Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Better Late Than Never	By : SlythindorMalfoy Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 22997 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 3
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and it's characters. All rights go to J. K. Rowling and Warner Bros. I do not make any money from this story.

Chapter List
- 2
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- 4
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter and it's associated characters etc. All belongs to J.K Rowling and Warner Bros.
A/N: Hey guys sorry again for the late update. My beta and I were sick. :(. I hope you guys like this chap. Also, thanks to my wonderful beta djaddict, I don't know what I'd do without you and Thank you for all your suggestions. :)
Oh! Happy Thanksgiving!
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Inexperienced fingers flicked his already hardened nipples. A groan of desire slipped past his lips. This was so good. He could feel the light kisses around his navel which was one of his sensitive spots. He tried shifting so a kiss would land there but it seemed his mystery lover had other ideas. The kisses disappeared but just as he was about to protest, a pair of lips closed over his left nipple and sucked, hard. His hips bucked reflexively. This was torture. He could feel the smile on the mystery man's face as the sinful mouth suckled the taut bud. He was so hard, it was becoming painful. A whine escaped him as the tongue laved his nipple. It wasn't long before his right nipple was being given the same attention. He was so focused on the pleasure on his upper body that he didn't feel the trailing hands till they closed around his hard length.
He truly felt like he was going to die from pleasure as the hand around his cock started moving, the tongue at his nipple moving at the same pace. The dual sensations were driving him insane! He was getting close, he could feel it building all the way from the tips of his toes. His hips were already thrusting wildly into the hand around his cock. All too soon however, the mouth and hand disappeared. He let out a groan of disappointment. He hoped that whoever it was wouldn't leave him in this condition.
"Oh come o-...Aah!" He cried out. At that same moment that sinful mouth closed over his cock. Stars exploded before his eyes. Nothing had ever felt this good. He could tell the person was not used to giving blow jobs but it didn't matter to him. It still felt bloody incredible!
"Ungh! That's it! That's it baby!" He said through gritted teeth. Hands held down his hips in an attempt to stop his wild thrusting. His mystery lover was getting used to his length though, because he was steadily going deeper. He was struggling against the hands holding him in place. His muscles quivered from the exertion. The feeling was building again, it definitely was not going to be long.
"Yes! Yes!" He couldn't help chanting as he felt his balls tighten. Draco looked down at his mystery lover. "Look at me!" He shouted when he felt his orgasm nearing. His eyes shot wide open as a pair of green eyes snapped up to look at him. The same time as the owner deep throated him.
"Harry!" Draco screamed as he came. His vision turned white.
"Fuck!" Draco Malfoy shot up in his bed. He was drenched in sweat and apparently other bodily fluids. He grimaced as he felt the mess in his pants.
"What am I? Twelve?" He muttered to himself before grabbing his wand and muttering a cleaning spell on himself and the bed.
He always dreamt of Harry but, that one was definitely the most intense one he had so far. The picture of Harry looking at him as he swallowed his cock was enough to get him hard again.
He groaned in exasperation. Somehow he knew those intense dreams would be a common occurrence from now on. If he was honest with himself, he really didn't have a problem with it. Soon enough it would be a reality. He didn't dwell on it any longer and just rolled over and fell asleep.
Draco woke up the next morning with a smile on his face, the dream from the night before still fresh in his mind. A small shudder of pleasure ran through him as he remembered those green eyes, filled with lust and staring at him as he came.
"Merlin, I can't wait for that to be a reality." He murmured to himself. If the dream Harry had caused such a reaction, he could only imagine what reactions the real one would cause. As he shifted to get up he realised he had another problem.
"Great." He muttered before he got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. He decided he would take care of his problem whilst in the shower or else it wouldn't go away anytime soon.
It took him about two hours to get ready for the day but he didn't mind. He was temporarily satiated and he looked damn good, so he couldn't complain. He had noticed the way Harry was looking at his hair so he planned to pay even more attention to it from now on. He had to make sure it fell just right around his face. Draco knew he was handsome and wasn't ashamed to flaunt it. However, he only wanted to show off for one person, his soon to be lover. He smiled. All in due time.
The trip to the breakfast table was short. He had apparated. At his age, he had no intention of traipsing through the manor. The place was too bloody big. It would've taken him at least twenty minutes to reach the dining room. Not to mention the stairs that seemed to go on forever. There was no way Draco Malfoy was putting himself through that torture.
