Animals, thought Draco. He knew where he was with animals rather than messy-haired and intimidating and solid-looking humans with piercing emerald-green eyes and long black coats worn over tight t-shirts, cargo trousers, and combat boots.
And with a son in tow...
He wondered if there were more mini-Potters at home.
He swallowed deeply and squatted down to greet Mr Hercules. The large puppy seemed to have more tail action than Rocket and he bounced up, his huge paws landing on Draco's chest and sending him off-balance so he tumbled against the wall and onto the floor.
Oh! So, it was going to be a sprawled on the floor at the feet of the Wizarding World's Saviour then... Great, could it get any worse?
Mr Hercules promptly lay down, half-across Draco's legs, and rested his head on Draco's thigh, his tail still wagging wildly.
'Hercules! Hercules!' attempted the small boy, tugging hopelessly on the lead.
'Sorry,' said Harry, grimacing. 'At least we know he likes you.' And he plucked the enthusiastic puppy off Draco's legs and reached out a hand to haul Draco up. His eyes searched deeply into Draco's soul as they stood facing each other a little too close. Sometimes Harry couldn't help himself. If circumstances had been different, he'd pulled Draco up from the floor flush against him, just to let Draco know how much he wanted him, especially in those trousers.
He took a deep even breath, only because he needed to keep his emotions in check and stop his magic from surging. He could sense Draco's wariness and uncertainty and he wondered why Draco was so nervous; it was Harry who'd stepped into his territory. He felt the need to apologise again. 'Sorry, I should have warned you that Hercules is a bit bouncy and surprisingly strong. Training at home is helping but he needs his inoculations so I can take him to more advanced puppy classes.'
'Puppy classes...' echoed Draco. It was disconcerting to have Potter standing so close, close enough to smell the mint from toothpaste and to feel warm breath on his face. To see the signs of stubble growth on his chin and the dryness of his lips. To be close enough to trace the details of the scar on his forehead.
Harry stepped away and Draco released a breath he didn't know he was holding. 'Yeh, it's a Muggle thing. They run training schools for dogs.'
'Oh,' said Draco, intrigue visible on his face. 'Is it different to Wizarding training methods?'
'Yeh, and more forgiving. Hercules was rejected from the Auror Corps' Dog Team because he was the runt of the litter and too excitable, as you can tell. They were going to...' Harry's voice faded and he glanced at Teddy who was joyfully rubbing the puppy's ears and spattering kisses all over Hercules's face.
'...I understand,' said Draco, diplomatically. 'Despicable practice.'
He grimaced at the Auror Dog Handlers' tendency to wave an unforgivingly terminal wand at the dogs that weren't considered suitable. Draco whole-heartedly disagreed. He was pleased that Harry clearly disapproved too.
'I thought I'd try a different training method.'
'Oh.' Draco knelt down again. This time firmly planting his knees on the floor and sitting back on his heels. Harry mimicked his position so they were all on a level.
'And you are?' Draco said to Teddy as Mr Hercules snuffled around, his tail whipping everything in his wake.
'I'm Teddy,' said the young boy. 'I'm four tomorrow,' he said proudly.
'Well, happy birthday tomorrow, Teddy. And is Mr Hercules your dog?'
'He's Da's dog but I help too. We're going to go to training classes together.'
'A very good plan. Sometimes it's the owners who need training rather than the pets,' Draco looked at Harry with a teasing smirk in his eyes. It was reminiscent of their school days but far nicer for being in good humour.
Harry smiled. It was from his heart and showed in his eyes and it made Draco catch his breath. He looked away and studied Teddy instead. He couldn't help noticing that although the boy had Harry's hair, he didn't have Harry's eyes. His were also green but more hazel and not as vibrantly emerald. Draco tried to remember what Ginevra Weasley's eyes were like, he seemed to remember light brown. They must have had kids pretty quick; Potter obviously didn't hang about. He shook himself back as to why they were here.
'I don't think he's going to be a runt for much longer, the size of his paws suggests otherwise. Did he sit on the weighing platform?'
'Ah,' said Potter, his eyes gleaming annoyingly. 'He wouldn't sit still for long enough, would he, Champ?'
The young boy giggled.
'Come on then, Mr Hercules, let's try again' Draco said and they all stood up.
Harry took the lead from Teddy and Draco didn't fail to notice that the puppy was actually very well behaved with Harry in control. It was just when Teddy had the lead that the puppy got excitable.
