Title: Perfect Illusion

Disclaimers: Not mine

Warnings: Male X Male

Summary: Seven years post-Hogwart's, Harry stumbles across a familiar blond in Muggle England, not expecting to find his life becoming different from what it used to be.

They stand with their arms tightly around each other
a mixture of flesh, so rich in days
where the sea touches the land
she wants to tell him the truth

But the wind eats her words
where the sea ends
she holds his hand, trembling
and kissed him on the forehead

She carries the evening in her chest
and knows that she must wither away
she lays her head in his lap
and asks for a last kiss

and then he kissed her
where the sea ends
her lips, delicate and pale
and his eyes tear up

The last kiss was so long ago
the last kiss
he does not remember it anymore

Rammstein- Nebel

Chapter One

"Oh, piss off!" Harry Potter, savior of the world, bellowed to a car that he'd narrowly escaped from being hit by. Didn't anyone adhere to the color of the lights at the intersection? The former student angrily shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans as he stalked across the street. Much had changed for the Boy-Who-Lived in the past seven years since he completely annihilated every square inch of Voldemort into a pile of ashes. For one, he was twenty-four yet he carried the wisdom of man thrice his age with the hell he'd been through his entire life. His personality was the same except for the fact that he no longer tried to be the man that the wizard population had sculpted him into. He was himself and was free to do as he pleased without hiding the truth behind his Gryffindor bravery. With all that had been lost, it was a miracle that Harry had remained sane but Harry chose not to delve into the past and those that were dead. Instead, he embraced the fact that he was still alive and that those closest to him were alive as well. He would see those that had sacrificed himself for the cause in another life; he was positive of that.

The greatest change about Harry Potter was his appearance. He no longer wore those atrocious glasses but had went to a wizard specialist to have his vision repaired magically. The enchanting emerald eyes were even more vivid with the tiny swirls of obsidian and garnet floating near the pupils; a gift from Voldemort when the bastard had been finally defeated. He retained the scar prominent on his forehead but it no longer brought searing pain to him. Instead, it was a constant reminder of what had occurred in the past. His hair was as disheveled as always, the color having deepened into the darkest sable that glinted different shades of navy in the light. He was extremely tall, finally having grown into his height and was almost a couple inches taller than Severus. He was as slender as he'd been during school but with seven years of professional Quidditch had toned his muscles into the body of a god. Bronzed flesh was completely unblemished; underneath the layers of clothing was different story. Gashes marred his chest, arms, back, and legs. Though most of the scars had faded to being almost undetectable, those who did have the fortune of witnessing Harry's all too rare moments of being bare-chested in front of his friends, couldn't help but feel pity towards him at the obvious amount of suffering he'd endured during that final battle.

Quitting Quidditch had been Harry's decision. Albus had pleaded with him to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts and Harry had to oblige once Albus had told him that Hermione was expecting her and Ron's third child. So, much to Puddlemere's extreme disappointment, Harry had gave them his resignation just a week ago. Oliver Wood had tried to convince Harry to stay but his wheedling was met with a stony glare. It was still three weeks until school started and Harry had yet to come up with a course plan which was why he was in Muggle England in the first place. Remus Lupin visited a particular sweets shop every single day and had been since he was a boy according to Severus. Remus was a chocolate addict as opposed to Severus's coffee addiction and Harry's own obsession with all foods containing hazelnut. It was site better than being an alcoholic or druggie.

Kitty's was a quaint little shop in London and catered to wizards as well as Muggles. The woman who owned Kitty's was a witch herself. A tiny, petite little thing that adored Remus and Harry both to death and often didn't bother with being paid for her delicious sweets. Severus, on the other hand, was often shooed from the shop with a broom. Despite Remus's undying devotion towards Severus, it was hard for most to accept the fact that the lovely werewolf had managed to be ensnared by the sarcastic and terrible Potions Master. However, Harry knew that it was true love and that Remus had needed Severus's company at the time; it had been several months after Sirius's death that Severus had decided that it was time to make it known his lust for Remus. Over the years, the lust had turned into a mutual respect and love that Harry envied. It was a relationship that most people searched for but never could find. Harry being one of them. Although he'd had his fair share of relationships over the course of nine years staring with the entire sordid Cho affair, he had yet to find someone that made his life worthwhile.