Breakfast was already laid out for him when he sat at the dining table. He truly appreciated house elves. Of course, they were being treated better now that Lucius was gone. They seemed a lot more relaxed and he was glad because they did their work more efficiently, as his breakfast proved. He smiled softly as he loaded his plate with hashbrowns and buttered his scone. He had just taken a bite off his scone when a flutter of wings caught his attention. He glanced up just in time to see a beautiful black owl soar through the window meant for owl post. A confused frown marred his face. He had no idea who would write to him so early. Shrugging lightly, he took the letter from the owl and watched as it flew to the back of his chair, obviously waiting for a reply. There was no need to check for any spells or curses because the owl wouldn't have made it past the wards around the manor if it carried anything malevolent. He called one of his house elves to feed the owl before opening the letter.
Hello Malfoy,
Hope all is well with you. I really hope I didn't wake you though. I just wanted to get this to you as soon as possible, you know, so you could free your schedule or something. Anyway, this is to find out if you would like to go see a movie next Saturday at about 5 in the evening. Um, a movie is a muggle thing. It's hard to explain so I'd rather you experience it than try to understand my explanations. So, yeah. You can send your reply with Erotes. Hope to hear from you soon.
H. Potter.
After reading the letter, Draco was honestly surprised his face hadn't split in two. He was positive that the edges of his mouth were reaching his ears. His Harry was so cute, his nervousness was extremely obvious.
'A movie?' He thought. 'I've never been to one before. It is nice of him to want me to experience it.'
He'd thought Harry would go for another lunch but this was better. He was excited. He refused to admit he was nervous. After all, Harry was right. He had no freaking idea what a movie was. After the war, he had jumped straight into bettering himself and his family name. He really never thought to find out about anything muggle. He doubted Harry would make him feel bad though, so he just let it drop. Whatever happened, happened.
He summoned a quill and parchment and wrote his reply before sealing it and giving it to the owl. He watched the owl disappear before returning to his breakfast. Just as he was taking the second bite of his scone, he heard a flutter of wings again. This time he could see the Daily Prophet in the owl's claws. He took a few sickles out his robe pocket and placed it in the pouch then took the papers.
He was stunned when he saw the headlines.
"FUCK!"
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Harry was sitting at the table having breakfast with his wife and two children. His outward appearance was one of calm but inside he was a bundle of nerves. He had written to Malfoy about their next outing and was waiting patiently for the reply. Ok maybe not patiently but he was trying. As soon as he had woken up, he had written the letter and sent it so it could reach Malfoy before he left the manor. He had tried to calm his nerves whilst making breakfast but it obviously wasn't effective.
He almost jumped as an owl soared through the kitchen window behind him. He fought to hide his nervous smile as he realised it was Erotes.
"Hey boy." He murmured fondly when he landed next to him, claws extended. He smoothed the beautiful black feathers and took the letter. It seemed Malfoy must have fed him because Erotes just flew to his perch. Harry knew his owl usually stole some of his bacon before he flew off. He could feel everyone's eyes on him as he opened the letter but he chose to ignore it.
Potter,
Yes, I am well and you did not wake me as I happen to be an early riser. Though I must say I'm surprised you are as well. Nevertheless, I am free next Saturday. I am intrigued at your choice. As you know, I've never been to a movie before. However, I am looking forward to it and being in your company. Loathe as I am to admit that I do enjoy it. Now, I shall have to go do some muggle shopping. Hopefully Blaise will accompany me as he is more versed in muggle culture. Do not worry, I will make sure he keeps me away from anything resembling a movie, I won't spoil your surprise. I hope I do well as obviously it isn't my forte. Hope you are well. See you soon Potter.
Draco Malfoy.
A soft giggle escaped as he finished reading the letter. It was impossible to stop it. He didn't know why, but he felt giddy when Malfoy said he enjoyed his company. What heightened the feeling was the fact that he was braving the muggle world to find appropriate clothing. Just to go with him! If he was alone, he was sure he would've been twirling with the letter in his hand.
'Seriously Harry! You're acting like a teenaged girl!' He chided himself. 'Pull yourself together man!'
He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't even notice another owl coming in with the newspaper. The only reason he saw the papers was because it was rudely shoved in front of his face accompanied by a hiss of:
"What. Is. This?"
He really couldn't answer even if he wanted to. Firstly, the paper was so close to his face it prevented him from seeing exactly what she was talking about and secondly if he had opened his mouth, he might've swallowed the thing.
"Harry! What is this?!" Ginny shrieked. Obviously, she was angry. As to why, he had no freaking clue. He was slightly apprehensive at what exactly the Daily Prophet had on its front page to have her so riled up.
"Harr-!"
