They landed in a small gap left between two buildings. You could take a bicycle through it, maybe a moped, if you were careful and knew what you were doing. Harry didn't and smacked back into the bricks behind him, hitting his head. Draco must have known where Asbestos would drop them, but he still barely caught himself.

"A little warning would be nice," Draco said irritably.

"Nope," Asbestos said, then gave a sarcastic little salute and apparated away.

"Hard to imagine her as a parent. She acts more like a- a disgruntled teenager," Harry said, rubbing the back of his head.

"They waited until they were freed to have Dobby, so I would imagine she hadn't planned to be a parent originally," Draco said.

Harry frowned, "That's sad."

Draco nodded.

"I, uh, I never asked if Dobby was a boy or a girl. I was kind of hard to tell," Harry said.

"It's practically impossible with house-elves, and besides, I don't think Dobby has picked one yet," Draco said.

Harry blinked, "Picked one?"

"A gender." Draco said, leading the way out of the ally onto a quiet street. He raised an eyebrow at Harry's confusion, "They pick and change them the same as their names. They really don't understand our obsession with sex and gender. As far as they're concerned, they are entirely different things. Sex is how you have children, and a good time. Gender is how you dress and act, and is cultural or experimental or whatever they want it to be."

"Oh," Harry said, "So... so this is how you learned about NonBinary, Enby stuff then?"

"Some of it, after talking with Asbestos for a while, well, nagging really, she's not the chatty type," Draco said. He headed down the street in no particular direction that Harry could discern. "But like I said before, they don't care what we think. I found out, just recently, that an elf we had always called Rose had never actually picked that as a name, had changed his name four times, and generally preferred a masculine presentation. He just knew to respond to when we called for 'Rose' so he did."

"That's, um..." Harry said.

"I think my parents still call him Rose, he goes by Robert," Draco said.

"Wait..." Harry said slowly, "Then was Dobby's name actually Dobby? Like the Dobby I knew, old Dobby."

"You were friends weren't you? I'm sure he would have told you if he changed it. Some elves never change their names. Some even keep their baby names, the name their parents picked out for them," Draco said, "Everyone is different. That's what makes them interesting, don't you think?"

Harry nodded, looking over at Draco as they passed under a street light, "Yeah, really interesting."

"This way," Draco led them across the street and up a few more. The darkened shops began to give way to more restaurants and bars, with people loitering outside, laughing drunk loud and leaving a mix of cigarette smoke and perfume on the air where they passed.

Harry felt his nerves jump up into his throat as he looked at the people they passed, presumably dressed to impress and possibly get laid. They seemed so utterly confident, walking and standing about like they weren't at real risk of utterly embarrassing themselves because they couldn't dance and tended to get nervous in bars and were even clumsier than normal when they were drunk. Except that was just him, really.

Harry looked down the street where bright marquees flashed above open doors with bodyguards and queues and thumping music spilling out. Harry had to content himself with the knowledge that if Draco laughed at him, it wasn't anything new.

"Earth to Potter," Draco snapped his fingers at him, "This way."

"Err, right," Harry said, as Draco turned and headed in the other direction entirely.

Harry jogged a bit to catch up just as Draco turned down a narrow side street between a large office building and a restaurant. Just off the pavement was a set of stairs leading down into a small door over which was a sign reading 'The Closet Door' in a rainbow of neon.

Inside was a long bar under vaulted stone ceilings of what must have once been the basement of the building above. There were small round tables littered around the room and stools in front of the bar but nowhere else to sit save two packed booths in the back of the room. Opposite the bar was a stone wall with a single arched doorway leading into a room that thrummed with music, swirling lights and moving bodies.

"What do you want to drink?" Draco asked, beelining to the bar.

Harry did his best to keep up, all while looking around at all the people. They were all so different, people in dresses and low cut blouses next to people in jeans and leather jackets. And there were so many different hair colours, bright pinks and blues, muted greys, soft lavenders, and all sorts of hairstyles, shaved sides and mohawks and long braids and locks.

Draco raised a hand, trying to catch the bartenders eye. She seemed to be ignoring him in favour of a cute girl in a floral top laughing at something the bartender said. Two blokes elbowed up beside them. There was a sheen of sweat on the backs of their necks from dancing, and they called loudly for drinks, obnoxious enough that the bartender couldn't ignore them, though she did pause long enough to write something on the back of a bar mat for the floral girl first.

"Hurry up, there's a cute girl waiting for me," The bartender said, joking but impatient. She had black, close-cropped hair that seemed to perfectly suit her dark eyes and tattered tank top.

The two dancers ordered and leaned into one another, arms around one another. One ran his thumb along the top of the other's jeans, grazing his stomach and whispering something that made his partner grin and bite his lip.

Ah.

It was a gay club or a club for gay people or... Harry felt he ought to be embarrassed how long it took him to realise. The sign over the door really should have clued him in. At least he saved himself the embarrassment of saying something stupid. No one had to know he was thinking something stupid.