All of Harry's remaining friends alive had paired into their respective relationships. Hermione and Ron. Lavendar and Seamus. Ginny and Dean. Oliver and the twins (Harry often wondered how exactly that relationship worked but he tried not to muse too much on it.) Neville and Parvati (who saw that one coming?! Harry surely hadn't.) Luna and Blaise. Justin and Hannah. Harry sighed. Everyone was so damn happy that it had Harry's teeth chattering. Perhaps it was his time to find the one that made his life special. It was hard though, when you were regarded merely for your appearance, money, and because you incidentally saved the world from a madman bent on genocide of the planet. The women interested in him had two heads; one on their shoulders and one in his wallet. It was highly disconcerting.

Before Harry knew it, he had collided with a solid structure and ungracefully fell onto his bottom. Frowning, Harry glanced at what he'd ran into only to blink dazedly. It was a person. It was rare that anyone could knock into him and make him fall considering how tall he was. Harry stared dumbly at the man. He recognized the man from some place, a distant memory in his mind. The most vivacious eyes that Harry had seen in his life peered into his own and Harry was disturbed by the deathly, eerie, calmness of the silver and sapphire eyes with the faintest flecks of ebony and ivory. Discovering that he was staring at another man, Harry blushed profusely. "I apologize. I wasn't paying any attention. Are you alright? It was a shock that you managed to-"

Harry was interrupted by the man's snort. The man with the lovely eyes rose to his feet and Harry couldn't see why he'd fallen in the first place unless the impact had been more intense then Harry had thought. The man barely reached Harry's shoulders and was slender but Harry could tell that he was no weakling; that was evident in the ripple of lean muscle as the man stretched the arm he'd fallen on. Harry glanced at him suspiciously, knowing he'd seen the other man before. The flaxen strands of hair primly tied into a loosely flowing ponytail, a few locks framing the elfin face. A long, pale scar went from the man's right eyebrow, across his aristocratic nose, to his left cheekbone. Now that was familiar but from where? Harry damned Voldemort for the slight amnesia he'd had upon waking from his three month long coma. "I'm fine and there's no need to apologize. It doesn't suit you." The man smirked, about to turn away and leave.

"What do you mean by that?" Harry demanded, brows furrowing and a scowl on his face.

The man patiently rolled his eyes. "Absolutely nothing. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to finish my errands without any further interruptions. Is that alright with you?" Dumbstruck, Harry watched as the blond man walked towards Kitty's. Harry followed, having the same intent of going there as the mysterious man. The man laughed. "Do I have a stalker now?"

"No," Harry glowered. "I'm meeting a friend at Kitty's. Is it a crime to walk on the same sidewalk as you, your worship?"

"Oh please forgive me for not admitting to a common peasant that this sidewalk is reserved only for nobility," the man jibed, throwing his hands into the air mockingly. The peculiar hued eyes slanted marginally at Harry's icy glare. "You know, you take being offended quite terribly. Are you above being slandered in return for your own teasing?"

Harry felt irritated and berated himself for doing so towards a stranger. Most people, all people, couldn't rile him like this infuriating man was. In fact, Severus was about the only one that remotely could irk him into wanting to snap his head off. It was a relief that at least Severus's attitude towards Harry hadn't changed one bit since he and Remus became a couple. "You started this. You shouldn't provoke people. It's annoying."

The man's laugh was bells to Harry's ears. The wizard mentally pinched himself. This was a man. "You're right. I shouldn't but it's entertaining to see the reactions that my oblivious prey have. You're queer. Queer haha and queer strange."

"Oh, I'm honored I've managed to make you laugh at my own expense. Can I at least have your name in return for my services rendered?" Harry smirked at his own creativeness. He was used to battling verbally with the best of them; Severus was the king of sarcastic and witty comebacks. "Or are you afraid I'll stalk you should you give me your name?"

"You couldn't stalk me if you tried," the man simply stated, confusing Harry. "You can call me Tom." The blond pushed the door open to Kitty's. 'Tom' immediately went to the section with the fritters. Harry gazed at Tom, pursing his lips in contemplation. Did he want to harass the man more or did he want to wait on Remus?

