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The Stag and The Snake	By : JBankai89 Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 9713 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter, I gain nothing from this but a way to pass the time.

Chapter List
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Chapter 17 – The Park

It took Harry a long time to fall asleep that night. Intertwined in a lover's embrace with Draco, he felt another pull at his heart as he remembered Ron's comments from earlier that day. Staring now at Draco's moonlit form, Harry felt a swell of fierce protectiveness for him. Sure, Ron's anger was warranted, but to a point. It happened three years ago. Clearly Hermione wasn't holding it against him, so why was Ron?

Because he's Ron.

The answer came to him almost at once, and he sighed heavily. Though it was easy enough to say he'd let Ron come around in his own time, Harry knew it would be much more difficult in practice. Why couldn't he let things go and just be happy for him? He snuggled closer to Draco, closed his eyes, and tried valiantly to fall asleep.

Harry woke the next morning to an empty bed. The spot where Draco had lain was cold to the touch, and Harry could feel the wave of nauseous fear begin to rise up. Remembering his conversation with Remus from the day before, he forced himself to breathe deeply and respond to his anxiety as rationally as he could. Draco hasn't left you. He loves you, and you love him. Snape is gone and he isn't coming back. Just because you're alone doesn't mean bad things will happen. He repeated the words in his head like a mantra while he gathered up a change of clothes and headed to the bathroom, his hands trembling.

He took extra time in the shower, turning the water on as hot as he could stand it. He scrubbed roughly at his skin, attempting to wash away his panic along with the remnants of the night, though it didn't help nearly as much as he'd hoped. Harry left the water running to mask the sound of his heaving stomach. Feeling a terrible sense of guilt at his own weakness, he shut off the shower and began to ready himself for the day ahead.

As with the previous morning, he stepped into the kitchen to see Sirius, Remus, and Draco with their heads bent together and whispering urgently to one another. The second he appeared they went silent, and smiled none-too-convincingly at him. Harry's curiosity burned in him, but he didn't want to spoil...whatever they were up to, and he let it slide, for now. They better let him in on it soon, or Harry felt as though he might expolode. “Er, Morning?”

Draco smirked, his trademark Malfoy confidence glimmering in his eyes. He stood in a smooth, fluid motion and strode across the scant five feet to Harry. “What—urk!” Harry yelped in surprise when Draco reached him, the blond gathering Harry in his arms and dipping him, before catching his mouth in a kiss that tasted of coffee and marmalade. Harry got over his shock rather quickly and wrapped his arms around Draco's neck to kiss him back. “You're shameless,” he murmured softly, just loudly enough for his lover to hear. Draco smirked, and stood to release him.

Sirius and Remus were smiling knowingly at Harry when he turned to face them. He felt his face heat, avoiding their eyes while he took his usual seat next to Draco. The three of them looked extremely pleased about something, beyond Draco's blatant displays of affection. His eyes shifted from once face to the next, wondering whether he should bother asking. I need to play Muggle Poker with them, Harry smiled with amusement at the thought as he watched the trio, They have the worst Poker Faces I've ever seen. “So, any chance that if I ask, you will actually tell me what's going on?” He bit back a small laugh as his parents looked genuinely startled. Harry helped himself to some toast, pleased with the shock he saw mirrored on their faces.

“Be fair, you two are way obvious.” Draco chuckled, then refocused his attention on Harry. “It's nothing really, I just wanted to take you out for lunch today.” He paused for a moment, as though carefully considering his words. Harry eyed him curiously, certain that there was more to this than Draco was letting on. “I wanted to take you on a picnic, there's a Muggle park not far from here. Do you think you'd be comfortable with that?” Draco's nonchalant tone had a nervous edge to it. It didn't take much for Harry to hear the unspoken question: Would it be too reminiscent of The Meadow?

Harry knew the park that Draco meant; he'd been there with Sirius and Remus more times than he could count when he was a child. Plastic and wooden structures embedded in sand, and a small expanse of green grass dotted with trees. It was a far cry from The Meadow, and coupled with his memories of his youth, he did not even feel a twinge of fear at the idea. He smiled, “yeah, it sounds like fun.”

Draco's up to something.

Harry knew it was fairly obvious at that point, but the thought danced through his mind on repeat all morning. His suspicion only became more pronounced when Draco announced that he needed to go off and get something, and when Harry had asked where he was going he simply smirked and kissed him before disapparating.

He tried to wheedle the truth out of Sirius after Draco departed, his good-natured patience utterly shattered as he allowed his burning curiosity to take centre stage. “Come on Sirius,” he whined, following his godfather around the flat like a duckling. “I won't tell Draco that you told me, honest!”

“I'm not saying anything Harry, go to your room before I hex you.” He smiled when he said it, but Harry decided to not test whether or not he would make good on his threat, and tried for Remus instead.

