in Andie's presence, then I could play that game too.

"Teddy and I are taking a walk over to my vineyard later. It's almost harvesting season, and I want him to help me sample the different grape varieties in order to choose the best varietals for the blends this season," you said nonchalantly as you carefully cut up your eggs in bite-sized pieces.

What was wrong with you? Who the hell eats their eggs like that? Not even Teddy needed to cut his eggs into such small pieces. And who owns a vineyard for Merlin's sake?

"That's nice," I replied, trying my best to keep my tone polite rather than sardonic.

"Oh yes," Teddy finally piped in. "Cousin Draco is so smart, Uncle Harry. He knows everything!"

"Does he now?"

My godson was bouncing in his seat and waving around his toast emphatically as he looked up at you with a besotted grin plastered upon his face. I had almost forgotten that Teddy was in the room and couldn't help but feel resentful that my godson was regarding you with such awe. He obviously thought the sun shone out of your much-too-gorgeous-for-your-own-good arse, and I didn't like it one bit. He was only supposed to smile at me that way. I was supposed to be his hero, not you. What kind of role model would you be for a small child anyway?

I watched you chuckle at Teddy's enthusiasm and then return his smile.

"Well, I don't think I know everything, Teddybear, but close."

Bugger, now you were using pet names for my godson as well. I vomited slightly in my mouth and had to transfix my gaze on the eggs again to stop myself from showing the revulsion in my eyes. Ugh. Unconsciously, I had smashed my eggs into what appeared to be an unappetising plate of yellow goo.

"Have you ever been to a vineyard before?" you asked neutrally. I was mildly impressed that you had actually managed to keep your usual condescending tone to a minimum.

"Can't say that I have." I still didn't look up from my mushy eggs, which there was no way I was actually going to eat now. Fuck. I was going to be starving until lunch.

"Why don't you join us then?"

My head quickly jerked up from the plate and I gaped at you.

"No," I answered bluntly.

Of course, Andromeda had chosen that exact moment to come back from the kitchen and did not look pleased at all.

"Harry," she warned.

"I mean...no thank you. I have a previous engagement."

Andromeda looked slightly appeased and you continued to regard me closely, but didn't appear to be fazed by my sharp answer.

"Perhaps another time then."

"Right."

: : :

The next day that followed was complete hell.

Apparently, you didn't take the hint and continued to invite me to do asinine things with you like go for a walk or read Teddy a bedtime story.

Okay, the truth was that I very much wanted to accept your invitation, but deep down I understood that the only reason you were inviting me was because of Andromeda. It was all a lie, and you probably would have rather spent a day defanging Blast-Ended Skrewts than spend an afternoon in my company.

That's not what I wanted. Not at all. I wanted so much more than that and if I couldn't have it, then it was better not to have anything at all. Yes, it was enough that you were being polite to me. That was much more than I ever had before.

Besides, I could tell that you were up to something; you had to be, because if there was one thing I had learnt from watching you for so many years, it was that you were never nice to anyone without having ulterior motives. This time was no different. I just hadn't found your true motives yet.

I had to find a way to avoid you as much as possible and spy on you at the same time. Bloody hell, living under the same roof with you was like being back at Hogwarts all over again. On the bright side, there was no psychotic Dark Lord trying to murder me this time.

To be continued...

Author's note: Thanks so much for reading everyone! What do you think of Draco now? He's a bit more complicated than Harry thought. Also, try not to be too hard on Harry. He has no reason to trust Draco yet, so he's pushing him away because he's afraid Draco's just messing with his feelings. Don't worry Draco will not give up that easily and Harry won't be able to hide from him forever.

[10] The quote at the beginning of the chapter is by an unidentified author, so whoever it belongs to I'm sorry that I can't credit you for it. Instead, I gave the credit to Harry. He was feeling poetic during this chapter.

Until next time,

~Icicle

Review responses:

Margy: Thanks for your comment! I adore the idea of Draco in flannel pyjamas as well, especially with Teddy having matching ones.

elemental witch: Thanks for your comment! I'm thrilled you are still enjoying the story and I am trying my best to put Draco and Harry in new situations, which is why they will stay in France for most of this story.

unneeded: I'm so sorry to hear about your female troubles. I have had some intense pains at that time of the month that brought me to tears, but I've never fallen. That's awful; however, it is a plus if you find some big burly handsome gentleman to help you up. And putting down your pets. I am huge animal lover myself, so I understand your pain with that. The thought of losing any of my pets devastates me. I hope you're doing better, dear. As for the story, Andie definitely did tear him a new one. Don't worry Andie is older and wiser than Harry and Draco. She will not just let him leave and will force the boys to get along if it kills all three of them. Thanks again for your comment, dear. = )

Thank you all for your wonderful comments and motivation!
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You Set Fire to the Rain