"Mum! He can't answer with the paper in his face!" Albus cut in. Harry was glad. His apprehension had turned from figuring out what was in the papers to an intense fear of going deaf. Ginny was pretty close to his ear. The paper was then slammed onto his breakfast. Eggs and bacon flew everywhere and on Albus who was to his left. He couldn't apologise though because his throat seemed to have closed up. He was starring on the front page of the Daily Prophet with none other than Draco Malfoy. They were sitting at their table at 'La Bonne Cuisine' and whoever had taken the picture had impeccably bad timing, at least from Harry's perspective. The picture had been captured at a time when they were both looking at each other, seemingly intimate. The headline read;
"The Saviour in Secret Relationship with Ex Death Eater?"
Harry just scanned the article and he cringed inwardly at the sentences that jumped out at him: 'seemed to enjoy each other's company', 'a normal occurrence between the two', 'secretly seeing each other', 'more than a truce?'
He felt sick. He had completely forgotten about the Daily Prophet! Another quick glance at the picture almost made him groan aloud. They did look like it was a common occurrence and more than a platonic meeting. The way the picture was captured made it seem like they were caught in a loving moment.
'Oh gods!' Harry thought frantically. He didn't know how the hell he was going to handle this. The Daily Prophet had basically been leaving him alone for awhile. There were only a few pictures and commentary from time to time. Mostly when Ginny dragged him along to some function, like the picture from yesterday morning. He could just imagine how the reporters probably salivated over that picture of him and Malfoy.
'Fucking bastards! Wait. What if Malfoy wants to cancel now? Oh fuck!' His mind was going into overdrive. He was really looking forward to Malfoy's reaction at seeing a movie.
"Harry! What the hell is wrong with you? What is going on!?" A high pitched shriek interrupted his thoughts. He had forgotten he had an enraged banshee next to him.
"Ginny..." He started but, she didn't give him chance to finish.
"So this is where you were yesterday? That you refused to tell me about?" She shrieked again. Her voice was growing higher the angrier she got. "What the hell Harry? Malfoy!? You were having lunch with Malfoy?!" By this time Harry's ears were ringing.
"Ginny. If you wou-" he tried again.
"Don't you Ginny me! What is all this about 'more than a truce'? Are you cheating on me Harry? With Malfoy? Are you Harry?!"
"That's enough Ginny!" He shouted. Slamming his hand on the table as he stood up. "In case you didn't realise it, our children are sitting right here! Furthermore, I will not, nor have I ever cheated on you. Malfoy and I are just friends. Nothing more!"
The sudden pressure from the article and Ginny's screeching accusations were getting to him. Her constant mentioning of 'with Malfoy' was grating on his nerves. It was like she was obsessed with that fact only. He tried to calm himself down. He didn't want to argue in front of his children.
"Friends? With Malfoy, Harry? How could you want to be friends with that filth?"
Harry could only stare at her. He could feel his ire struggling to burst out of him.
"The war was almost twenty years ago Ginny! Everyone has moved on. The past is the past. Get. Over. It!" He shouted back at her.
He was sick of this shit. He reached to grab the letter off the table but the movement caught Ginny's eye and she reached for it at the same time. Harry was the better seeker though so he got it before her. He quickly shoved it into his pocket. He watched as her face darkened with fury.
"That's from him isn't it? You're exchanging letters? How long has this been going on behind my back?" She asked him quietly.
He knew that meant she was really angry. He knew he had to get out of the kitchen quickly or else the situation would worsen. Harry knew his temper was close to the surface and he didn't want to lose it in front of Lily and Albus.
"Ginny," he answered just as quietly, "What I do and who I do it with is none of your business. You are my wife, not my keeper. I never ask you about your trips so please don't start asking about mine! Now, if you will excuse me I have some things to do. Al, I'll talk to you later okay?" He had turned to his son as he finished speaking. He waited for the nod of confirmation before walking off and out of the kitchen.
A quick glance at his wife had him walking a lot faster to reach his study. It seemed he had shocked her with his mini speech. She was just standing there, mouth agape and face red.
'Good for her.' He thought snidely. He didn't know why but he felt like a piece of his burden had been dropped. A new worry was put in place though. He really, really hoped Malfoy didn't cancel their next outing. He had a feeling that it would be his only reprieve during the oncoming week.
HPHPHPHP
Harry was in his study later that day having a nervous breakdown. He was contemplating whether to write to Malfoy or not. Even though he would be disappointed if Malfoy cancelled, he completely understood why he would. The press had laid off Malfoy as well over the years. Only once in a while writing a story or printing a picture. Any person who respected their privacy would not want to be hounded like that again. It would be worse for Malfoy now because Harry was involved. He cringed. These were the times he hated his fame even more than usual. He really couldn't believe he was so stupid as to forget the Daily Prophet and their craving for gossip. He could picture them camping out somewhere just waiting for him to slip up.
