Differentiating Thresholds

Chapter 7 - Interruptions

Care for a rematch, Malfoy?

The words hung in the air between them as they stood in the darkened Hogwarts hallway. The Quidditch pitch beckoned to him and who was he to resist the call? Slowly, a grin began to spread across Draco's face. Quidditch, flying, getting the chance to kick Potter's arse--the adrenaline was already pumping through his veins.

"You're on, Potter!"

Draco turned and took off at a run. He felt thirteen again, his only objective now as it had been then--to prove he was better than Potter. The footsteps behind him were getting closer and he chanced a glance back to see the same silly grin blooming across Harry's face. He couldn't help the laugh that erupted from his chest as he turned around and sprinted past the Great Hall. They burst through the front doors, side by side, arms and shoulders brushing as they ran down the narrow tree-lined path toward the Quidditch pitch.

"Think you can catch it this time, Malfoy?"

Draco couldn't help the smirk that graced his lips.

"Watch me."

He looked over to find Potter staring at him, face hidden in shadow. There was a gleam of white teeth when he smiled and as they reached the end of the path and the trees dissipated, the rest of Potter's face was slowly revealed. His eyes were sparkling, shining emerald in the moonlight, long black strands of hair whipping around his face. Draco smiled back, his heart speeding up in his chest and then berated himself. What was he doing?

Glad that they had finally reached the broom shed, Draco rested his hands on his thighs, practically doubling over in an effort to catch his breath. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Potter do the same.

Once they had both recovered, Harry got up and walked to the shed door pointing his wand at the lock. He muttered some words Draco was sure weren't Alohomora and the door flew open, Potter muttering Lumos so they could see inside.

There was an array of old brooms, some of which he was sure had to have been from their time at Hogwarts. Potter grabbed one of the newest looking ones and Draco caught a glimpse of the gold lettering etched into the handle--Starburst 3000. The broom was long and sleek, the handle artfully carved with shooting stars. Even the bristles on the tail looked unnaturally smooth, no doubt creating one amazing ride. But there were scratches on the underside showing its frequent use. Hoping there was at least another like it, Draco walked into the shed, Potter holding his wand aloft to illuminate the small space for him.

The rest of the brooms in the shed were old and ratty compared to the Starburst and Draco felt a niggling of irritation at the fact that Potter would once again end up with a better broom. But then a shiny black handle caught his eye and he smiled. It may not be the best broom anymore, but he knew how it handled, knew all of its nuances. After all, he had ridden that exact same broom almost every day for six years of his life. Draco grabbed the Nimbus 2001 and felt a slight tingle of magic rush through him. Oh, he was so ready for this.

Potter grabbed the Golden Snitch from the quidditch trunk that held the practice balls and the two men walked out onto the pitch.

The smell of fresh cut grass assaulted Draco's senses and he breathed in deeply. The stands loomed above them as he came to a halt at the center of the pitch. He still remembered the first time he had walked out there in his second year, the excitement and nervousness ebbing through his veins. The deafening roar of the crowd as they waited for Madam Hooch to start the game had only added to it. Instinctively, his eyes were drawn to the house banners which swung lightly in the breeze, the green and silver of Slytherin quickly catching his eye. Oh, how he missed those days.

"Ready?" Potter hovered a few feet off the ground, waiting.

At Draco's nod, Harry mounted his broom and sped off doing a circuit around the pitch. Draco followed suit a second later, pushing himself off from the ground. He wobbled for a moment, but his natural instincts took over and soon he was soaring around the pitch as he had done a thousand times over. Once he had completed a whole circuit, he came back to hover across from Potter, the Snitch wiggling impatiently in the Harry's hand.

They stared each other down, challenge behind each other's eyes until Harry raised his hand high the air between them and opened his palm. The Snitch fluttered its wings frantically for a moment before taking off into the night sky.

"Go!"

Potter's voice echoed around him and Draco took off without a hitch. He soared upwards, relishing the cool light air ghosting across his cheeks. He kept his eyes and ears peeled for the Snitch and for Harry who had flown towards the opposite end of the pitch. He spotted him a moment later, head titled upwards, eyes closed. Draco's mind flashed back to that night he had seen Potter in the hall praying and he wondered why he would be doing that now of all times. But then he was on the move and Draco mentally kicked himself. He had been listening for the Snitch.