"What in the world do you want to drink, Potter?" Draco said impatiently.

The bartender was waiting on them now and starting to look decidedly less goodnatured about it. He hadn't been to a muggle bar in years and usually just ordered a pint of whatever. The back of the bar was covered in bottles Harry didn't recognise, and he had no idea what was on tap, if anything.

The bartender stared at him flatly and raised one decidedly unimpressed eyebrow.

Harry grabbed a drinks menu and tapped one of the things listed at random, "I'll have this."

She added a smirk to the unimpressed eyebrow.

"Here," Draco said, impatiently pushing twenty quid across the bar, "Give the change back in shots."

The bartender snorted, lightening up a bit, "What kind?"

"Whatever you have on hand," Draco said, "I want to get buzzed as quickly as possible."

The bartender laughed and nodded and soon returned with a handful of glasses. The two blokes took theirs and disappeared, and Draco got two shots of something clear and likely to be vodka. Harry's drink took longer to make.

Draco had already downed his shots and put another twenty quid on the bar as the bartender passed the tall glass of pink to Harry. It was sweet and fruity. Harry really only tasted the burn of alcohol when it hit the back of his throat.

"What is that?" Draco asked, shouting a bit to be heard over the music and chatter around them.

Harry shrugged and wasn't surprised when Draco pulled it out of his hand to taste it.

"I mean, it's not bad," Draco said.

Harry laughed, "Don't sound so surprised."

Draco leaned close so he could drop his voice, "You can't blame me when you literally just picked something at random off the menu."

"It wouldn't be on the menu if it wasn't good," Harry countered, taking his drink back.

"You would be supri-" Draco started, but his sentence was drowned out by an excited yell.

"Oh. My. God. Draco! You slag! I haven't seen you in forever!" and Draco was enveloped by a girl in a low cut top who hugged him and then squeezed his face with one hand in the overly friendly, touchy-feely way drunk people do once they've lost their sense of personal boundaries.

Over Draco's shoulder, Harry could see that she had bright pink eyeshadow that stood out like neon on her dark skin, and her long thin braids were woven with ribbons in two shades of pink and orange and only one shade of white.

Draco batted her away with a grin, "You're a clingy little slut, as always, Tiffy."

Tiffy laughed and shoved Draco's shoulder, "Perfect timing though! There is this bloke here that is just your type, he's..." she turned to spot the mysterious bloke.

Harry decided to put a stop to that, stepping around Draco, "No need. He's got a bloke tonight."

Tiffy spun back around, her mouth falling open, "Oh my god, you brought someone?"

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Fucking finally!" Tiffy laughed, "You are such a catch, it's taken too long. And he's cute. I didn't know you went in for glasses, though."

"Unfortunately, they come with the rest of him," Draco said.

"You like my glasses," Harry said.

"I might like some glasses, possibly even on you, but those glasses?" Draco raised an eyebrow, "They make you look twelve."

Harry frowned at them, "I like them-"

"I'm not saying you have to incinerate them, Potter. A person can have more than one pair of glasses. You could get multiple pairs to better accessorise your outfits," Draco said.

"Accessorise," Harry repeated.

"Yes," Draco said, narrowing his eyes.

"Accessorise? You do know who you're talking to, don't you?" Harry said.

"Someone capable of improvement," Draco said.

"Well, aren't you two cute," Tiffy said, "I met someone as well." She raised an arm high over the crowd, waving it exuberantly, "Megan! Over here!"

A woman with a single long braid of brown hair down her back turned at the sound of Tiffy's voice and headed towards them. She was wearing bib overalls, a yellow t-shirt and had blunt bangs dyed bright blue, looking decidedly dressed down to most of the club, but comfortable.

"There you are," Megan said, "I turned around, and you had disappeared."

"I found Draco!" Tiffy said, gesturing to Draco, "I told you about him, didn't I?"

"The weird rich boy?" Megan said, looking Draco up and down, "He does look the part."

"I'm not weird," Draco said, scrunching his nose up.

"Megan likes to say the quiet part out loud, that's what I like about her," Tiffy said, "She's so blunt, it's hilarious."

"I'm not weird," Draco muttered and grabbed another shot off the bar. The bartender had helpfully lined them up while they were bickering.

"You're going a bit quick, aren't you?" Harry said.

"You're going to be the death of me," Draco said, tipping the shot back and wincing briefly as he swallowed, "I need the fortification."

Tiffy reached over and took two shots for her and Megan, clinking her little shot glass to Megan's with a "Cheers."

"You don't mind?" Megan asked Draco.

Draco shrugged dismissively.

Megan drank the shot and made a horrible face, then coughed. "You really are rich then?"

"I suppose, rich enough not to worry about money, anyway," Draco said.

"That must be nice," Megan said.

Draco smirked faintly, "Oh yes, it frees me up to worry about all sorts of other things."