He was also fairly sure he wasn't normally so thorough when doing the welcoming check-ups for his new patients but he was enjoying being in Potter's company and he kept using the opportunity to surreptitiously glance at the man and to study the changes since Hogwarts; there was no doubt that he was enviably well-built from all his Auror training and there was something in the way that his wand holster was strapped around his chest under the long coat which fascinated Draco. But, more than anything, he couldn't help being drawn to catch eyes with Harry over and over again. It was the way Harry's eyes teased him, it sent shudders through his body.
There was a lot left unsaid, naturally, but there was something of a playful nature to their conversations.
He felt a touch of envy when Harry finally said, 'come on then, Teddy. We should leave and let Doctor Malfoy see his next patient. Now, I promised if you were good that we'd pick up some icecream from Mr Fortescue's to have with our movie tonight. Have you been good?'
'YES!' Teddy answered excitably. 'Do you think I've been good, Doctor Malfoy?'
'Undoubtedly. Well, nice to see you again, Harry,' Draco meant it too. 'Nice to meet you, Teddy.'
'Bye, Doctor Malfoy.'
But when Teddy went to take Hercules's lead, Harry took it from him. 'I think I'll take Hercules while we're near the market. I don't want him breaking free and getting lost under all those stalls.'
Draco raised an eyebrow as he watched the huge puppy automatically fall into walking to heel as they left the consultancy room. He had joked about puppy training for owners and he had a shrewd idea that Harry knew full well that it was Teddy who needed training, not Hercules.
Harry had barely placed a hand on the door out of the main waiting area of the vets when he heard Draco call after him. He groaned silently. The last half-hour had been surprisingly difficult. Enjoyable, astonishing, delightful - yes, but also difficult.
And not in a way he expected. And what's more, he was sure Draco reciprocated his feelings; he was certain Draco was checking him out time and time again as eyes the colour of mercury slid across his chest and his abs and down his legs...
'Harry!' Draco called.
'Draco?' he turned around. Draco looked surprisingly nervous as he hovered in the doorway of his room.
'I just wondered...' he faltered and appeared to beckon Harry back with an inclination of his head.
Draco watched nervously as Harry took Teddy's hand and lead him towards the chairs, choosing the one closest to the receptionist's desk. 'Just sit here a moment, Champ. I'm going to talk to Doctor Malfoy briefly. Hold Hercules tight and don't move. Hercules! Sit! And guard Teddy.'
The puppy obeyed, though he kept fidgeting and his tail thumped the floor keenly.
Harry walked back over to Draco and leant nonchalantly against the door frame, far too close, leaving Draco wondering why on earth he had called Harry back. He knew it was an impulsive whim to try and grab a further few seconds with the man. It was utterly ridiculous and also confusing. Still, he didn't move away as Harry crowded his personal space. He was near enough to smell the mint on his breath again. He knew he was slightly flushed but he held his nerve. Why was everything with Potter such a challenge?
'Do you still speak Parseltongue?' he asked quietly.
'Yes. Why? Is it a kink?' Harry whispered with teasing smile.
'Potter!' he muttered, feeling his pale flush deepened. Harry's eyes twinkled wickedly, making Draco bluster in shame. 'I'm not... I'm not like that...'
'Hmmm! So, what do you need Parseltongue for, my little dragon?' Harry hissed, amused by Draco's response. His blood ran hot as he watched Draco bite his lower lip and his eyelids flutter shut. He knew why really, considering the ball python in the waiting room, but this was too good an opportunity to miss. 'Fuck, that has to be the most beautifully wanton sight I've ever seen. And you, my friend, are in denial. I swear, if Teddy wasn't here, I'd be pushing you back into that little room and smoking the glass for some privacy. Salazar, if my tongue can get around Parseltongue, imagine what it can do with...'
'Pleeeassse,' a weak hiss came from behind Harry. 'As vaguely interesssting as thisss isss, I'd like to sssee the doctor-man. Pleassse tell him I've eaten sssomething and it isss hard and it isss hurting meee...'
'I see,' Harry hissed, his eyes still not leaving Draco's face, especially as he'd now opened his eyes and watched Harry with dark, blown pupils the colour of carbon haloed with patinaed silver. 'Apologies. I am Harry Potter. You are?'
'I know you are Harry Potter. Everyone knowsss you are Harry Potter. I am Isssla, though my pet callsss me Mrsss Maylie.'
'Well, Isla, can you describe what you ate in any detail?'
'I thought it wasss an egg, it was in with the chicken eggsss but it isss cold and hard...'
'I believe your next patient has swallowed a ceramic egg, like the ones they put under chickens to make them broody or lay or whatever,' Harry whispered to Draco, snapping him out of his trance. 'Do you want me to stay?'