"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" He muttered as he banged his head on the desk every time he said it. A tapping at his window brought him out of his morose state. He glanced up to see a beautiful grey Eagle owl. With a wave of his hand, he temporarily vanished the glass to allow the owl to enter. He replaced it soon after when he realised the owl was waiting for a response. He cautiously opened the letter.
Potter,
I'm sure by now you've seen the paper. Calm down. Knowing you, I'm sure you're driving yourself crazy about whether to cancel or not. (Harry sputtered indignantly). Don't try to deny it , if you would like to cancel, I would have no problem with that. Okay, I would and I would personally drag you from your house next Saturday. I do not care about anything that rag that poses as a newspaper writes. You shouldn't either Potter. They will never stop. Man up. Send your reply with Hades. See you soon.
D. Malfoy.
P. S. Go shopping. I've seen what you wear to functions.
Harry laughed, and laughed, and laughed, after he read the letter. Malfoy was certainly blunt. He didn't doubt Malfoy's claim that he would drag him from Godric's Hollow if he cancelled. It was also a pleasant surprise that Malfoy knew him so well. He was glad that he had written to help assuage his fears. With a smile on his face, he penned his reply.
Malfoy,
I'll have you know that I was perfectly calm. I knew there was no need to panic. There is also no need for you to kidnap me on Saturday, I had no intentions of cancelling. I know the press will never leave me alone but it's still bloody annoying. I'm glad we're still on for Saturday. See you soon.
H. Potter.
P. S. My fashion sense has improved greatly so I resent your post script. Just kidding, I'll get some help. No worries.
P. S. S. Don't get lost in the muggle world!
He folded the letter and sent it off with Hades. He chuckled as he watched Hades disappear. The little banter with Malfoy felt great. Now he really couldn't wait for Saturday.
He was spinning happily in his desk chair when Al came into the study looking slightly uncomfortable.
"Uh dad? Aunt 'Mione and Uncle Ron just flooed over. They want to talk to you."
Harry sighed. He should've seen this coming.
"Tell them to come up please." He replied. He watched as Al hesitated to leave.
"Something wrong Al?"
"No Dad. I'll-I'll go get them." He answered before hurrying off. Harry knew he would have to talk to him about what happened at breakfast and soon.
"Damn Ginny." He muttered.
"Talking to yourself mate?" He jumped as Ron's deep baritone seemed to echo around the room. He smiled at his long-time friends as they entered the study and shut the door. He groaned inwardly at the looks on their faces. Time to face the music.
"Uh... Hey guys! What's going on?" He forced a smile on his face in a hope that they would cut him some slack. He hoped it didn't look as fake as it felt.
"Oh cut the crap Harry!" Hermione cut in. Ok obviously it was. He had to work on his facial expressions. "You know why we're here. Care to explain?" She asked placing a copy of the Daily Prophet on his desk before sitting in a chair opposite it. Her arms crossed as she waited. Ron sat on the chair next to her in an identical position.
Harry scrubbed a hand over his face. He always hated having to explain himself.
"Before you get all insane. No, we are not together and no, it wasn't a common occurrence. I went out and I bumped into Malfoy. Literally I might add. We talked for a bit and he asked me to lunch. It w-"
"Wait. Malfoy asked you to lunch?" Ron burst in. "Just like that?"
"Yes Ron. Now would you like me to continue or not?" He asked. He made sure his annoyance at being interrupted was obvious. He waited till Ron nodded before continuing. "Right, so he asked me to lunch. Mind you, he seemed as surprised as I was that he did it. I agreed. I really didn't see any harm in it. We went to lunch and it was okay. No fights, no arguments."
"Can we talk now?" Ron asked.
"Yes."
"Okay. WHAT THE HELL HARRY!?" He shouted. His face already turning red. Harry sighed. He really, really, really couldn't take this right now. He actually felt a headache coming on.
"Ron, please, save your breath. I don't get why everybody is making such a big deal out of this! We're in our mid-thirties for Merlin's sake. I thought everyone had gotten over the whole 'he's a Death Eater crap', that it had died down years ago. What is wrong with us trying to be friends!?" Mid rant he had gotten up and was now pacing in an attempt to calm down. If he had to deal with this shit every time he turned around he was going to go insane.
"Harry, mate, calm down." Ron said trying to placate Harry.
"You're telling ME to calm down? You were just shouting at me!" Harry shouted at Ron. His frustration with the conversation evident.