"I always imagined if I was rich, I wouldn't be unhappy. I mean, you can pay for counselling and meds and anything else you want, so what is there to be unhappy about?" Megan said.

"Being a war criminal mostly," Draco said.

Tiffy laughed.

"I'm sorry. Unless you killed people, then I'm not," Megan said.

"He's joking, Meg!" Tiffy said.

"Are you sure? It didn't seem like a joke," Megan said seriously.

"I didn't kill people, so you don't have to worry about that. But it is funny, in the sad way that most of my life is," Draco said self-deprecatingly.

"Oh." Megan said. "It doesn't seem that sad. It seems like you might be a bit dramatic."

Tiffy rolled her eyes, "Way to tank the mood, Draco."

"It's my speciality," Draco said.

"Well, it's kind of nice knowing everyone is a mess, even rich weirdos," Megan said.

"Delightfully comforting, isn't it?" Draco said, "I almost don't trust people who say they're happy."

"Realistically, happiness is more a momentary feeling," Megan said, "I generally try to be content, which is far more achievable."

"God, don't you two get on like a house on fire," Tiffy bemoaned.

They ignored her in favour of their strange conversation, so she turned to Harry, "What's your name then?"

"Harry."

"And I thought Tiffany was bad," Tiffy said.

"It's not bad-"

"Boring though," Tiffy said.

"A bit boring," Harry conceded, "Still... I'm a bit attached to it, seeing as it's mine. I mean, I could be named Eugene or Trev."

"I know a lovely Eugene," Tiffy said.

"Well... err, it's not the sort of name I'd want is all," Harry corrected.

Tiffy grinned, "Aren't you a little sweetheart. You don't seem like the type to go for someone like Draco. He's a bit of an arse, and a flirt, and rude, which make him a great friend in my book but definitely not relationship material."

Harry blinked, feeling defensive, "Well... I mean, he can be arsey and rude, in a funny way, but he's not cruel."

"Is there a difference?" Tiffy asked.

Harry nodded, "Yeah. Yeah, there really is."

"Hmm," Tiffy said, sounding unconvinced.

"And the flirting is all for show anyway. As soon as you flirt back, he turns into a blushing mess," Harry said.

Tiffy blinked, "Since when? That boy can pull easy as breathing. I don't think I've ever seen him blush."

Harry frowned, can pull as easy as breathing, fuck.

"You really are very strange," Megan was saying.

Draco immediately shot back, "I am not strange. Or weird."

Harry glanced at Tiffy to make sure she was watching before whispering over Draco's shoulder, "You are, a bit. It's cute, though." He was glad he was close enough to see the blush in the low lights of the club. Draco even froze up a bit.

"Oh. My. God!" Tiffy laughed and clapped her hands.

Draco grabbed the last shot of vodka and downed it.

"That's four you've had," Harry said, "You could slow down a bit."

"No." Draco said, sounding petulant. He pointed at Harry's pink drink which he had finished all of without really noticing, "That's three shots."

"It is not. It hardly tastes of alcohol," Harry said.

"Check the menu, if you don't believe me. Mixed drinks are always stronger than they seem," Draco said.

Harry did, and apparently, his drink had two different shots of liqueur and one of tequila. Now that he thought of it, he was feeling a little buzzed, in that muzzy, warm sort of way.

Draco laughed at his expression.

"Have you danced yet?" Tiffy asked, "The DJ's pretty good tonight."

"No and we should," Draco said, giving Harry a look, "Shall we?"

"Just a minute, I need to put in my earplugs, or it will be so loud I'll die," Megan said, fishing around in her pockets.

Harry grabbed Draco's arm, leaning close so Tiffy wouldn't be able to hear, "I can't dance."

"I know that. I was there fifth year, wasn't I?" Draco said.

Harry grimaced.

"Can you jump, Potter?"

"What?"

"Jump," Draco repeated, "All you have to do is jump with the beat. Think you can manage?"

Harry nodded, "I... yeah?"

"Good," Draco said.

Megan put on a pair of sunglasses and gave them two thumbs up. Tiffy grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the other room and the thumping music. Draco followed on their heel, and Harry held onto Draco so they wouldn't get separated in the crowd, his grip slipping down until he was holding tightly onto Draco's hand. Draco looked back at him, and Harry grinned and managed to coax a hesitant smile from Draco.

They fell into the mass of people, some dancing but most of them just jumping with the beat, a chaotic wave of movement. Harry could feel the thrum from the speakers on his skin, a pulse vibrating through the floor. Draco pulled him into motion, and Harry let himself go, losing himself in the rhythm like a heartbeat, all of them moving in time, so Harry felt more and more a part of the crowd rather than just himself. And Draco, Draco was right beside him, just as lost and so so beautiful, his hair flying wild, sweat making his hair and skin shimmer under the lights, and an easy, carefree smile on his face that Harry couldn't look away from.

