The game and love

46

The nightmare always gripped Draco hard. He always felt as though he was awake when he had it. He recognized it almost instantly as the nightmare that he'd had almost every night for the last three months. As he woke up he was alone in bed. That wasn't the part that was scary, it was once he walked out to the kitchen and found a letter from Harry. His hands shook as he picked it up. He knew what it said by now. However, that never stopped him from picking it up.

Dear Draco,

I Know you don't understand right now. Lord knows I don't. I guess life and things conspired to break us apart, they succeeded. I know what you said about all that time and how lonely you were. I'm sorry. I guess you were right about me being oblivious for three years. I have tried to move on, but I can't do it with you in my life anymore. We have to be apart now. You will always be special to me, my first love, but perhaps my last as well. It is with deep regret I bid you fairwell. I am going to go stay with some friends. I don't know where I should go after that.

With Fondness,
Harry Potter


Harry had been trying to wake Draco for the last minute or so, his violent thrashing and upset moans made Harry's skin crawl. He shook Draco forcefully, but careful not to hurt him. "Draco, wake up. Wake up, you're having a nightmare. Please wake up." Harry was pleading with him. All of the sudden out of nowhere Draco jerked awake violently and sat up. His eyes were panicked and as he began to focus he zeroed in on Harry who looked very frightened. His fright was not eased when Draco's arms snapped around him and pulled him into his chest.

Draco was trembling. Whatever his nightmare had been he atleast had the reassurance that Harry was there. He tried to fight the trembling, but he couldn't. He was so happy to have Harry there with him, atleast this time that would keep him from crying in bed alone, as he had ever since the nightmare had started. He kissed Harry's neck softly.

"You love me right Harry?" Draco asked his lover. The words were so lightly sent from his lips that Harry had to guess what he had said. He didn't respond right away, he searched Draco's face. Harry was more confused now. Draco had never questioned his love before. He was trying to search his eyes for some kind of indication of what may have caused him to ask such a question now. The eyes gave nothing away other than some kind of deep worry that Harry had only seen on him once before.

"Of course I do, darling." He answered honestly, still searching the eyes.

"You promise me? No matter what?" Draco's voice was strained and high. Harry kissed his cheek.

"What's gotten into you?" Harry asked his love as he laid down on the man's chest. "Of course I will." He felt Draco's arm stroke his back. He exhaled softly. He knew Draco would tell him in time, but it was still nighttime. He would let it wait until morning. Draco's breathing evened and that let Harry know he'd fallen back to sleep. So he joined him. A small smile now on his face. It hadn't been a dream, he was still here. He cuddled a little closer to Draco who moved in his sleep to accomidate him.


The next week was rather fast moving for Draco and Ron, having to adjust a new player to the offense wasn't easy. Ron hadn't been in a westcoast offense at all in his NFL career, so things had to be broken down for him in almost kindergarten football terms, which embarresed Ron a bit, but having Draco there was atleast somewhat reassuring. He felt like an idiot the coaches kept yelling at him, he didn't follow most of the instructions until one of the other tightends, Joe Newton took him under his wing and started lining him up in the right spot in the formations. There was one thing he was good at, running hard and good at routes, it was something he and Draco worked on when they played football since they were kids.

His face was flush as he came back to the practice huddle, it was good this was a bye week for the team, Ron didn't imagine his body would last for a three hour game sunday. Draco flashed a smile around the huddle as he had felt it was a good practice.

"34 Red flag, flanker jet, 54 split." Draco called for break and everyone set up. Ron had finally learned his spot in the set of plays and got lined up the right way. Several cat calls of finally came from the sideline. "Set, hut, hut, hut...hut." The play went in motion as Draco hiked the ball and his eyes searched the field through his usual progression. He looked over the defense as it seemed to work harder every week to make him hit targets. He noticed that the middle linbacker Lofa Tatupu had stepped up the middle to blitz and left Ron all by himself in the flat. He grinned as he focused in on his one time favorite target and made a perfect throw over the middle as Ron, who'd seen the blitz ran behind Tatupu and made himself a great target. Ron caught the ball and continued to run until the practice whistle was made.

"Good practice guys." Draco said aloud as he walked off the field. He was amazed at how much the media had eaten up this reunion of Ron and him up. He knew that today was the last practice of the week and he had asked Ron to do a joint press conference with him. He dressed in his suit after his quick rinse for a shower. He was positively in a mood that made him feel great and the huge smile on his face was obvious to all his teamates.

"God, you'd think you guys were married." Lee Joked. He slapped Draco on the shoulder.

"Jealous?" Draco chuckled fidgeting with his tie, he hated these things.

"Nah man, I know my job is safe." Lee flashed a smile. Noticing his stuggles with his tie, he grabbed it and fixed it for him. Draco smiled. Nodded his thanks and headed to find Ron on the other side of the lockeroom.

"Ready to go?" Draco asked simply. Ron nodded and Draco lead him to the media conference room. They grabbed a couple of bottles of water that were on a table just outside the room before entering. Draco always needed water anyway, his throat was always a little bit raw from shouting calls, but it also was a good delay for a tough question. "Let's go." He told Ron and he walked into the room with his best friend closely behind. Camera flashes went off as the two sat down. The man who was the media relations officer told the reporters they had twenty minutes.

