𝐒𝐌𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍

Chapter 2

“You look like a box of crayons gone horribly wrong,” Harry smiled and then laughed.

“You just don’t appreciate my uniqueness,” Tonks said haughtily in teasing. “Let’s go eat pizza. I’m starved. That sandwich at lunch today was awful.”

“Yeah,” Harry said. “Mine was terrible, too.” The pair left the hotel and took the taxi to Paulie’s Pizza. When they arrived and entered the front door, Mark rushed over with a smile that Harry returned.

“We’re going to have stop meeting like this,” Mark teased. “Are you stalking me?”

“Yes. I’m a terribly evil person and should be destroyed immediately,” Harry returned the tease and Mark laughed.

“Hey, Tonks,” Mark said. “Kevin’s on his way. He had to work over at his dad’s office.”

“He said he may have to work over last night when we talked about meeting up today,” Tonks said. “So? Let’s order.”  Kevin arrived just before the pizza arrived. Mark and Harry were on one side of the booth with Tonks and Kevin on the other. Mark held Harry’s hand under the table and they were talking about sports and different friends of each after they’d eaten.

“I need to use the restroom before we go,” Mark said.

“Yeah. Me, too,” Harry said as they slid out of the booth. Both walked into the bathroom and then Harry froze. Mark took a urinal and Harry looked away biting his lip and feeling nervous as to what to do. Take the other urinal? Use a stall?

“Are you okay?” Mark asked.

“Um…yeah, I just…,” Harry stammered. Mark realized.

“Oh. I’m…I didn’t think that this would…,” Mark said as he finished and zipped up turning to Harry after he did so. “I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t be,” Harry feeling silly. “I’m just stupid.”

“You’re not stupid,” Mark washed his hands as Harry stood. “You use a stall.” Harry nodded and took a stall. After he’d finished, he came to wash his own hands and Mark was waiting. “I didn’t even think when I took the urinal that it may make you uncomfortable.”

“I don’t know why I reacted that way,” Harry said. “I live in a dorm of boys and we all use urinals every single day.”

“Well, you never kissed any of them either,” Mark said. Harry grinned.

“You have a point,” Harry said. “I hope I don’t act strange around them when they come back to school. Or I hope they don’t avoid me when I tell them I’m gay.”

“You’d be surprised at how people react,” Mark said. “My best friend, Dan, the one I told you about, he’s fine with it, but I have…or I had another friend, Daniel, who won’t even speak to me now. But I can’t live and be something I’m not.” Harry nodded but a bit sadly. “It’s hard to predict your friends even though you think you know them so well.”

“Yeah,” Harry agreed softly. Mark took Harry’s hand and it felt as right as rain to slide into the embrace of the others’ arms. Harry enjoyed being held in such a way. Mark lightly kissed Harry’s neck and a thousand stars exploded in his mind.

“You smell so good,” Mark whispered onto Harry’s sensitive skin there.

“So do you,” Harry said inhaling him. “You smell like soap and spices. It’s very nice.” Mark kissed the spot lightly again and again a bit higher trailing a light line of kisses over Harry’s cheek to  kiss his lips. Harry’s hand slid up to Mark’s neck and his fingers slipped through his hair. While in the kiss a flash of platinum blond hair seared Harry’s mind and he pulled back abruptly.