They paused a few songs in, panting to catch their breath. Draco bought two shots from a tray carried around by a staffer that looked like he'd very much be dancing than working, and pressed one into Harry's hand.

"That's five!" Harry said with a frown.

Draco ignored him, grimacing and coughing at the taste. He reached out like he would take Harry's, so Harry quickly threw back the shot and coughed, it was jagermeister, strong and horrible tasting. Draco shared his look of disgust. He bought another one, though.

"Draco!" Harry smacked him on the arm.

"Liquid courage!" Draco shouted above the music and shoved the glass back on the tray. He grabbed Harry and pulled him back into the crowd as the next song began to pick up, grip tight on his arm.

As everyone moved around them, Draco cupped both hands around Harry's face and kissed him, hard and bruising, nearly falling as Harry was bumped from behind, only to clutch onto Draco that much tighter. Feeling breathless and giddy, they danced together, grasping after one another's hands and arms, trying to stay close even as the buzz of alcohol made their heads spin.

Megan rubbed her eyes and fumbled out her earplugs. They were standing beside the door, the music muted to a gentle thrum through the wall. "I need to go," she said, sounding exhausted, "I'm- I'm over- over- something."

"Overwhelmed?" Tiffy asked.

"That too, but that's not the right word," Megan said, "Whatever it is, I need to go or I'm going to have to cry, and I don't want to. I'd rather go home and sleep."

"Can I come home and sleep with you?" Tiffy asked.

Megan narrowed her eyes.

Tiffy raised her hands, "Just sleep, only sleeping." She stuck out her bottom lip in a pout and wiggled a bit, "Maybe cuddling?"

Megan took a deep breath, "I like cuddling... but quiet cuddling? I really can't take anymore... anything."

Tiffy nodded, looking happy.

"It was nice meeting the two of you. Or... at least it wasn't horrible," Megan said.

"Draco, you need to get a cell phone, so I can actually call you. This meeting up on accident thing is shite," Tiffy said.

"I gave you my email," Draco said. He spoke very carefully, enunciating every word, so he sounded twice as posh as he usually did.

Tiffy rolled her eyes, "Which you check, once a never. Like who even does that?"

Draco made a face.

"Get. A. Cellphone," Tiffy said as Megan grabbed her by the arm and towed her out the door.

Right as the door was shutting behind them, Harry heard Megan mutter, "Overstimulated. That was the word I was looking for-"

Draco snickered, "That girl is so interesting." He was leaning on Harry's shoulder, wavering a bit on his feet. He spoke very carefully, enunciating every word so he sounded twice as posh as usual.

"I'm feeling a bit done for the night myself," Harry said.

"The great Auror Potter's run out of energy?" Draco teased.

"Mostly, my feet hurt. I wish I had my trainers," Harry said.

Draco frowned, "I had those shoes charmed to fit perfectly."

"They fit. They're just not, I dunno, made for dancing," Harry said.

Draco made a grumpy face, shooting a glared down at Harry's shoes.

"And you're drunk," Harry said. He was feeling tipsy himself, unsteady on his feet and prone to being far too silly.

"I am not," Draco said. "I could still drink more, if I wanted."

"I'm not going to hold your hair back if you throw up," Harry said.

"I- what? I don't need my hair held back; it's far too short," Draco said.

"Metaphorically," Harry said, moving toward the door, "Come on."

Draco followed, walking with the exaggerated care of one who had definitely had too much to drink and was pretended very hard that they were not drunk in the slightest, thank you very much.

The air outside had a mild chill that smelt of coming rain.

"Um... how are we going to get back?" Harry said, waiting at the top of the stairs.

"You are a wizard, Potter," Draco said, holding the railing very tightly as he navigated the steps.

"A drunk wizard," Harry said, "Hermione would kill me if I apparated now."

"You're hardly drunk," Draco said dismissively.

"Oh yeah? I'll just tell Hermione you said it was okay then," Harry said.

Draco made a face, "That's not fair."

"I know," Harry said. A group turned down the ally, and Harry grabbed Draco's hand, pulling him out of the way.

"Just... this way," Draco said, leading them deeper into the alley and behind the cafe's wheelie bin that smelled like slimy lettuce.

"Romantic," Harry said sarcastically.

Draco ignored him, "Asbestos." Nothing happened. "Asbestos."

"What are you doing?" Harry asked.

"Calling Asbestos," Draco said.

Harry stared at him.

"It's a house-elf thing. It's like a tracking charm that's activated by their name, or something."

Harry raised an eyebrow, "Or something?"

Draco leaned against Harry's shoulder with a sarcastic drawl, "You'll not be surprised that fuck-all is known about house-elf magic."

"Couldn't you ask?" Harry asked.

"If I was a house-elf, I wouldn't tell us shit," Draco said.

"I'll take that as a no."

"Okay, so Asbestos is ignoring me, not exactly a surprise," Draco said flatly, "Which house-elf is working tonight? Was it Follo? Or Diamond?" he squeezed the bridge of his nose, "Lilu? Robert?"