"Harry! For Merlin's sake! How did you expect me to react?" Ron asked. Harry just stared at him blankly. He watched as his best friend's anger deflated at his facial expression. "Look Harry, It's not about the whole Death Eater thing. It's just that even after the truce you and Malfoy barely even spoke to each other. Now out of the blue a picture pops up with both of you having lunch. It's just so bloody random Harry. You can't possibly expect us to not be shocked."
"Okay. I was just really tired and annoyed at all the shouting. I-I see your point now but that doesn't mean I have to like it. So what if it's out of the blue. I enjoyed it. We're just trying to catch up on each other's lives. As a matter of fact, we're having another outing next Saturday. And I'm bloody well looking forward to it." He said. His arms were crossed defiantly and he didn't care that he looked like a petulant five year old.
"Harry, you're sure about this?" Hermione's quiet voice halted his defiant mood. He looked at her and smiled, genuinely this time. He knew she was worried about him. She, like Al, could see through his facades. He knew she had noticed his recent dark moods.
"Yeah 'Mione. Even though it was one lunch, I really enjoyed it. I felt like every problem I had was gone just for that little time. It's weird but... I don't know. It's hard to explain."
"Okay then!" She chirped. "So how is the food at 'La Bonne Cuisine'? I've been meaning to go there since they opened."
"It was fantastic!" He replied. He chuckled at Ron's spluttering in the background. "Problem Ron?"
"No mate. I see your mind is already made up. I'm not completely happy with it but you're a grown man and you can choose who you want as you need some new ones anyway, maybe I'll see your old, wrinkly face a lot less." Ron teased then yelped as he narrowly avoided being hit by his wife.
Harry laughed and hugged his best friends. They had been through so much and their friendship had withstood that and the test of time.
Ron had definitely grown up to be an amazing husband and father. He, unlike Harry, enjoyed being an auror. Even if his job currently consisted of only paperwork. Harry was glad that even though he wasn't happy about the friendship with Malfoy, he didn't try to dissuade Harry. He eventually listened and accepted it.
Hermione had retired from being a lawyer and was planning to open a book store in Diagon Alley. Surprise, surprise. He was impressed that she had held out for so long. She was like him in some ways. She wanted to spend more time with her two children.
Rose and Hugo were two brilliant children. He was glad Rose was starting Hogwarts with Albus this September. He would have a companion. Especially since Rose loved books as much as he did. He hoped they both would be friends with Scorpius eventually.
"Harry?" Hermione's voice jarred him out of his thoughts.
"Hmm?"
"Um. How are things with you and Ginny? We saw her on our way up. She didn't look too happy." Hermione said. Harry snorted then regretted it as he saw Hermione's eyebrow arch in question.
"Uh. She isn't. We had a huge argument at breakfast. I told her something similar to what I told you and walked off before I could blow up in front of the kids."
"Well you can't really blame her mate. You two looked pretty comfortable in that picture."
"Yes and I would go out in broad daylight and cheat on my wife of sixteen years with Draco Malfoy." Harry countered with a blank look on his face. "Ginny is my wife, she's supposed to know me better than that."
"I understand. No need to get snippy with me!" Ron replied, his hands up on a defensive gesture. Harry laughed.
"Besides, she was acting all weird. I understand the whole animosity towards Malfoy but it seemed like she was becoming hysterical, almost like I shouldn't even talk to him at all. There seemed to be an underlying fear of something. I don't know. Maybe I'm just reading too much into it." He had turned to face the window and so completely missed the look that passed between his two friends.
"She's just riled up Harry." Ron said in what Harry assumed was to be a comforting voice.
"I guess. Whatever. What's going on with you two? Anything new?"
"Nope." Hermione replied.
"Same old." Ron followed with a smile.
They talked for a while longer before they left with promises of more visits. Harry was left alone with his thoughts. He was glad he had spoken to them about it. That was one less thing to worry about. Now, he had a week to decide what to wear for Saturday. He realised that he could've asked Hermione for help. He knew that he needed it. He decided he would write her tomorrow and hoped she would be available to help him.
••••••••••••••••••••••••
Ginny was furious!
'How dare he?' She thought. 'Since when did he get so bold?'
She was seriously beginning to get worried. One day with that ferret and Harry was already acting different.
That was the second time in two days that Harry had left during an argument. He didn't even try to make up for it. Usually he would be hounding her to 'talk about their feelings and their problems' or some such nonsense. She never really cared. She just loved how he would follow her around, practically begging her to work it out.
The fact that he had tried to hide it from her was what had her on edge. Harry was all about being open in a relationship. She gritted her teeth as she remembered his words from the argument that morning. 'What I do and who I do it with is none of your business,' kept bouncing around in her head.