“I know you know, and you know that I know that something is going on. You can shut me up much more quickly by just telling me what it is!” He grinned cheekily, and Remus rolled his eyes behind his copy of Wizarding Gastronomy.

“I'm not telling you anything Harry. Go and alphabetize my books if you're bored, but stop pestering me.” Harry couldn't help but laugh. Remus's book collection probably rivalled the Hogwarts library in size, crammed in what at one time was supposed to be an office. It was a jumbled mess, with barely enough floorspace to navigate between the towering stacks of books. No one went into the office except Remus, who seemed to have some sort method of organization to his collection, though Harry and Sirius had never managed to work out what it was.

“Yeah, I'm not that bored,” he replied, still chuckling slightly as he got up and disappeared into his bedroom.

Just past noon, Harry changed from his jeans and T-shirt to something a little more posh. It was too warm out for him to bother much with suit jackets or the like, and opted instead for black slacks and a white button-down shirt, which was fitted but not uncomfortably tight. He rolled up the sleeves neatly to his elbows, and made one halfhearted attempt at flattening his hair, though he wasn't surprised when it made almost no difference.

“And they say Gryffindors have no fashion sense.” Harry spun and saw Draco leaning against the door frame, his arms crossed across his chest while he smiled at him. Harry grinned. Draco looked spectacular, in a designer Muggle suit that probably cost more than Harry's entire wardrobe put together.

“You're back.”

“I am,” Draco stood up straight and moved over to Harry, pressing his thumb against his jaw just below his ear, while his long fingers gently cradled Harry's chin. He pulled him in for a quick kiss. “I hear you made a right pest of yourself while I was gone.” He smirked and Harry shrugged, not bothering to deny the accusation.

“It's what I do, you know me.” Draco laughed softly and kissed him again, more slowly this time. Harry casually pressed his knee between Draco's thighs, and he felt his lover groan into his mouth.

“Harry—” Draco tried to protest, but Harry's hand swiftly slipped down the front of his trousers, he cutting off his own words with a sharp gasp. Harry smirked triumphantly at his lover's reaction, and more pleased still when he realized that he was hard. Harry pressed his palm against the front of Draco's pants, enjoying the sight of the blond trembling under his touch. Draco groaned and leant forward to press his forehead against Harry's shoulder. “Wait, wait...” his voice was so soft and breathy, Harry almost didn't catch it.

“What?” Harry continued to casually rub his palm up and down, as though there was no interruption. Draco drew his wand, and pointed it in the general direction of the door.

“Silencio,” Harry chuckled, and the second his lover had tucked away his wand he lurched forward, his tongue slipping into Harry's mouth before their lips had even pressed into a kiss. Harry did not let his hand slow, though he took great pleasure in pushing away the fabric of Draco's pants and curling his fingers around the blissfully soft skin of his cock. Draco shuddered, and Harry wrapped an arm around his waist to keep him from falling. Harry blindly led Draco over to his bedroom wall and he pressed his lover into it. Draco shivered at the contact, and he moaned pitifully, grasping blindly at Harry.

It did not take long to bring Draco to orgasm. Harry's hand, slick with precome, slid smoothly over his lover's length, and each pull made Draco's hips jerk in a halfhearted thrust. Soft, keening whimpers of pleasure escaped him, his head pressed back into the wall while Harry kissed, licked, and bit lightly at Draco's neck, leaving a trail of blushing red flesh in his wake. Draco grabbed roughly at Harry's hair, and dragged him into a kiss as he came, his seed sputtering over Harry's hand and his trousers.

Draco slumped against him, breathing deeply as he slowly regained his composure. Harry cleaned up the mess with a quick flick of his wand, then led Draco over to their bed where he flopped down heavily, still breathing deeply. Harry grinned, pleased with himself as he leant in to peck Draco on the mouth lightly. “I hope I didn't ruin your picnic plans,” Draco snorted at the soft words, resting a hand lightly on the back of Harry's neck to bring him in for a real kiss.

“Ruin would not be the word I would use, no.”

“Good,” Harry grinned, stretched out next to his lover, and kissed him again. “When you've regained feeling in your limbs, we can get going.” Draco looked a little surprised at his words, and stared at him for a moment. Harry blinked in confusion, “what?”

“You don't want me to...?” Harry shook his head, cutting off Draco's question, his mouth twitching into a small smile. He kissed Draco again, this time more slowly, his entire body tingling with the familiar delight he always felt when he was near him.

“That was just for you.”

It was well past early afternoon by the time Harry and Draco got up, the blond blushing furiously at Sirius's knowing grin as they headed out. Harry was too busy laughing at his companion to bother being embarrassed himself.