The night remained undisturbed by the crack of apparition. Something inside the bin started rustling amongst the garbage, then settled down to chew on something unsettlingly squishy.

Draco sighed, "I should have asked Asbestos before we left."

"Can we not stand behind this bin then? It's disgusting," Harry said, already stepping away.

"I suppose," Draco said, following Harry back to the street even as he continued to mutter random house-elf names under his breath.

"What about the mirror phone?" Harry asked.

"The what?"

"The cellphone with the charmed mirror that you were so proud of," Harry said, "You showed it to me the first day we worked together."

Draco held up his arms in a rather annoyed motion, "I only brought a hundred quid and my bank card, obviously." Draco said.

"It was just a little flip phone," Harry said.

Draco raised an eyebrow, "It would have ruined my silhouette."

Harry laughed, "Impossible."

"That shows what you know about fashion, which is next to nothing," Draco said. "Besides, Asbestos has the other phone, and as already established, she is ignoring me."

"Alright, well, my flat is in London," Harry said.

"Good for you," Draco said.

Harry had to roll his eyes, "Do you want to stay over?"

"Taking a bloke to bed on the first date, how forward," Draco teased.

Harry laughed, "I missed that."

"What?" Draco's brow furrowed.

"The flirting, you stopped when I started flirting back," Harry said.

"Yes, well, you weren't meant to flirt back," Draco said in annoyance.

"I think that's what I liked; most people who flirt with me want me to flirt back," Harry said.

"I wasn't even flirting to flirt with you at the start, since obviously nothing could come of it," Draco said.

"Obviously," Harry said sarcastically, walking shoulder to shoulder with Draco.

"I only did it to get a rise out of you," Draco said,

"I liked that part too. I'm so tired of people trying to suck up to me," Harry said.

"Liar, you didn't like it," Draco said.

"I'm good at my job," Harry said.

"You are adequate at your job," Draco said.

"Hey!" Harry said and elbowed Draco, which made him stumble.

Harry grabbed after him to try and keep Draco from falling; as Draco tried to grab Harry to stay up, and they tripped back against the nearest building. Luckily, Draco's chest caught him, so Harry didn't run into another brick wall.

"Perhaps we are a bit drunk," Draco said, sounding winded, sandwiched between Harry and the wall.

Harry giggled, pressing his face into Draco's shoulder. He didn't bother moving, enjoying the novelty of pressing against someone slightly taller whose chest was smooth and firm and smelled of cologne rather than perfume.

"Are you going to move?" Draco asked.

"Do you want me to?"

There was a pause and a slow sigh, "I am being held hostage then."

Harry laughed again, "I'll move if you tell me to."

"Well, I can't and since you won't then I am being held hostage," Draco said.

Harry couldn't help wetting his lips as he looked up at Draco, "Would this be, what's the opposite of being held against your will?"

"...You expect me to think when you're looking at me like that?"

"Willingly, do you think? That might work," Harry said.

"Use whatever word you bloody want," Draco said.

Harry grinned and leaned up, catching Draco's lips in his own, soft and a bit dry. He let his hands slide down Draco's chest, the silky soft blue fabric radiating the heat of Draco's body and the shiver that ran through him.

It was a nice change from the first kiss, which had been exciting and surprising and very good in its own way, but Harry had been wanting a slow kiss every since, a kiss that they could linger in.

Harry let the tip of his tongue brush the seam of Draco's lips as they kissed, a shivery thrill going down his spine when Draco tentatively responded. Harry leaned all his weight against Draco, tracing his hands over the tops of Draco's white jeans, and letting his fingers slide up onto smooth skin-

Draco jumped at the touch, letting out a little squeak that surprised him as much as Harry.

Harry blinked at him and did it again.

"Ah! D-Don't," Draco squirmed and huffed, his mouth twitching and twisting like he was trying not to laugh, his stomach jumping when Harry managed to touch him.

"You're ticklish!" Harry said delighted.

"Shut up, shut up, I am not," Draco managed to grab Harry's hands and twist away for good measure, his face gone an almost alarming shade of red, though Harry didn't know if it was from the tickling or embarrassment.

Harry was grinned so hard his cheeks hurt, "I can't believe it."

"You are the worst. The absolute worst," Draco said.

"Draco Malfoy has a ticklish tummy!" Harry laughed.

"I hate you. I loathe you. You could not possibly be a more horrible person if you tried," Draco said in annoyance, holding Harry by the wrists as far away from himself as he possibly could.

Harry was too busy laughing to try and pull free.

A cold drop of rain landed on the top of Harry's head, quickly followed by its fellows.

"Shit," Harry said, looking up at the sky and catching a blur of rain on his glasses for his trouble. "I could call the Knight Bus?"

"Absolutely not," Draco said.

"The underground?" Harry suggested next.

"I have no idea where the nearest station is," Draco said.

"Right then," Harry stepped the edge of the pavement and waved his hand.