Of all the persons Harry had to get close to, it just had to be Malfoy. It was obvious to her that it was just a platonic relationship. Harry wouldn't cheat on her. She already knew that. However, she knew that the friendship could eventually become more if they continued meeting.
Ginny knew she couldn't allow that to happen. There would be dire consequences, at least for her. She refused to let her life be ruined because of that blonde idiot. He had almost taken her dreams away at the end of the war, he was not going to succeed now.
She had worked too hard to get what she wanted and she would not let anything get in her way.
Her perfect world was beginning to crumble and she could not...would not allow it to continue. She was Ginevra Potter and nothing and no one was going to change that.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
It was a week later, the Friday before his and Malfoy's second outing and Harry was extremely excited. A lot of times he'd had to stop himself from singing out loud. He didn't know why he was acting the way he was, but he wasn't going to complain. He was ready for tomorrow. Hermione had helped him get the perfect outfit after he had enlisted her help. He couldn't remember the last time he was so happy.
The incident with Ginny was pushed far away, at the very back of his mind and he had no intention of bringing it to the forefront. She had been pestering him during the past week, questioning him on why he was so happy. He just kept on ignoring her and brushing her off. It infuriated her more but it didn't bother him. It seemed to have worked though because she hadn't spoken to him all day. Again, no complaints from him.
The fiasco with the Daily Prophet had died down after a few days. Harry and Draco both made it clear that they weren't saying or doing anything about it so it quickly became old news. They had refused all interviews and just ignored anyone that tried to approach them. He was still glad that he had chosen to go into the muggle world. No one knew who they were there.
He snorted. 'Malfoy's hair is like a freaking beacon. It would still attract attention.'
Truly, he wasn't worried. Even if they were seen, he would try to take Malfoy's advice and 'man up'.
He was currently in his study. He was always there nowadays. Both to escape Ginny and to spend time with Albus. Sitting in the study, reading a good novel was his favourite past-time. Al was sitting opposite him, reading as well. Just like always. He would miss this when his son went to Hogwarts. It was just the both of them at home now.
He and Ginny had put aside their differences and had called a family meeting, explaining that the article was a lie. They didn't want the children believing anything but the truth.
Lily was still angry at Harry and kept giving him dark looks with a sneer on her face. He had given up on trying to talk to her. He had asked Ginny at some point but she chose to ignore him. He guessed it was payback for ignoring her.
Albus seemed confused but he also seemed to accept the explanation. Harry had explained that he and Malfoy were just friends and that he would never cheat on Ginny. He was glad Al knew him so well. He knew he was probably the only one in the household who did.
James, on the other hand, was a major problem. Harry hardly ever saw him and a part of him was glad. James was not pleased with the article that was featured in the Daily Prophet and he made his displeasure known. His behaviour had worsened. He had no respect for Harry and no matter how much he tried, his eldest just refused to listen to him.
Harry also feared that James was homophobic. Every argument James came up with kept focusing on the fact that it was a man he was with. He had tried to make sure his children grew up knowing not to discriminate against others. Obviously, his eldest didn't understand the message. He hoped that Ginny wasn't saying things that caused James' behaviour.
He had turned to Molly for help and she had advised him to not push the issue. She also told him that James was young and angry because he believed that Harry was cheating and that he would eventually get over it. He wasn't so sure though. His son just seemed too angry.
"Dad?"
"Hmm?" He looked up to see Albus watching him closely.
"You okay dad?" He asked.
"Yeah. I'm fine Al." He said before smiling. It was a genuine one and it widened when Al smiled in return.
He would not think about anything depressing anymore. Right now, he was enjoying time with his son and tomorrow he was going to enjoy his time Malfoy. He couldn't wait.
••••••••••••••••••
It was the evening of the second outing, Saturday, July 6th. Draco couldn't be happier. He had counted down the days till today. He had just finished getting dressed and was leaving to meet Harry. They had decided, through letters, to meet at a rendezvous point at a muggle store a short way from the Leaky Cauldron. Draco had already visited it to get an idea of where to apparate.
Draco had dressed to impress. He wore a silver, button-down, long sleeved shirt and dark blue jeans. Of course, his shoes were made of leather and were of the highest quality. He had combed his hair to fall around his face. He knew he looked good and he was proud of it.
He apparated as soon as he walked out the front door and appeared in an alley close to the meeting point. He fixed his clothing and waited patiently for his 'date'
When he saw Harry walking towards him a few minutes later, he knew the short wait was worth it. His mouth had gone dry. Harry had donned a dark green turtle neck that made his eyes more noticeable. Pair of black jeans covered his legs like a second skin, and he also wore leather shoes that seemed as high quality as his own. A black leather jacket completed the look. As usual, his hair was in disarray but it looked great to Draco. He realised he had been staring and cleared his throat as Harry reached where he stood.