The blond raced after him. He had to catch the Snitch this time or else Potter would be able to hold it over his head that he had never beaten him in Quidditch. He wanted to be the one to hold it over Potter's head and this was his chance.

Draco threw all his weight behind his broom and flew faster than he ever remembered, easily catching up to Potter. He spotted the Snitch not too far in front of them and leaned forward urging his broom to go faster. The Snitch swerved suddenly and headed towards the stands and he followed it, maneuvering his broom to the right. He turned too fast bumping into Harry and knocking him sideways. Unconsciously, Draco reached out and grabbed Potter's arm while the other man tried desperately to right himself. When he finally did, he sent a grin at the blond that almost stopped his heart.

"Geez, Malfoy, no need to kill me." Draco felt the brush creep across his cheeks.

"It was an accident, Potter."

"I know," Harry replied still smiling. "Lighten up, Malfoy. I was just teasing. Come on, let's go catch that Snitch." And he took off again, leaving Draco staring after him feeling like a complete idiot.

"It's on now, Potter," he muttered to himself as he sped off after the other man.

When he reached him, he saw the Snitch only inches from his hand and Slytherin instinct took over. Elbowing Potter hard in the ribs, Draco lunged forward and closed his hand around the Golden Snitch. But even as he did so, Harry came at him with an elbow dig of his own sending Draco whirling towards the ground. He heard Potter's gasp followed by "shit!" as he started to fall. The world became a giant blur before his eyes. He struggled to bring some semblance of control back to the broom before he went slamming into the ground. But then Potter was beside him, wrapping an arm around his waist, holding him upright as they both went diving toward the hard earth. Seconds before they slammed into it, he felt Potter's arm around his waist jerk him roughly backwards and then he was lying flat on his back on the pitch, Harry right beside him.

They lay side by side on the grass, panting heavily, Draco's limbs feeling jelly-like, as if someone had banished all the bones from his body. He stared up at the starry sky listening as both their breathing slowed to normal. Only when he felt the Snitch stop vibrating in his palm did he even realize he was still holding it.

"Well, look at that," he purred, opening up his palm and lifting it up to the moonlight. "I've caught the Golden Snitch. Potter, it seems your reign has ended." He knew he was smirking but he couldn't help it. It felt so great to finally beat Potter at something.

"Just couldn't resist, could you, Malfoy?"

"No," he answered simply and Harry laughed.

"That elbow to the ribs was very Slytherin of you," Potter said.

"Thank you," Draco replied and this time they both laughed.

They lay in comfortable silence and for the first time in a long time, Draco realized he felt completely and utterly relaxed. I almost feel normal again, he thought.

Potter shifted beside him, putting his hands behind his head. The action lifted the hem of the black shirt he was wearing, exposing a sliver of skin that, for a second, Draco couldn't tear his eyes from. Then realizing what he was doing, he lifted his eyes back to the sky, hoping the blush edging its way across his cheeks wasn't visible.

"Why didn't you join the Death Eaters?"

Annoyance flared in Draco at the other man's question. Couldn't they get through one hour without talking about the past? He had been enjoying himself and, as usual, Potter had to go and ruin it.

"Don't be stupid. You know as well as I do what a madman he was."

"The real reason, Malfoy." There was an edge of irritation in his voice and Draco heard him shift beside him again. He looked over to see Potter pulling a lighter from his pocket and lighting the cigarette he already held in his other hand.

"Smoke?" he asked after he had taken the first drag.

Draco took the proffered cigarette and inhaled. It had been almost a year since he had last smoked. He savored the flavor and felt himself relax. He handed the cigarette back to Potter and watched as he took another drag. Draco's eyes were once again glued to his lips as he watched the smoke rise from between perfect pinkness just as he had that first time.

"So you gonna tell me or what?" Potter turned to him, green eyes illuminated in the moonlight and Draco thought how easy it would be to drown in them, then chastised himself. When the hell did I get so damn mushy? And over Potter of all people. Get a grip, Draco.

"I didn't want to kill anyone," he answered quietly, turning back to look up at the sky. "And that's what I would have had to do. I would have been on one side of the battle, you or someone else I knew on the other and if we met face to face, I would have had to point the wand and kill you or Granger or Longbottom or anyone else. As much as I hated you and them, killing people I knew, my classmates, people I grew up with, well...I wasn't willing to do that." Potter handed him the cigarette and he took another long drag, then handed it back. "I'm not a killer."