A black cab slowed and pulled over to pick them up. Draco had already climbed in by the time Harry had given the driver his address.

"I don't think I've ever actually been in a black cab before," Harry said, looking around the interior. It wasn't quite as exciting as he had always imagined.

Draco raised an eyebrow.

"I use the underground or, you know," Harry said, referring to more magical means, though it didn't seem like the driver was listening to anything but the soft music from his stereo.

"Do I?" Draco asked suggestively.

Harry grinned, "Shut up."

Draco giggled, leaning back into the black seat.

"You always use a cab?" Harry asked, taking off his glasses and smearing the water around with the bottom of his shirt.

"I prefer to drive myself whenever possible. Don't like the underground," Draco said, "I find it unnerving."

"How do you get into your vault then?" Harry asked. He grabbed the bottom of Draco's shirt, which was a much softer material, and properly cleaned his glasses off.

"I don't," Draco said with a shudder, "You can request a withdrawal at the counter."

"And charge you for the privilege," Harry said.

Draco raised an eyebrow, "So? And my bank card is directly connected to the vaults so I don't even go to the bank often, not when those bank machines are so bloody brilliant."

"I didn't know Gringott's had a bank card," Harry said.

"You could probably get one," Draco said absently, "Gringott's doesn't have any sort of government protection like every other bank in the world does. So they won't take risks because if someone steals your money, they have to cover it. But you certainly have enough money not to be a risk."

"I didn't know that," Harry said, "No wonder they're so careful."

"More like distrustful. Can you fucking imagine? So many wars and prejudice on top of that, and then the only concession to equality the Ministry gives is a bank but with no protections or insurance. If Gringott's fails, it takes-" Draco gestured broadly, "everything down with it. It's so stupid and ill-planned and stupid."

"Sounds like the government alright," Harry said.

"Merlin, I miss when I was too stupid to know better," Draco sighed.

Harry laughed, "Things were simpler then. Well, sort of. I imagine they were for most people."

Draco grinned, "Oh yes, you got to worry about saving the world just about every fucking year. Now that that's over, you can worry about politics."

Harry groaned.

"Which do you prefer, Mr Hero?"

"Neither! They're both fucking unbearable," Harry said.

Draco laughed, leaning against his shoulder. Harry leaned back, resting his head on Draco's shoulder which, unsurprisingly, was rather thin and bony.

"Will your mum be worried if you don't come back?"

Draco snorted, "This isn't the first time I've stayed out all night."

"I don't want to hear about it," Harry groaned.

"Hm? What it?" Draco asked.

"Other blokes," Harry muttered.

"Jealous, Potter?" Draco teased.

"It's not one of my better points," Harry said.

Draco grinned with an absolutely delighted little shit-eating grin.

Harry gave him a sour look, "It's a warning, don't look pleased about it, you berk."

Draco's smile only grew, "I am very pleased."

Harry sighed, "You're planning some bullshit, aren't you?"

Draco snickered, "Well, now I have to, don't I?"

"Wait..." Harry's mind jumped backwards in the conversation like an errant ping-pong ball, "If you don't like the Underground or Gringott's, how did you manage your dorms? Like they were underground-"

"It's not the underground bit that bothers me," Draco interrupted, "It's the fast-moving contraption that I cannot control or see where the bloody fuck it's going."

"You like to be in control?" Harry asked suggestively. Or at least that was what he intended; he had no idea if it actually came across properly.

"Who doesn't?" Draco said, apparently missing the subtext entirely.

"Some people. There's a like a whole kink about it," Harry said.

Draco blinked and then laughed, "You're an idiot."

"I'm not the one who missed the entire point," Harry said.

The cab slowed, and Harry looked out the windows at the familiar street of his neighbourhood, "We're here."

Harry paid the cabbie and lead Draco into his building.

His flat was on the top floor. It was rather modest, the living area butted into the small kitchen and, there were two doors at the back of the room leading to the bath and his bedroom. He had preferred the small, dorm-ness feel of the place when he first moved in. After five years there, he was starting to feel like more space would be nice, to get a tv, more places to sit, a table one could eat at, a proper washer, maybe even something ambitious, like an office. Harry didn't know what he was meant to do with an office, but loads of people had them.

And the flat had a pretty decent view, mostly of buildings, but he could see a few back gardens and the corner of a park on clear days.

"It's so small! I could fit my entire sitting room in here," Draco said as soon as they stepped inside.

Harry rolled his eyes. "When you have to take care of it yourself, small is much more manageable."

Draco looked at the sitting area taking up much of the room, with Harry's cluttered coffee table, the couch that was also serving as a coat rack and the armchair stacked with books and magazines that he really did mean to read one of these days. Draco looked back at Harry and raised his eyebrows.

"Wipe that judgey look off your face; I've seen your closet," Harry said.

"It comes with my face," Draco said flatly.

Harry couldn't help laughing, "It does! Pre-installed, that one."

