Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.

Challenges listed at the bottom

Word Count - 1306

Warning for bad language and one sexual innuendo.

You Make My Temperature Rise

He was cold. So cold. Always cold.

He'd been warm, briefly, on his seventeenth birthday, but that was the last warmth he'd known. It was like all the heat had left his body and no matter what he tried, he just couldn't warm up.

Ron and Hermione couldn't understand, not when they were wrapped up in each other, the other's presence warming them simply by their proximity.

Harry couldn't help but think that soulmates sucked.

…

"I think I understand," Hermione murmured, shivering by the fire. He passed her another blanket silently, wrapping his arms around himself.

The tent was already cold, the British winter doing them no favours.

"How have you been coping with this?" she asked, her teeth chattering.

Harry shook his head. He hadn't been coping. That had been the point all along.

…

He was warm, and he didn't have time to think about it. Fighting for his life, for the lives of his friends, for the lives of everyone in Hogwarts, for everyone in wizarding Britain.

He didn't have time to ponder where, who, the heat was coming from.

As he walked to his death, he felt sympathy for whoever he was leaving behind… they'd have to deal with the cold for the rest of their lives.

…

He was cold again. He wandered the grounds of Hogwarts in the early morning sun. Nobody else was up yet, not that he could blame them. He'd thought he'd sleep for hours himself.

The castle was a mess, the forest not much better. Movement caught his eye and he turned to see a thestral nosing at the stump of a broken tree.

Harry paused, then walked towards it slowly, patting it gently when he reached it's side. Looking back at the castle, he couldn't help but wonder how many more of the people inside would be able to see these creatures.

The thought saddened him.

…

"I want to ask Hermione to marry me," Ron confided, as the two of the worked on the low wall of Harry's parents cottage.

Harry looked up, the hammer he'd been using to knock the bits of wall that were out of place away dangling in his hand.

"Huh. Well, you know she'll say yes."

Ron shrugged. "I don't know how to do it though," he continued. "I mean, she deserves a big gesture and a pretty ring and -"

Harry cut him off. "I'd just say 'I love you' if it was me, and then ask her to marry you. Hermione doesn't care about big gestures mate. She cares about honesty."

Looking thoughtful, Ron nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right. Have you got anywhere with…"

Harry shook his head at his friend's trailed off question. "No. I, erm. No."

No, he hadn't gotten anywhere. He was still cold.

…

He got the oddest spurts of warmth. Mostly at the Ministry, but occasionally, he'd get one at an Order gathering when he actually made it to them, or once, at Hogwarts when he'd been visiting Hagrid.

He'd given up searching, had never started searching if he was honest with himself. He had no reason to believe that anyone normal would want to be with him.

He seemed to attract the crazies of the world. Mostly harmless, sure, but the occasional psycho broke through.

It was tiring.

He didn't want to inflict that on anyone else.

…

Harry sat at his desk, filling out the last form before he could go home.

"Harry?"

He looked up to see the Auror Office receptionist, Julia, holding out a basket. "This was just delivered for you."

She set it on his desk.

"Do you know who sent it?" he asked, eyeing it suspiciously.

Julia shook her head. "No, but it went through screening so it's safe."

He nodded, smiling at her before she wandered off. There was a note attached, and he pulled it off gingerly.

Dearest Harry,

You make me warm inside. I want to eat you all up, but until then, why don't you eat this fruit all up. I hear it makes your cum taste better and I'd love to find out if that's true.

Your Soulmate

Ron found Harry staring at the note with a look of disgust on his face.

"What's up mate?"

"Why do crazy people gravitate towards me?" he asked, handing Ron the note.

Ron read it, laughed and tossed it in the bin. Did you feel a pulse of warmth when you received it?" he asked, raising his eyebrow.

Harry shook his head.

"Then you're right, mate. Just another crazy."

…

Harry was melting. He felt like he was on fire.

Terror swept down his spine as he looked around the room.

"Why did you make me come here?" he murmured to Hermione, who was staring at him with narrowed eyes.

"Testing a theory," she replied.

"What theory?"

"I know who your soulmate is."

As Harry swept from the meeting, two sets of eyes followed him, one triumphant, the other concerned. Hermione met concerned brown eyes with her own and smiled.

…

"Why are you here?" Harry slurred. "Shouldn't you be at home with your fiance?"

Ron grinned. "I'm feeling rebellious. How you doing?"

"Smashing!" Harry replied, his tone flat. He raised his glass to Ron. "Your fiance is insane."

"Because she told you that the Minister is your soulmate?"

"HE. IS. NOT!" Harry shouted, the pub going silent around them.

Ron shook his head. "Come on, mate. Let's get you home."

…

"You can't avoid him forever," Hermione scolded, shaking her head.

Harry had joined his best friends for dinner, but he was starting to wish he'd chosen to work an extra shift instead.

"Course I can," he replied quietly. "He's not an Auror anymore, it's hardly likely that I'll have to see him."

"The Minister's Speech is next week," Ron put in, rather unhelpfully in Harry's opinion.

He rolled his eyes. "It'll be the same as any other speech. The world is doing well, blah blah, he wishes everyone good health and prosperity for the new year, blah blah. I don't need to be there for that."

"Harry," Ron said, staring at his friend.

"What?"

"We've been scheduled to work the crowd of that speech. So… no mate. You can't avoid it."

"Fuck it all."

…

"Is there a reason you're avoiding me?" Kingsley asked, blocking the bathroom door with his stocky body.

Harry shook his head. "I'm not avoiding you. It's not like we 'hang out', Minister."

Snorting, Kingsley shook his head. "I understand if you choose not to pursue the soulmate bond, Harry, some people don't. I never thought you a coward though."

Harry frowned. "I'm not a coward!"

"Then why are you running and hiding away like one?"

Kingsley left Harry in the bathroom, his skin cooling with every moment that passed. He ran to the door, catching sight of the back of Kingsley's robes.

"Minister," he called out, trying to calm himself.

Kingsley turned to look at him, stopping where he was. "Are you ready to stop hiding?" he asked, his smooth tone making Harry shiver with desire.

Harry nodded. "Yeah. Yes, I'm done hiding."

…

It was a beautiful day for a beautiful occasion. Harry stood slightly to the side in formal, tuxedo-esque robes as he watched his two best friends get married.

"It was a lovely wedding," Kingsley said later, as the two danced, Kingsley holding Harry close.

Harry nodded. "And a long time coming."

Kingsley dropped his head to press a quick kiss to Harry's neck.

"I love you," Harry blurted out, before blushing, mortified. He'd never said it before, and he looked everywhere but at Kingsley as he tried to swallow his embarrassment.

"Harry. Look at me," Kingsley demanded softly.

Harry looked up, only to find Kingsley beaming down at him. "I love you too."

Written for;

Character Appreciation - 47. Rebellious

Book club - Hinzelmann - Fire / Fruit Basket / Prosperity

Showtime - 15. "I'd just say 'I love you' if it was me."

Ami's Audio - 23. Someone avoiding another person.

Lo's Lowdown - 7. Thor - Hammer

TV Addict - 8. Bates Motel - "Why do crazy people keep gravitating towards me?" / Desire / Psycho

Easter, Build A Bunny - Plush Heart - Someone saying I love you for the first time.

Auction Prompt - Thestral