They finished the cigarette in silence and then Harry bounded to his feet, reaching out a hand to help Draco up. He gladly accepted it.

"I never thought you were." Potter's eyes burned into his as he spoke. He could see the sincerity in them and gave him a slight nod in response.

They grabbed their brooms and headed off to the shed. Draco handed over the Snitch, fingers brushing lightly against Potter's. Harry just smiled as he placed it into the trunk and Draco felt his heart stop at the sight. Merlin, he was falling for Potter by the second. What was wrong with him?

They followed the path back up to the school in silence and once they passed through the massive wooden doors, Potter shocked him by heading down to the dungeons.

"Where are we going?"

"The kitchens. I figured after a workout like that we could use some sustenance." Harry sent him another of those impossible grins and Draco had to force himself not to smile back. "Unless you're too good to eat with the houses elves?" His eyebrow rose in challenge.

"I think I'll manage," Draco said with a smirk

The Hogwarts kitchens were not at all what he had expected. The kitchen itself was roughly the size of the Great Hall. Stainless steel dominated the appliances and workstations. It was a far more modern kitchen than he thought a wizarding school as old as Hogwarts would have. Right now there were only half a dozen house elves occupying it, but he could imagine how crazy it must look with a kitchen full of ugly, pointy-eared, little creatures. They hadn't even been there a minute before a house elf popped up in front of them. Draco thought he looked familiar, though he really couldn't tell; all house elves seemed to look the same to him anyway.

"Harry Potter, sir, what can Dobby do for you?"

"Dobby?" Draco's mouth fell open in shock as he stared at his old house elf.

"Master Draco?" Dobby's eyes were as wide as saucers. "Dobby was thinking Master Draco was dead." Dobby threw himself at the blond, arms wrapping around Draco's waist as he sobbed against his abdomen. "Oh Master Draco, Dobby is so happy you is alive!"

Draco's eyes went almost as wide as Dobby's as the house elf clung to him, bawling loudly. He stood there looking to Potter for help, but the other man was giggling like a schoolgirl. He looked down at the creature at his waist then at Harry and felt his own laughter bubbling up. The sound exploded from his chest and he doubled over in a fit of giggles, Dobby backing up from the two laughing men in confusion.

"Dobby is confused, sirs. Did Dobby do something to make Master Draco and Harry Potter laugh?"

The poor elf looked from one man to the other, wringing his hands. Draco caught a glimpse of the other house elves watching from all over the kitchen and it made him laugh even harder. He clutched Potter's shoulder to keep himself upright. Harry turned luminous green eyes on him, but he was no longer laughing, just smiling that stupid smile he seemed to be so fond of tonight. Draco's laughter died away at the sight, but he grinned warmly at the other man sensing the shift between them as he did so. There was no going back this time, no denying that it was Potter making him feel this way. And Draco felt a sort of freeness in the thought he couldn't even begin to explain.

He slid his hand down Potter's shoulder to his bicep and saw his eyes flicker at the action, saw the flare of golden erupt within green. He knew his eyes were mirroring Harry's, flecks of blue coming to life in grey and felt his chest warm at the thought. Potter parted his lips and Draco's eyes took in the delicate Cupid's bow, the perfect plumpness of his bottom lip. The taste would be all tobacco and sweat, he was sure of it. It was hedonistic and possibly the stupidest thing he could or would ever do but he wanted to kiss Potter all the same and have him kiss him back.

"Harry..."

His fingers gripped Potter's bicep harder and pulled him forward, satisfaction running through him when the other man didn't resist. They were almost chest to chest now, the heat from Potter's body rolling off him in waves. There was no nervousness, just a sense of calm as he stood there before him. He knew Harry was waiting for him to make the first move and so he did, leaning forward slowly, grey eyes locked on green, Potter's breath ghosting across his lips...

"Master Draco? What is you doing to Harry Potter, sir?" The poor elf looked scandalized.

Harry closed his eyes and groaned as Draco took a step back. He was going to kill Dobby. Of all the times that stupid little creature chose to interrupt...

"He was just going to tell me a secret, Dobby. Don't worry. Draco wouldn't have hurt me." The corner of Harry's mouth quirked up and Draco could feel his frustration disintegrating. "Could you make us some sandwiches, Dobby? And could we have two glasses of pumpkin juice as well?" Harry asked the little elf kindly.