Draco fought down a smile, patting Harry's cheek a little clumsily, "Make us some tea, won't you, darling?"

He was joking, but that didn't mean Harry didn't rather like being called Draco's darling. The alcohol had subsided enough that Harry's more sober mind was able to put in with a somewhat exasperated, why are you like this? that made Harry laugh to himself as he went to his small kitchen and filled the kettle.

"Tiffy was right, though; we should get cellphones," Harry said.

"We?" Draco said, and Harry could hear the raised eyebrow in the word.

"If we both get one, then I won't be the only one completely fucking lost," Harry said, "We can learn how to use them together."

Draco sighed.

Harry turned to look at him.

Draco had a complicated expression on his face. His eyes slid over to meet Harry's, and he put on an obviously forced smirk, "The Ministry is underground; cellphones don't work there."

"It'll work everywhere else. I don't live at the Ministry," Harry said.

"Don't you? You seem the type to be married to your work," Draco said.

"You know exactly how I feel about my job, prat," Harry said.

Draco rolled his eyes. He was moving around the room, looking at everything that wasn't nailed down with far more interest than it surely deserved. Harry tried to keep an eye on him and make tea at the same time. He was fully expecting Draco to find something embarrassing that he would tease Harry about relentlessly. He hadn't had guests over for months and without the fear of social embarrassment, there really hadn't been anything to make him tidy up.

"Good grief, who are all these people?" Draco asked.

Harry filled the mugs with hot water before looking over, seeing Draco standing in front of his wall of photographs. The flat only had one decent wall, so Harry had covered it in all his pictures, of his friends, the Weasley's, and of his parents. They were all copies and didn't move; the original photos were all safely stored away in his vault.

Harry tossed tea bags into both cups before walking over to join him, "Well, you know-"

"I'm not asking about the one's I already know, obviously," Draco interrupted and pointed at an older photo, "Who is this? And why do they look so bloody familiar?"

"That's my mum and dad when they were at school," Harry said.

"Ah, he has the same dreadful hair! Now at least I know you don't do it on purpose."

Harry pointed at the two standing next to his parents, "That's Sirius Black, your cousin, I think, and Remus Lupin; he taught us Defence one year. They were all friends in school."

"Lupin was the one who got chased out for being a werewolf?"

"Yeah," Harry said, not quite keeping the tightness out of his throat.

"Seems stupid. I mean, he managed an entire year without issue; there was no reason to think he'd spontaneously combust just because people knew," Draco said, "And he was actually good at the job. That was the real rarity compared to most of the professors we had."

"Especially considering the first two I mean, one had been a host for Voldemort, and the other was a complete fraud," Harry said.

Draco frowned in alarm, "Wait, Lockhart was a host for Voldemort?"

Harry snorted, "No, he was the fraud. It was Quirrel."

"Oh," Draco said, his frown relaxing into disappointment, "That's not nearly as fun."

"Being a host for Voldemort would have required far too much actual effort for Lockhart to manage it," Harry said.

"Was Quirrel actually growing Voldemort inside him, like some sort of giant chicken?" Draco asked.

Harry laughed, "Nah, he was stuck on the back of his head; you remember that stupid turban he wore?"

Draco blinked in surprise, "I thought he was just a cunt! Like those people who wear Native American headdresses or an Indian bindi."

"He was still a cunt. I think the racism was accidental. Unless he was actually a Sikh, but I don't think so." Harry said. He tapped another picture frame, "This is Andromeda and Teddy. I'm his godfather."

Draco leaned in close, narrowing his eyes to focus on the photograph.

"She's your aunt, you know, and Teddy's her grandson. That makes him like a second cousin."

"I know who Andromeda is, Mum's talked about her," Draco said.

"You ought to meet her and Teddy. They're family, after all," Harry said.

Draco shot him a look.

"I can introduce you if you like. I try to go over and see Teddy wherever I can," Harry said.

"What a little optimist you are," Draco said.

"Wha-"

"Is the tea ready?" Draco cut him off, crossing the room to the kitchenette, "Ugh, it's going to be too strong. You probably prefer it that way." He fished out a tea bag and dropped it on the counter like a spoilt child.

"Really, Draco?" Harry said, fishing his wand out from his sleeve where he'd stuck it to his forearm for the night with a light sticking charm. He vanished the teabag, leaving behind a splotch of brownish water. "Where's your sugar?" Draco asked, scanning the crowded countertop.

Harry grabbed his little sugar bowl and added some to his mug first.

"I take one lump," Draco said.

"I don't have sugar lumps, your majesty. You'll have to spoon it out like the rest of us commoners," Harry said.

Draco glared at the sugar bowl, "If I add too much, it will be far too sweet."

"Add less then," Harry said, taking a careful sip of tea. It was strong and the perfect temperature from sitting too long.

"But then it might be too bitter," Draco said, sounding pouty.

Harry grinned, "Add more. It's not the end of the world, you know."