"I see you got a lot of help Potter. I must say, I'm impressed."
"Hermione helped me. Oh and I know you're impressed. I don't think I've ever seen a Malfoy gawk before."
Draco spluttered. He actually bloody spluttered! He watched as Harry's face split into a grin before he started laughing outright. Draco joined in soon after. It was hard not to. It seemed he was right about Harry destroying his mask. But, he didn't mind at all. He wanted to be open with Harry.
"You are probably the first person to completely destroy the mask of a Malfoy, Potter. Especially in so little time." He said when he recovered from laughing. He smirked before adding, "Cherish it. It won't happen again."
"Oh? That sounds like a challenge Malfoy." Harry retaliated with a smile. "I hope you're prepared to pick up the pieces of your mask by the time this outing's over."
"Bring it on Potter." He challenged. Ah! How he loved this. He slipped his hand into the crook of Harry's elbow so that Harry could apparate them to their destination. The few seconds of contact was torture for him. He only hoped he didn't imagine the shudder that came from his companion.
Seconds later, they arrived in an alleyway that Draco assumed was close to their intended destination. He had removed his hand from Harry's elbow when they landed. After all, he didn't want him to feel uncomfortable. The short walk to the movie theatre was made in silence. When they arrived, Draco was stunned speechless. It was fascinating. The lights, sounds and people milling about caught his attention. It was a serious culture shock to him. Blaise had tried to explain some things to him when they went shopping but that was a completely different experience.
"Welcome to the movie theatre Malfoy." Harry said with a dramatic flair and a huge smile on his face. Draco could tell that he was pleased and happy by the reaction he got.
They didn't stay long admiring the outside. They went in and Draco admired the carpeted floors and relished the scent of buttered popcorn in the air. Harry ordered popcorn and drinks for the both of them. He tried to explain things as they went along and Draco tried with all his might to understand everything. He completely understood why Harry couldn't explain in it a letter because he was confused even with the actual visual aid.
Tickets to see a random comedy were bought and they headed inside the theatre itself. There weren't many people there when they entered. Harry had explained that that was to be expected since the movie had premiered weeks ago which was why he chose it. Draco was glad. He didn't want to be surrounded by muggles. He would tolerate them but it still wasn't his comfort zone. The fact that Harry had realised this made him even happier. They sat in the middle on the left side and just waited for the movie to begin.
Draco's first taste of 'coke' had him hooked. The fizzy drink was so much better than pumpkin juice. He heard Harry's soft laugh at his reaction but he knew that he wasn't making fun of him and he appreciated that. The movie started a short while later and they sat back to enjoy it.
Draco didn't think he would ever forget the experience. It wasn't even a possibility. If anyone asked him about the movie, he would answer in broken sentences. If, however, he was asked what Harry looked like he could've told a story. He enjoyed watching Harry, discreetly of course. He loved how his face would light up literally from the movie lights and figuratively when he laughed. He was beautiful. Draco could tell he was relaxed and happy. He also noticed the glances Harry would send his way. Part of him hoped Harry had also noticed his glances, while the other part didn't. He really didn't want to scare Harry away by moving too soon. He was still confident that everything would fall into place.
He enjoyed himself as well. He loved the dark, intimate atmosphere and the few parts of the movie that he watched were pretty funny. It was perfect and he was glad Harry had chosen the movie theatre. He hoped there would be more to come.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Harry was unsure of what he watched more of; Draco or the movie. He was glad the theatre was dark so Draco wouldn't notice his sidelong glances. At times, he wasn't sure, but he could've sworn he saw Draco watching him as well. He shrugged it off though, maybe he was just imagining things.
What he hadn't imagined though, was Malfoy's face as laughed. There was a complete change. He had not noticed when they had met each other earlier on. He was laughing as much as Malfoy. He had never seen the blonde look so carefree and bloody gorgeous. That deep laugh kept sending small involuntary shivers through his body. His memory supplied him with how he felt when Draco held on to him to apparate. He had tried to stop the shudder of pleasure at that simple contact. It was all so confusing.
'What is going on with me?' He wondered. His feelings and reactions were driving him crazy. It had been happening a lot lately. He had only spent time with Draco twice but somehow it felt like they've been seeing each other for years. He was extremely comfortable in his presence. There was no denying that he felt happy that he was the one to break down Malfoy's mask so completely.
The movie had ended and they were walking out of the movie theatre. They were both sporting huge smiles.