'What?' he seemed slightly dazed and, Merlin, how Harry wanted to continue this somewhere else, alone, just the two of them...
'Do you want me to hang around in case Isla has something else she needs to tell you?'
'Isla?'
'Yes, that's her name, though her owner calls Mrs May-something.'
'Oh, Mrs Maylie. No, no! It's fine, you don't need to stay. Thank you.'
He gave Harry a gentle prod in the chest to push him away but his fingers lingered slightly, unconsciously resting against the muscles beneath Harry's soft t-shirt.
Harry smiled, 'I'll be seeing you again, no doubt.' He nodded in the direction of Hercules and was about to push off the doorframe when an idea struck him. 'Of course, if you want to know more about the Muggle puppy classes, you're more than welcome to come along with me and Teddy.'
There was a little gleam of hopefulness in Draco's eyes that made Harry's stomach flip.
'I'll Owl you,' Harry said. 'Bye, Dragon. Be good...' he hissed and turned away, a smirk playing on his lips.
'Show off!' Draco muttered behind Harry, though it contained no malice, just frustration. 'Mrs Maylie,' he called in a louder tone.
Harry wondered, as he held Teddy's hand and Hercules's lead and they headed towards Florin Fortescue's, the exact meaning behind Draco's proclamation that 'he wasn't like that.' He wondered whether he was referring to having a kink or was disgusted by the idea of homosexual relationships or whether it was something he'd never been curious about. He might have seen the desire so blatantly in Draco's expression but that didn't mean Draco had ever questioned or had opportunity to question his sexuality, especially when he was under Lucius's ruling thumb. And, if he was in denial, well, maybe he would never even consider something more with Harry. But perhaps he just needed to be grateful that he can be in the same room as the man without them hexing each other into oblivion after two minutes.
Harry sent him an Owl anyway. He couldn't resist. The man fascinated him, maddeningly so.
He also sent an Owl to Mione, inviting her over that evening.
He had to tell her. Even though he knew she'd probably laugh at him.
Harry's relationship with Mione was still incredibly close. He still found her amazingly attractive though they'd stopped falling into bed together despite the times of emotional need or when their carnal urges needed satisfying. They knew it was too complex. Instead, they urged each other to find dates, to have some fun. Though that brought certain complications too; a possessiveness, Harry supposed, he didn't like to see Mione with other men any more than she seemed to like the idea of him dating other people. The build-ups and de-briefs were more fun than the actual relationships. And they both knew Mione was supposed to be with Ron. They also both knew that Ron wasn't happy; that much was clear in his eyes every time he was photographed by the Press. And Harry was yet to meet The One. Still, Mione made Harry go on a date with a man he'd met at the Costa near the Ministry. He'd introduced Mione to Auror Alex Hartley who'd seen her visiting Harry and expressed an interest. He'd met one of Ron's lanky witch friends (she was way too tall for Harry). Mione dated an Unspeakable for nearly eight months. But it was Mione who especially urged Harry as he was yet to find his soulmate and that definite connection. Nothing lasted for either of them, neither of them found the link they knew was waiting for them.
Life went on.
'You summoned me, my lord,' Mione joked when she stepped through the Floo later that night.
'Hmmm,' Harry said, standing to greet her and kissing her on the cheek.
'You're smouldering, H. What's happened?'
'Am I that transparent?'
'Yes, you've always been so readable. How many times do I need to tell you that you wear your heart on your sleeve? Plus, your magic is positively crackling.'
'Wine,' Harry said. It wasn't an invitation; it was a necessity. Especially after Teddy had got in strop because Harry hadn't wanted to watch Finding Nemo again and then Teddy hadn't wanted to have his bath because he was scared that Bruce would come out of the tap.
Mione and Harry sat in silence for a while at the table in the kitchen, sipping their wine and deep in thought.
'Are you gonna tell me what you're smouldering about. The energy is something else...' she was biting her lip and Harry groaned.
There were few things that affected Harry as much as Mione pulling her lip between her perfect teeth. He reached forward and gently eased her lip from between her teeth with his thumb as he cupped her cheek.
'Don't do that, you know what it does to me and we said we wouldn't go there again. It's not fair on you or Ron. I'm a little worked up as it is - I saw Draco Malfoy today.'
Hermione groaned; Harry was so damned predictable. 'Christ, H. You can't leave well alone, can you?' She knew this would bring nothing but trouble.
'Hercules needed a vet.'
'Sure, and Malfoy is the only vet in the whole of London.'
'I bet he's the only one who wears leather trousers. He's worth visiting just for them...' Harry grinned.