"I am very particular about my tea," Draco said.

"Colour me surprised," Harry said sarcastically.

Draco ignored him, filling half a teaspoon with sugar and putting it into his mug with a far too serious face on.

"You've been particular about other stuff tonight, the cellphone thing and meeting Andromeda and all that."

Draco tasted his tea and stuck out his tongue in disgust, "Ugh, too bitter." He spooned a tiny bit more sugar into his cup and tried it again. His expression wasn't quite as disgusted this time.

"You don't have to do any of it. They were just ideas," Harry said.

"Just ideas. Ideas you're having because on Monday, you'll be back to being a good little bobby, and I'll be out of a job. And you want to pretend it won't happen," Draco said.

"You won't be out of a job. Hermione will-"

"It's not going to work out," Draco said.

"You don't know that!" Harry said.

Draco shook his head to himself, "You'll go back to your job, and I'll go back to being a layabout, wandering around London and avoiding my parents. We might try to stay in touch at first, but you'll be busy with your friends and your Weasley's. And I... am far too much trouble to bother with." He sipped his tea, apparently found it perfect, and took a larger drink with a satisfied sigh.

"That's a rather bleak view of the future," Harry said with a frown.

"It's a realistic view," Draco said. He rested one hip against the counter, cradling both hands around his mug and holding it just under his chin. "Go on then, tell me yours."

"My-"

"Your little fairytale of a future," Draco said.

Harry narrowed his eyes, "Hermione will get you transferred, and you'll be able to keep doing the same work. So we'll still see one another when incidents overlap, and we can have lunch together and go out and talk with our new phones during the off hours."

Draco looked unmoved.

Harry frowned, stubbornness rising, "We could go on some proper dates as well. And you could meet Andromeda, and Little Dobby can have playdates with Teddy."

Draco shook his head a little, a faint smile slipping onto his face, "I do like your idea of the future better."

"Because it is better," Harry said

"Fairytales always are. They get to end 'happily ever after' after all,' Draco said. "The real world is a lot more messy and cruel. If you'd been kicked in the teeth as many times as I have in the past six, seven years, you'd understand."

Harry shook his head and dropped his mug in the sink, "It's not a fairytale. It could happen. We just have to make it happen."

"Hm," Draco said shortly.

"Fine," Harry huffed, "I'll make it happen."

Draco shifted his weight, smiling faintly, "I'd like to see you try."

"I will," Harry said stubbornly.

"I won't hold my breath, though," Draco said.

Harry rolled his eyes so hard he could see his own annoyance written on the front of his brain.

Draco carefully placed his mug next to Harry's in the sink, "I prefer to live in the present. And this present is far, far more interesting than an unknown future-" he waved his hand, "-whatever."

Harry took this an invitation, stepping close and hooking his fingers into Draco's belt loops, "Yeah?"

Draco quirk an eyebrow, "So... how far is this going, Potter?"

Harry bit his lip, equally nervous and excited, "Whatever- I mean, I don't know. Anything, really."

Draco laughed.

"As long as I get to see if you're as good looking out of your clothes as you are in them," Harry said.

Draco's ears turned a lovely pink.

Harry tugged Draco flush against his body and kissed him, "I've never been with a bloke before, so you might have to tell me what to do."

The flush spread from Draco's ears to the tops of his cheeks, "I would be delighted."

"Don't get used to it. I'm a quick learner," Harry said.

Draco stuck his lower lip out in a pout, and Harry took the opportunity to pull it between his teeth before kissing Draco again, and again, and again, as he walked them back into his bedroom.

Draco's hands drifted down, finding and undoing whatever buttons his finger stumbled upon. Harry let him, shivering whenever Draco fingertips dragged across his skin. He was trying very not to grin and hid the expression by pressing into the arch of Draco's neck, kissing a line down the pale sweat-touched skin.

Draco groaned, and as they bumped the edge of Harry's bed, he pushed Harry back onto it. Harry bounced onto the rumpled duvet and pushed himself back onto the pillows as Draco knelt on the bed, kicking off his shoes and straddling over Harry's thighs. He pulled his shirt over his head and let it fall onto the floor. Harry put his hands on Draco's knees, sliding them over the tight material.

"You drive me mad," Draco hissed between his teeth.

Harry grinned, "The feeling is mutual. Kiss me you, you ass-hat."

Draco ignored him and focused on unbuttoning Harry's fly, pulling the air from him as Draco's hand pressed against him.

Draco hands froze, "Are you wearing my pants?"

Harry's chest shook with suppressed laughter, "I told you! I told you I would!"

"You're an idiot," Draco said, his face gone completely red. He grabbed Harry's wrists and pressed them above his head, "A complete berk." He pinned his body tight to Harry's.

"So I should definitely do it again then?" Harry said.

"Shut up, Potter," Draco said, his voice rough.

"Make me," Harry said.

Draco raised an eyebrow and obligingly kissed him until he could no longer think straight.