Hand in hand, they wandered down the street towards the park. While he was looking forward to this definitely nothing more than a picnic that Draco seemed to have spent the last two days organizing, he couldn't help but notice that something was missing. “Er, Draco?”

The blond turned his attention to Harry. “Hmm?”

“Not that I'm complaining or anything, but aren't you forgetting something?” Draco blinked, as though he had no idea what Harry was talking about. “Food, for instance?”

“Harry you really do think like a muggle sometimes.” Smirking with amusement, he reached into the pocket of his blazer and plucked out a minuscule woven basket and tiny checkered blanket. “Shrinking charms are a delightful thing, you know.” Draco returned it to his pocket while Harry felt his face warm slightly. He felt pretty stupid for having asked, but Draco didn't comment further on it. He tugged at Harry's hand, picking up their pace as they approached the park.

The park hadn't changed much since the last time Harry had been there. School had let out roughly half an hour earlier, and the playground was crawling with children and watchful parents. Beyond the wooden jungle gym, plastic slides, and chain swings was a small field of grass, peppered with a handful of trees. The naturalistic sight was more unsettling than Harry expected it to be, and he felt his legs screech to a halt. He tore his eyes away from the field, breathing deeply as he struggled to regain his composure. Images flashed though his mind in quick succession; Snape on him, Snape holding him down, Snape forcing his mouth on him...Harry's stomach roiled at the memories.

“Harry?” Harry squeezed his eyes shut, Draco's voice sounding very far away. He felt his the sensation in his gut shift from panic to guilt—the last thing he wanted was to ruin Draco's date. “Harry, would you look at me please?” With great difficulty, he forced his eyes open and refocused his attention on Draco. His expression was riddled with worry, though Harry saw no trace of the disappointment he had expected to see.

“I'm sorry,” he murmured, his hold tightening on Draco's hand as he spoke.

“We can go if you want. No one is making you stay here. But just remember: This is not...that place.”

“I—I know. No, I want to stay. I need to get over this.” It took more than a little effort to say the words, when all he wanted to do was bolt full-tilt back to the flat. Draco frowned a little, squeezing his hand a little, his expression uncertain.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I...yeah. I'm sure.” He didn't feel very sure, but his two objectives of not letting his trauma run his life, and his burning curiosity at what the hell Draco was up to spurred him forward.

“All right,” the uncertainty in Draco's voice became more pronounced, but he led Harry away from the playground and up a small incline. As they walked, Harry ran though the memories he'd experienced at the park, from playing one-a-side Muggle football with Sirius, to Remus pushing him on the swings, and the time he'd tried to jump for the monkey bars, missed, and broke his arm. Even the more physically painful memories managed to bring a small smile to his face, as they were so far from the dark shadow Snape had cast over his early adult life.

With Harry watching for Muggles glancing in their direction, Draco plucked out the basket and blanket from his pocket and returned them to normal size. In the shade of a towering rowan, Harry helped Draco spread out the blanket. After he eased down, he pressed his back into the bark and Draco sat next to him. Harry could feel some of his panic recede, though it did not vanish completely. He ran though the difference in the memories of The Meadow and The Park, and the thought process allowed him to focus on the present instead of the past. Harry felt his shoulders sag slightly as he began to relax.

Draco opened the basket and Harry watched him curiously, uncertain what to expect. When his partner produced a bottle of Dom and two champagne flutes, he struggled to swallow a chuckle of amusement. Somehow, he wasn't surprised. With practiced fingers, Draco broke the seal and with minimal overflow he filled the two glasses. He handed one to Harry, and rested the bottle in a bucket of ice he'd pulled from the basket. He lifted his glass towards Harry. “To us?”

“To us.” Harry's mouth twitched into a small smile of amusement. He felt like he'd been thrown into one of Remus's corny romance novels. Their glasses clinked lightly, and Harry lifted his to his mouth. He'd had champagne before, but never one so expensive. He enjoyed the way it tickled his throat and warmed every part of him as it went down. Draco seemed more interested in watching Harry than drinking his own measure of champagne, and he felt a flush creep up his neck.

As the afternoon wore on, Harry was subjected to a number of foods that bordered on the ridiculous. At the back of his mind, he wondered if Draco actually knew what normal people would bring on a picnic when they weren't filthy rich. He bit back the question several times as Draco produced lobster rolls, a greens salad garnished with roasted fennel and an orange vinaigrette, thinly sliced persimmons tossed with a sweet walnut paste, and brie and fresh bread. Draco seemed to take endless pleasure in feeding Harry mouthfuls of food, the pair giggling when Draco had missed his mouth rather badly, and shamelessly leaned in to lick the streak of dressing off Harry's cheek. The action ended with the couple sharing a chaste kiss, oblivious to the disapproving tuts of a few nearby parents, hurrying their curious children away.