'What!'
'I wanted a wizard who would understand Hercules's line of work, if something happens.'
'Don't the Auror Dog Handlers have someone?'
'You know I don't trust them. Merlin, they wanted to euthanise Hercules as a puppy.'
'H, you're making excuses and you know it.'
Harry sighed, 'yes. I was intrigued.'
'And,' her eyes sparkled.
'He's hot. And straight.'
'You found that out pretty quickly.'
He smirked and explained the Parseltongue scene.
'You tease,' she whispered, clearly thrilled.
But she always did want to know the details of Harry's dalliances. Admittedly, it turned her on, there was something in the way his eyes lit up and he embraced life. She could see his green eyes were blown and felt his magic swirl around him.
'Harry!' she hissed. 'Your magic, you need to calm down a bit. What the hell are you thinking about?'
Harry shrugged, 'the way he looked when I hissed in his ear, shit, I wanted to push him straight back into his little consultancy room and introduce him to my tongue up close.'
'You're so cringy! And insatiable... to think you were such a dork at school...'
'It's always the quiet ones that you've got to watch, Little Lady Bookworm...' he smirked at her. Their time together had been uninhibited at times.
'I want someone to look like that when they think of me,' she whispered. 'What are you going to do?'
'Nothing. I told you, he's straight...' He paused, 'you know at school... when I got a little obsessive about Draco, do you think it might not have actually been hatred?'
'Oh, Harry,' she sighed and rubbed his arm soothingly. Harry still had that tendency to be a little oblivious about the obvious. 'No, I don't think it was hatred.'
'Oh,' he said. 'Was I the only one who thought it was?'
'Possibly. Maybe Draco too. And Ron, of course.'
'Oh,' he repeated. He was a bit lost for words. 'You know, his Dark Mark has gone,' he said, diverting the conversation away from his unawareness.
'How do you know? Did you get his top off already?' she smirked.
'No,' he smiled, though Hermione could tell his imagination had gone there already. 'No, he was wearing a polo shirt. It suited him. I'm glad too. Glad he doesn't feel like he has to hide anything, that he can be "normal".'
'Yes,' she agreed. It wouldn't have been fair for him to have been marred by that for life. 'And I, for one, am glad you've finally seen past the old animosity. I hope it works out alright for you both.'
'Oh no,' he said. 'Draco doesn't know, it's one-sided.'
'Sure,' Hermione smiled, not believing him in the slightest. 'It'll all work out in the end.'
He eyed her dubiously, still so unwilling to admit to himself what he was truly feeling. 'Why can't we fall in love?' he muttered. 'Why does it have to be him?'
'So, you admit it... that you like him?'
Harry rolled his eyes. 'No. It would be so much easier if it was just you and me... we'd rule the world if that was what we wanted. Maybe we should just try...'
'You know it's not right, H. Our magical cores have never connected.'
Harry felt frustrated, 'why don't we just try Bonding, maybe that would work for us. If it works for Purebloods, maybe it would jump start our cores too...'
'It won't work, we wouldn't be able to Bond properly to start off with, and we'd just be miserable, forever knowing our true soulmates are out there and we've turned away from them.'
He sighed, knowing she was right. 'What if I never find mine?'
'What if Ron never comes back to me? It's nearly four years. When do I move on? Will I be able to move on? Anyway, don't you think you might have met yours already?'
'Who?'
'Draco?'
'Ha!' he snorted. 'He's just an infatuation I need to get over. And I keep saying, he's clearly straight. What if Ron does come back and I never find my soulmate?' He suddenly felt overwhelming selfish worry about the loneliness he faced without Mione in his life like this. If Ron came back, they'd never be able to have these intimate personal talks which always seemed more open than he could have with anyone else.
It didn't help that he was feeling so restless at the moment. It was like he didn't belong in this world; like he should be somewhere else. Sometimes he wondered if he should never have made the choice to come back but that didn't make sense; he knew he needed to so Riddle could be defeated and he had needed to for Teddy. But there were moments of prolonged melancholia. He often found himself heading to Godric's Hollow on a weekend, aimlessly exploring the village and visiting his parents old house or wandering in the West Wiltshire hills as if he were searching for something or someone. As the years had progressed since the war, the pull got stronger and more persistent.
'We won't desert each other, H. There's too much history between us to break our friendship. Now, I need to get home. I've got a meeting with Kingsley tomorrow and I need to prepare.'
'You're probably already far more prepared than half the Ministry put together,' Harry murmured but he walked with her back to the sitting room and they hugged before she stepped into the flames.
***