"Oh yes, Harry Potter, sir. Dobby will be getting those." And with that, he scurried off.

"Well, that was...inconvenient." Potter hopped up onto the counter. Draco leaned back against the opposite counter, arms crossed over his chest. He watched Harry sitting cross-legged on the table, hair falling in a curtain around his face, elbows on his knees and face in his hands. He looked like a little boy sitting there but when he spoke the voice that came out was deep and masculine.

"Dobby has a tendency to pop up at the most inconvenient of times. Let's just say he caught me in a very compromising position once and the sight almost gave him a heart attack." He chuckled and Draco wrinkled his nose.

"Ugh. I don't think I could look at him again, knowing he'd seen me naked. Aren't you afraid he's wanks off to you every night?" Now it was Harry's turn to make a face.

"Christ, Malfoy! You just had to go and put that image in my head. Gross."

It was at this moment that Dobby chose to return with the plate of sandwiches and the two glasses of pumpkin juice. Harry's face turned beet red at the sight and Draco had to stifle his laughter.

"Thank you, Dobby." Harry could barely look at him as he took the proffered food. "We're just gonna go now...um...night." And he left the kitchen as fast as he could, the doors swinging in his wake.

"Is something wrong with Harry Potter, Master Draco?" Dobby was wringing his hands, giving the blond a worried look. Draco only laughed.

"He's just really hungry."

"Oh." Dobby didn't look too convinced, but bid him farewell anyway. "Goodnight Master Draco." He watched the house elf return to the other end of the kitchen before walking out into the hallway. He found Harry waiting for him, a look of relief washing over his face when he saw that it was Draco and not Dobby coming through the doors.

"I hate you, Malfoy. You know that?"

"I hate you too, Potter, so we're even." He smirked. "Great Hall?" he asked as they approached the ground floor. Harry nodded.

The Great Hall was just as Draco had remembered it. The enchanted ceiling glittered above them with hundreds of stars just as the sky had outside. Two large candelabras flanked the head table and were the only source of light in the room aside from the moonlight pouring in from the large stained glass windows that ran along the right wall. The house banners hung over their respective tables and that's when Draco noticed Harry heading toward the Gryffindor one.

"I'm not sitting at the Gryffindor table," he said petulantly. He began walking toward the Slytherin table when Potter stopped him.

"I'm not sitting at the Slytherin table," he mocked. Draco glared at him.

"Fine, Ravenclaw then. There's no way I'm sitting at the Hufflepuff table." He said the word as if it were the vilest thing in the world.

"What's wrong with Hufflepuff?" Harry asked and Draco could see him holding back a smile.

"The fact that you even have to ask, Potter, says a lot."

"You're such a snob, Malfoy."

Harry jumped up onto the table top and sat cross-legged, placing the plate of sandwiches in front of him. Draco followed mirroring his position. They dug into the sandwiches with gusto.

"So what papers was McGonagall talking about?" Draco asked through bites of his sandwich. Harry stared blankly at him. "In the office she mentioned something about papers being drawn up."

"Oh, that. My contract." Draco raised an eyebrow. "I'm taking over Flying Lessons next year. Hooch retired," he explained. "Of course, I'll be refereeing quidditch as well, which should be fun."

"No more chasing after dark wizards for The Boy Who Lived?"

"I think I've had enough dark wizards to last me ten lifetimes, thank you." He took a long gulp of pumpkin juice, draining his glass.

"So what have you been doing all this time?" Draco finished off his own pumpkin juice then leaned back on his hands.

"I traveled for a bit." Harry finished the last bite of his sandwich then leaned back on his hands mirroring Draco. "I just needed to get away. The press wouldn't leave me alone so I decided the easiest way to get rid of them was to disappear. I traveled all over Europe and Asia. Tokyo was amazing. You should have seen some of the things the Muggles came up with over there." Harry was grinning as he talked. "I swear there has to be wizards involved somewhere in the production of some of those products because it's just unbelievable." He let out a deep throaty chuckle then plopped down on his back and stretched out, his legs dangling over the edge of the table. He rested his head on his hands and gazed up at the enchanted ceiling.

"You know, after all these years, this ceiling still fascinates me," Potter stated dreamily.

Draco said nothing, just watched him between lowered lashes. Harry's jumper had ridden up just as it had on the pitch and Draco's eyes were once again drawn to it. He kept talking, whether oblivious to the way Draco was looking at him or purposely ignoring it, he didn't know.