Draco rounded off the meal with brandy-poached pears in chocolate sauce, and Harry all but moaned at the tastes that danced across his tongue. “God Draco,” he said, swallowing the mouthful and eyeing his partner with an amused smile. “Do you even know what normal people bring on a picnic?” His lover snickered at the question.

“Not a clue. I just wanted a chance to spoil you.” He grinned and Harry laughed.

“Yeah, because you never do that.” Draco fished another piece of pear and sauce off his plate, and offered it to Harry. Grinning, he opened his mouth to receive it.

“Mmm,” Harry savoured the taste as long as he could before swallowing. He opened his eyes, and his mouth twitched into a small smirk as he got a sudden idea. Harry took a thin slice of the pear, and rested it lightly in his mouth. He leaned towards Draco, and pressed his lips to his in an open-mouthed kiss. Draco's tongue darted out and snatched up the morsel.

“I think you've sworn me off cutlery for life.” Harry laughed as they kissed again, he delighting in the taste of the brandy, the chocolate, and the taste that was Draco. Harry felt warm all over, paired with a feeling that he hadn't experienced in a very long time: The feeling of complete safety.

“Harry,” Draco breathed, breaking the kiss. His breath tickled across Harry's mouth, and he smiled. “I brought you out here for something else, too.” Harry leaned back, crossing his legs comfortably as he regarded his partner. The nervous undertones in his voice worried Harry, but he did his best to keep his face blank.

“Yeah? What is it?” Draco readjusted his position, and moved the used plates away. He was staring at Harry so intensely it made him feel warm and nervous all at once. As with all nervousness that involved Draco, it leaned closer to excitement than actual fear. Draco didn't speak for a moment and instead continued to stare Harry down, but it seemed to Harry that Draco was trying to gather his thoughts.

“I love you,” Harry smiled warmly at the admission. He never got tired of hearing Draco say that. “In the time I've known you I've watched you go from a shy little boy who knew nothing of our world, to the bravest wizard I have ever known.” He paused, a flash of guilt flickering across his expression before he began to speak again. Harry ignored it, there was nothing they could do about their abysmal childhood relationship, and Harry had long since gotten over it. “I love you for your passion, your strength, your loyalty." Harry smiled, embarrassed at the praise, "There is nothing about you I do not adore with everything that is in me.” Harry felt his heart speed up a little, and he inhaled sharply as a sudden, insane idea struck him. Was this going where he thought it was going?

Draco shifted to one knee, and Harry clapped his hands to his mouth. “Harry James Potter, would you do me the honour of Bonding with me?” He reached out to take one of Harry's hands, pulling it from his mouth gently as he threaded their fingers together. In the other he held a simple wooden box, it resting snugly in his palm. For a moment, Harry's shock had stolen his voice. Draco looked on patiently, awaiting an answer. His patience barely concealed his obvious nervousness, and Harry almost laughed. Did Draco seriously think there was any chance that Harry might decline?

“Yes,” Harry smiled warmly, watching as his lover's—his fiancé's entire form relax, and a wide smile spread across his face. “Of course I'll Bond with you.” He smiled, feeling the pricks of joyous tears in the corners of his eyes. Draco leaned forward to wrap his arms around Harry's neck and pull him in for a kiss. Harry clutched at him, the pair weeping openly, smiling broadly, as whispers of 'I love you,' passed between them like breaths of life.

They broke apart long enough for Draco to open the small box he still held. Nestled on a bed of red velvet was a simple silver ring with a cut green stone resting in the centre. Draco took Harry's hand delicately in his and slid the ring in place. Harry felt it magically adjust to fit snugly on his finger, as though it was meant to be there. He looked down at it, at first he thought the stone was an emerald, but something told him that it was something else. He didn't care, it could've been a lump of gravel and he would have adored it all the same. Harry shifted forward to kiss Draco again. “I love you, Draco Lucius Malfoy. God I love you.” Draco chuckled and returned Harry's fevered kisses just as enthusiastically.

Around them, the sun disappeared behind a horizon of rooftops. They stretched out on the blanket, Harry's head on Draco's shoulder and his arm draped across his chest, at an angle where he could admire the glint of the ring on his hand. Each time his eye caught sight of it, his heart fluttered with joy and excitement. Draco hugged him close with an arm around his shoulders.

The clear night sky above them was dotted with stars and the waxing moon. Harry felt so complete, his happiness radiating off him and mixing with the quiet, composed joy he could feel from his fiancé; he shivered with delight at the thought of the word. They watched the sky in silence, nothing needing to be said. For the first time in a very long time, Harry gazed up at the moon without fear.

It was as though Snape had never come at all.
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The Stag and The Snake