Summer Rain

Chapter One

It was five years almost to the day since that fateful night on the beach.

Harry had searched for Draco for almost a year and had no luck in locating him. The only information Harry had been able to extract was from Snape, who told Harry that Draco had left on his own accord and wasn't 'missing'. He did not, however, tell Harry Draco's location.

Draco's departure broke Harry's heart. He had no idea why Draco had left him without explanation and immediately after their special night on the beach. They had been through so much together and Harry could not think of a single thing that happened or was said that would that would push Draco to leave.

Eventually, Harry gave up his search, but it took a further year for him to even begin to get over his broken heart. In fact it was more than three years after Draco left that Harry started dating again. He dated sporadically for awhile before he met someone special, whom he had now been with for a year and a half.

Lucas O'Connor certainly was no Draco Malfoy, but he was sweet and caring and Harry enjoyed his company. Lucas was from Australia and Harry thought his Aussie accent was cute; he stood at 6'3" much taller than Harry's 5'8", and he had shoulder length auburn hair and blue eyes. He was a wizard and Harry met him in their workplace.

Harry became a mediwizard after he defeated Voldemort and worked at St Mungo's Hospital in the children's ward. Lucas was also a mediwizard and was backpacking in London when he came to work as a temp at St Mungo's in Harry's ward.

Six months previously, due to landing a perfect job and his relationship with Harry, Lucas had decided to stay in London indefinitely. Harry knew Lucas wanted to move in with him, but Harry was hesitant.

There was always a tiny piece of Harry's heart that believed Draco would return to him.

After Draco left, Ron and Hermione, whom Harry now only saw every other week, if that, due their recent induction into parenthood, had tried to convince Harry that he was better off without Draco, and had urged him extensively to date other men, or even get back together with Ginny, who was now the flying instructor at Hogwarts. They were overjoyed when Harry's relationship with Lucas became serious; they both adored Lucas and regularly tried to hint to Harry to take the next step with him.

Harry always changed the subject.

Harry now waited outside a fancy Italian restaurant in the centre of London. Lucas had invited him out to dinner and had suggested they make the night 'special'. Harry hoped Lucas wasn't going to try and broach the subject of cohabitation again, and it was enough to eradicate Harry's appetite completely.

Harry ran his hand through his hair and adjusted his clothes. His fashion sense had improved slightly since school. He now, at least, managed to put together a decent outfit that fit him and matched. His dark hair was short and he wore it spiky with the just-out-of-bed gelled look. It worked on Harry and he got away with his messy hair as a fashionable look and it suited Harry fine because he didn't have to do much to get it 'styled'. He still wore glasses a lot of the time (though smaller and thinner frames), but opted for contact lenses when he went out or was at work.

Harry was startled when a warm pair of arms wrapped around his waist from behind. "Hello gorgeous," Lucas purred in his ear in his sweet accent. Harry turned and grinned at his boyfriend and gave him a soft kiss as Lucas handed him a single rose.

"Hi, honey," Harry replied and took a small sniff of the rose. "This is sweet. Thanks. Shall we go in then?"

"Yep, in a sec," Lucas said and took Harry's free hand into his. "Harry, I know you are shit scared I'm going to ask that we move in together again, so I'm just going to say right up that I'm not going to hassle you with that about it anymore until you come to me and tell me you want to move in, ok?"

Harry visibly relaxed and his appetite returned with a vengeance. "Thanks, Luke. I appreciate it." Lucas squeezed his hand and smiled at him.

"Even though I don't know the details, I know you've had a difficult past and you had a rough time with your ex, so I'm not going to push you into anything. We'll move completely on your time, Harry." Harry gave him a firm kiss.

"Let's go, I'm starving." Harry pulled Lucas into the restaurant by his hand.

The Maitre d' approached them with a huge, welcoming smile. "Good evening gentlemen. We have a full house tonight. Have you booked?"

"Yes, table for O'Connor please," Lucas said politely. The Maitre d' smiled, nodded and led them to their candlelit table at the back of the room in a secluded corner.

"This is great, Lucas," Harry said enthusiastically as he sat down. "You can order for me, I can eat anything right now."

Lucas quickly ordered some wine and their meals, all the while holding Harry's hand across the table. Harry watched Lucas intently with a small smile on his face and started to wonder if maybe he should reconsider his stance on the living together issue.

Harry was laughing happily at a joke Lucas just told when their meals arrived.

"Mmmmm, this smells lovely!" Harry inhaled deeply over his plate of pasta. Lucas picked up his fork and glanced over Harry's shoulder for what Harry thought was about the tenth time since they sat down.

"What are you looking at?" Harry asked in exasperation and went to turn around.

"Wait! Don't be so obvious, Harry. There's just this bloke a few tables away that keeps perving at you. He's hardly taken his eyes off you since we walked in," Lucas said twirling some spaghetti carbonara on his fork and taking a big bite.

"At me?" Harry snorted and, never one for subtlety, spun around abruptly and his eyes met the piercing grey gaze of Draco Malfoy.

Harry stared, horrified, and couldn't tear his eyes away; he felt like someone had dumped ice water down his back. It was only when Draco blinked that Harry was torn from his trance. He turned back into his chair and started breathing deeply in panic.

Harry's stomach plummeted and the food in front of him caused him to dry heave. He pulled his napkin urgently out of his lap and struggled out of his chair. "I... I don't feel so good," Harry choked out to Lucas but couldn't meet his eye. Harry didn't even grab his jacket before he tore out of the restaurant, well aware of Draco's eyes still on him.

Harry burst out of the restaurant's front door and stumbled over to the gutter and vomited violently. As his lunch poured out onto the street, Harry became aware of a warm hand holding his head and another rubbing his back.

Once Harry's stomach was empty and he was reduced to dry heaves, he took a few long breaths to try and calm his roiling stomach and then stood up and turned to his companion. Lucas was standing beside him with his hand still resting on the small of Harry's back; he handed Harry a handkerchief to wipe his mouth. "Are you ok now, love?" Lucas asked, his eyes deep with concern.

Harry looked over Lucas's shoulder and saw Draco standing a few feet away holding Harry's jacket. Harry started to shake and continued to glare at Draco. Lucas turned around and saw the blond from the restaurant who was staring at Harry.

"Oh, thanks for bringing out his jacket," Lucas said, oblivious to the intensity of the situation. He stepped forward to reach for Harry's jacket but Draco kept a tight grip on it.

"Harry --" Draco started hesitantly but Harry cut him off.

"FUCK YOU, MALFOY!" Harry screamed and then apparated with a loud crack, leaving his current and ex boyfriend staring at each other in the street.