"So what's this trade mean for both of your careers?" One reporter asked from the far right of the room.

Draco looked at Ron, who suggested he go first. "Well, I'm not sure. I know you all know our history together and all of that jazz, but it's different in professional football. Certainly there's the chemistry that we will naturally have, knowing eachother as well as we do. However, it's the offense that will determine success and our ability to under each of our roles in it."

Ron cleared his throat. "Well, you have no idea how big this trade was for my family and I. I didn't even know the trade had gone through until that saturday morning. I was doing cartwheels, I really was. I thinking to myself how we could benefit eachother, but I'm just coming in to do what I can for the team."

"So can we expect alot from you do in the future?" A female reporter asked Ron.

"Me, that's not really why I am here. Expectations can only lead to some kind of dissappointment." He almost shuddered. He felt like a robot answering questions, he wasn't really a star that the media talked to on a regular basis, he didn't know how Draco put up with it.

Draco smiled. "I'll make sure he has plenty of opportunities to be great. That's my job Sasha, you know that." Chuckles where heard all around. Ron smiled, he understood right away how Draco dealt with the media. He was still charming as ever and he had a way of taking the offense with people without them knowing it.

Questions continued until the media relations guy gave the signal that the press conference was over. Both men were relieved it was such a circus, the national NFL media loved this story. They had a photoshoot with Sports Illustrated the following tuesday. They shook their heads at all the publicity. Even ESPN Radio had Draco's phone ringing off the hook for interviews and exclusives. They'd agreed to do Mike and Mike in the morning on the day of the Sports Illustrated shoot. This was going to be rediculous.

"Harry, it's nice." Hermione said. Entering the studio with him, baby in his arms. Hermione had a little girl named Kayla with her. The girl was quiet and wide eyed, she'd clearly never seen a home this big before. She clung to Hermione's leg and stared into space.

"It's where I write and make all my music." Harry nodded proudly. He still loved this little room even though he felt like he had his career.

"Wow. All here? I thought it'd be bigger." Hermione smiled warmly as she thought of playing one of his songs. She continued admiring the home Draco and Harry had built, jealous a little, but when you and your husband...she caught herself, boyfriend made 112 million a year combined, you could probably buy the moon. She heard Harry laugh.

"I wanted to make it bigger, but Draco said I'd just find a way to live in here if it was." He smiled sadly at the thought. It was one of many things that had worried him about Draco. Ever since the nightmare, he'd been even more clingy than Harry had remembered him and constantly he called him on his cellphone. 'Just to see if he was feeling ok' Hermione seemed to notice his thoughts.

"Are you feeling ok?" She asked putting a hand on his shoulder. He nodded his head.

"I am a bit tired though." He confessed, playing with a small tuft of Lucius' hair, which made the baby stir in it's sleep. He'd not been totally able to put the thoughts on his and Draco's baby completely away, but he could not deny the more he held the baby boy in his arms, the more he didn't care about any of those thoughts.

"We should let you rest." Hermione said simply. "We have a place picked out now. I think Ron and I are going to finish the paperwork tomorrow." Harry started to walk to the nursery and Hermione followed him. "I hope we haven't put you out." She said appologetic.

"Nonsense. This place is huge, you've only been here a few days. Besides, I think Lucius likes new people. Don't you sweetie?" Harry asked the little one. Nuzzling his nose whith his. The baby made a small squeal which made everyone smile. "That's a yes." Harry said triumphantly as he entered the nursery and laid the boy down. "Good night Lu." Harry said softly as he bent over the crib.

"Hi honeys, we're home." Draco called from the walkway as he entered the house. Hermione and Harry both rolled their eyes as they went to go meet them. The pairs came together in the living room. Ron and Hermione met up first and Ron scooped her up so he could kiss her appropriately. Harry stood infront of Draco who was fidgetting with his tie. He was becoming visibly frusterated, so Harry came up close to him and slapped his hands away from it.

"I hate these things Harry." Draco whined. "I really do." Harry shook his head. A small smile on his face.

"I think it looks nice on you drake." He chuckled. He really did like him in a tie. He thought it made him look even sexier than when he wore his football pants. His body looked so broad and muscular and defined in a suit. Harry had to admire him, he was so beautiful. Once he removed the tie he dropped in on the ground, he had the sudden urge to rest against the man's chest. Draco was a bit taken back by this, but he adjusted quickly and placed one hand on his loves back and one on the back of his head.

"What was that for?" Draco asked warmly. A gentle smile on his face. Harry breathed out rather loudly.

"I have no idea, I just, I just felt like it." Harry stated innocently.

"Well ok then." Draco said and continued the embrace. He thought this was a good sign. Harry had almost always sought this moment in the begining of their relationship. It was moments like these that made the universe seem to pause, if only for a moment.

End chapter 46

A/N: Do you guys like where this story is going? Have any requests? Let me know! :-)