An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Like a Star Across My Sky
InsertAuthorHere @unmistakablyoatmeal, lq_traintracks (lumosed_quill) @lqtraintracks
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Characters: Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, Millicent Bulstrode, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini, Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, Padma Patil, Parvati Patil
Additional Tags: Humor, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Rimming, Anal Sex, Frottage, Blow Jobs, Kissing, Sneaking Around, Bottom Draco, flangst, background Hermione/Millicent, background Ron/Pansy, background Blaise/Luna, Top Harry, cockblocking!Ron
When Draco discovers Harry Potter is his new landlord, he's convinced he's going to lose his shop. When Harry discovers Draco Malfoy's been invited on his friends' annual ski trip, he's certain his holiday is ruined. This is the story about how neither one of them is right.
It’s too much. The steam. This ridiculous conversation. Draco stands because he can’t bear to sit any longer. He needs the cold air. He needs to clear his head. But Potter’s suddenly standing right there next to him, a hand clasped around Draco’s wrist, like he’s afraid Draco will flee before he’s had his say. His touch burns, hotter than any hot spring could be, but Draco doesn’t shake him off. It keeps him in the present moment. Keeps his focus on the frustration in Potter’s eyes. The familiar anger. Draco’s blood pumps with it.
"You’re the one who picked a fight with me, Malfoy!" Potter says. "If you want to ‘talk’ about something, why don’t we talk about whatever that was up on the mountain? Why did you get so bloody pissed off? You come on holiday, twist yourself up in knots to be nice to me, then go completely mental without any warning. What the hell is all that about?"
Draco gapes. "I know you’re an imbecile, Potter, but even you can’t be that bloody stupid."
"Finally, something we agree on!"
"For fuck's sake, Malfoy, just tell me."
"I’m trying to save my shop!"
Draco breathes out hard. The confession lifts a weight off his chest and for a moment, he feels free, finally. It’s all out there now. No way to twist things around or take it back. It’s a surprising relief.
Until Potter’s expression comes into focus; he looks truly flummoxed as if he has no idea. As if they haven’t been in on this game together all the while.
He drops his hold on Draco’s arm. "What?"
"I said, I’m trying to save my shop."
"I heard you, I just—" Potter shakes his head. "What does that have to do with me?"
"You own the building, Potter. You’re my new landlord. And I’m not exactly your most favourite person in the world, am I? You can’t possibly be happy to have the Malfoy name marring your precious Potter’s Alley. What does it have to do with you—how thick do you think I am?"
"Did you think…oh Merlin, you thought I was going to mess with you? What, if you didn’t blow smoke up my arse?"
"Don’t act like it’s a mental idea!"
"Bollocks! What about those surprise renovations of which you just happen to be scarce on the details? That you oh so conveniently know nothing about?"
"The renovations? They're not—"
"You know my shop is barely staying afloat as it is—"
"—And if I have to close for these ‘renovations’, business will come to a grinding halt. No, Perfect Potter couldn’t unlawfully toss me out on my arse, but this is legal, isn’t it? On the up and up—"
"—Starve me out until I can’t pay the lease any longer, and I’m forced to crawl back to Mother, and court Astoria Greengrass in hopes that she’ll overlook the fact that I’m bent and I’ll never truly love her as she might deserve, but what does that matter when there’s an heir to produce and an estate to protect, and won’t you just be giddy with the fact that you did this to me? You’ll have your perfect new wife and your perfect children and I’ll be—what are you—Potter!"
Potter’s grasped Draco’s face, and Draco has the fleeting thought of just how green Potter’s eyes are without his glasses to hide them, when Potter angles in and kisses him mute.
His kiss is hard, demanding, but swift and already over before the feel of his lips can truly register, but Draco is struck by it like a flash of lightning throughout his body. Goosebumps prickle the backs of his arms. He wants to pinch himself. He wants to pinch himself hard, because he must have fallen asleep; he must be drowning in the water of the spring.
Draco blinks. The world’s gone fuzzy, but Potter stands before him in full living color, all hard angles and floppy damp hair, and the smile that comes to his lips sends Draco’s heart thundering in his chest.
"Finally figured out a way to shut you up." He wraps one hand around the back of Draco’s neck and curls his fingers into the sparse hair there, like it belongs there. Like he belongs there.
"Listen to me. I’m not tossing you out. I want your shop on my alley. How else am I to keep an eye on you?" His lips quirk up, then break into another smile. Draco’s chest flutters. "I’m just joking—that last bit. Taking the piss. Malfoy—I meant the other part, the part about you staying. Are you listening to me? Say something."
"Merlin, just…shut it." It’s all Draco can manage before he grabs Potter’s waist and kisses him back.