"I've filled in for the Madam Hooch a couple times over the past two years and loved it. She took quite a nasty fall last month, fractured her hip. Guess she realized she was getting a little too old for the job and decided to retire before she breaks something else," Harry said with a laugh. He lifted himself up onto his elbows. "So that's how I got the job." And there was that grin again.

Harry hopped down off the table, gathering up the plate and glasses, Draco following. Just as they crossed the threshold between the Great Hall and the Entrance Hall, the dishes disappeared from his hands with a small pop.

"Minerva's left the Floo open in one of the classrooms so we don't have to disturb Severus," Harry said as they walked. "It should be down here."

Harry led them down a series of hallways Draco was sure weren't there during his Hogwarts days. He stopped to peer into one of the doors and was surprised to find what looked like a small library.

"Where are we?" he asked, positive he didn't remember any of these rooms.

"The Faculty Wing. There's a disillusionment charm on this part of the castle that doesn't allow students to see it. Only faculty and staff are permitted here. That's the Faculty Library." He indicated to the door Draco was standing in front of. "Some of the books in there are so full of dark magic they won't even risk putting them in the Restricted Section. You'd be amazed at what the teachers were hiding from us when we were students."

He opened the door across the hall and gestured for Draco to enter. The room was dark except for the bright green flames burning in the fireplace. A large pentagram was carved into the stone floor in front of them.

"It's a ritual room," Harry said from behind him. His breath ghosted across Draco's nape and the blond had to stop his eyes from fluttering shut in response. "It's been here for ages. Legend has it that this was Rowena Ravenclaw's personal study and that that there--" he reached a hand over Draco's shoulder to point at the pentagram "--was actually carved by the witch herself. Fascinating, huh?"

"Yeah, fascinating."

Potter's lips worked their way up his nape to his ear and then Potter's tongue was tracing the shell and this time he did let his eyes flutter shut. When Harry bit down softly on the lobe, Draco let out a small groan. Potter's mouth was like fire on his skin, burning him with every touch. Merlin, he wouldn't mind being bathed in fire if this is what it felt like.

"Malfoy..."

"Draco," the blond corrected him. "Call me Draco." He felt Harry's lips spread into a smile as he pressed another kiss at his nape.

"Draco," he whispered in his ear and Draco turned to face him. He was tired of waiting.

Slipping an arm behind Potter's head, Draco pulled him forward until their faces were only an inch apart. "Harry," he murmured before closing the gap between them. Draco ran his tongue over Potter's lower lip and smiled into the kiss. He tasted just as he had imagined he would, like sweat and tobacco with a swirl of pumpkin juice holding it all together. Hands encircled his waist pulling him flush against Potter's hard body. He nibbled on his bottom lip, sucking on it before pulling his mouth entirely away. Flushed and with slightly unfocused eyes, Harry stared at him for a moment before capturing Draco's lips beneath his own. Eyes still locked, he plunged his tongue into the cavern of Draco's mouth and when the blond reciprocated, he saw Potter's pupils dilate until only a thin band of green encircled them. Watching his reaction, watching the intensity in the other man's eyes was, to him, the most erotic thing in the world. He would never kiss Harry with his eyes closed again; he was sure of it.

"Oh Sibyl, are you sure that's what you saw?"

"Pomona, I'm absolutely positive. A frost will come and destroy them all. I'd suggest you take precautionary measures as soon as possible."

The two men simultaneously groaned, stepping away from each other at the sound of the women's voices. They stood staring at the door as Trelawney and Sprout made their way past the room, down the hall and out of ear shot.

"It never seems to fail, does it?" Harry asked when he was sure the two Professors were gone. Draco smirked.

"Maybe we should go before Dobby decides to show up again. Don't want to give him anything else to wank off to."

"Nice, Malfoy. Great way to kill the mood." But even as he said the words, he stalked over to Draco, grin wide on his face.

Harry kissed him again, but tenderly this time, his hands sliding up into the blond hair, thumbs rubbing circles against his temples. Draco felt, rather then heard the other man sigh into his mouth and when the kiss ended, they were both grinning like idiots.

"Ready?" he asked, green eyes alight with mischief. Draco nodded and Harry, laughing, ran into the flames and disappeared with a whoosh.