"That was bloody fantastic!" Draco practically shouted.
Harry laughed. "Yes it was. I can't remember the last time I've laughed so much or had so much fun."
"Neither can I." Draco said softly looking right at him. He had an intense look in his eyes that Harry couldn't place. He could feel the blush creeping up on his face. He quickly turned away so Malfoy wouldn't see it.
Soon enough they were heading back to the alleyway and Harry realised he wasn't ready for the evening to end.
"Hey Malfoy. You uh, want to walk around for a bit? It's still pretty early and we did say we would catch up on each other's lives." He said. His voice had a slightly nervous tone but he didn't care. He watched as Malfoy's smile broadened.
"Sure Potter. Lead the way." He eventually replied.
Harry let out a small laugh, and then they started walking through the streets of London.
"So what have you been up to?" Draco asked.
"Nothing much really. I'm in the Auror Corp. Well sort of. I took a sabbatical recently. Needed a break. You?
"I'm a lawyer. I'm not sure if you would know about it but I am part owner of a law firm. My partner is Blaise."
"That's great. You know, I think it's pretty amazing that we managed to keep our close friends, despite everything."
"Yeah." Was all Malfoy replied.
They walked and exchanged stories about different changes in their lives. Harry told Draco about his children and Ginny. He tried to keep the bitter tone out of his voice. He listened as Malfoy told him about Scorpius and the hatred he had for Astoria. He smiled as Malfoy actually started ranting about his ex wife. The word 'bitch' popped up quite a few times.
"She was that bad?" He asked when Malfoy eventually finished his diatribe.
"She was bloody terrible. Still is actually. One day I know she'll go too far and trust me when I say, I'm waiting patiently for that day." He replied viciously.
Harry couldn't help but wonder if his tone would be similar when describing Ginny, if they ever divorced. It was definitely something to think about. Especially since arguments seem to be a common occurrence in their home.
Their conversation eventually turned to lighter topics as the duo walked on. Harry's imagination couldn't supply a better evening than the present one.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Everything was great. He was surprised when Harry asked him for a walk but he was really ecstatic. He was glad that they decided to talk about their lives.
It didn't go unnoticed by him how Harry's mood seemed to darken when he spoke about his family. The underlying bitterness in his voice was evident, no matter how hard he tried to hide it. He knew Harry's married life wasn't perfect, the picture he had seen in the Daily Prophet that first day proved it. However, he hadn't realised it was this bad. It was clear that Harry was beginning to realise that his marriage wasn't what he hoped it would be.
Draco also noticed the difference in the way Harry spoke of his son Albus and the other two, James and Lily. It was obvious that he didn't connect with the two of them as he did with Albus. He wondered why.
'Maybe Harry's subconscious is telling him something?'
Draco tried not to think that Ginny would be so evil as to do what he suspected she did. He knew that Harry would be devastated if it turned out to be true. Someone would have to restrain him from going after the Weaselette. He decided he would think on it later, a lot of research had to be done.
He jumped at the chance to talk about his failed marriage. He used it as an opportunity to vent his anger at Ginny for what she was doing to his Harry and also his true hatred for his ex wife. To him, they were both the same, power hungry, selfish bitches. He truly hated the both of them. Ginny though, was at the top. He would relish the time when he finally destroyed her.
Draco was glad they moved on to better topics after his tirade. He needed to get his mind off the negative thoughts.
"I truly enjoy this friendship we have Potter. I'm glad we're giving this a chance." He divulged and watched with glee as Harry's face lit up.
"Me too. Although um, we're friends now so shouldn't we drop the last names?" Harry queried.
Draco couldn't have stopped the grin on his face even his mouth was stapled shut. His father could've appeared in front of him and he would've just kissed him in his glee.
"No problem. Harry." He finally replied. Never would he have imagined he would get to say that name out loud to its owner so soon. Nothing could've made the moment better.
"Ok then. Draco." Harry said with a smile and just like that, Draco's previous theory was blown away. Hearing his Harry say his name with such fondness was definitely the perfect moment.
"Hey. Maybe we can introduce Scorpius and Albus to each other? It would be perfect since they are both starting Hogwarts this September." Draco suggested.
"That's a great idea Draco!" Harry exclaimed excitedly.
'Merlin! Even better the second time he said it.' Draco mused to himself.
They agreed that he would choose the time and place after they spoke to their sons. They left to go to their respective houses a little while later with promises of future meetings.
As Draco lay in his bed later that night, he went through the events of the evening. The highlight of the evening had definitely been Harry's request for them to use their first names. It was a pleasant surprise and a memory he would forever cherish.
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Better Late Than Never