Harry's decision was made for him as the small witch that hardly reached Harry's waist ventured forth into her shop. She reminded Harry of the Sugarplum Fairy. Her curly hair was a violent shade of magenta that clashed creepily with her gold eyes. Most Muggles had no idea that Dotty was a witch until they glimpsed the slight angle of Dotty's ears-another aspect of her that had Harry envisioning her with wings and a glittering wand, sprinkling fairy dust on everyone and fattening them with delicious treats. "Oh, Mister Potter! Mister Lupin just sent postage that he would be a bit late. Apparently Mister Snape injured himself while performing a difficult concoction. Hallo, Mister Tom! I haven't seen you in a while. Where have you been hiding?"

Tom laughed, sampling an apple fritter. "I've been around. I realized that your cooking was making me fat, Dotty. You should be ashamed of yourself." Tom grinned at the sheepishly blushing Dotty. Harry frowned at the altercation. "Serious, I've been busy with moving to another city. I was hoping to kidnap you and hire you as my personal chef."

Dotty squealed. "Oh, Mister Tom! You're a terrible flirt!" Dotty blushed bright pink. "I can't leave my shop and Mister Potter and Mister Lupin. The poor men, they'd starve without me, you know? He needs fattening up!" Dotty prodded Harry's brick hard abdominal plane. "All muscle and no fluffiness. How on earth does any woman stand that?"

Tom couldn't restrain his chuckles as Harry indignantly touched his stomach. "Dotty, I thought women liked muscle. Why would you say I need to be fat?" Harry pouted, feeling a tad bit hurt by the insult of his strenuous work to make himself perfect.

"Apparently you haven't seen Dotty's husband. How a man like that landed a lovely lady like yourself is beyond my comprehension." Tom patted Dotty's curly head, avoiding the small woman's fists. "He's a swell bloke but is far too serious."

"How long have you known each other?" Harry inquired, a bit envious of Dotty and Tom's close friendship.

"Seven years," Dotty answered. "He was starving when I found him in the alley behind my shop. I was terrified but there was an aura to him that I trusted. I fed him, let him stay here until he was rested and just as quickly as he'd entered my life, he vanished but he came back and that's all that matters."

"Dotty, you tell everyone that when you meet them. I hardly think that Mister Potter wants to hear about by gone days. That was years ago. Anyway, I have to be going now. I have several more errands to finish before I can relax. Well, it was nice meeting you, Mister Potter. Perhaps we'll meet again some day." Tom sent Harry an undecipherable look as he kissed Dotty's head.

"My name's Harry."

"I see. Harry Potter," Tom spoke the name as if testing it's ability to roll off his tongue. However, there was a sudden gleam to Tom's eyes that had Harry blinking at distinguishing what it meant. With a wave to Dotty, Tom left Kitty's.

"I'm surprised you and Tom haven't met before," Dotty said, completely serious. "He comes here several times a day. Speaking of not having seen people around, you've haven't visited for a couple weeks. Everything all right in the wizard world or has another Dark Lord risen to power?" Dotty took a seat on one of the barstools at the counter.

Harry joined her, leaning his head into his hand as he rested his elbow on the countertop. "Everything's fine and no, there isn't another Dark Lord. I quit playing Quidditch due to Albus desperately seeking someone to replace Hermione because she's pregnant. Again. Merlin, how Ron handles their two kids is admirable but to actually want another one? He's insane. I figure by the time Hermione's unable to have children, he'll have beaten his own family's large numbers. Five years married and already three kids. Amazing. It almost makes me want to find me a wife to bear my kids."

"Oh Harry, you're so silly." Dotty giggled. "If I was any other woman I might have slapped you for saying that. Women aren't vessels for children. Ron loves Hermione and he loves the fact that he's a father. You mustn't forget, those involved in the War still remember what it was like to live each day like it was the last. It's possible that they forget that Voldemort's dead."

"Or Ron's Weasley gene is telling him to constantly reproduce."

"Your time will come," Dotty smiled. "Your luck with women is terrible. Why not try men for a while?"

Harry almost choked on the hazelnut biscotti he was eating. "What?! Are you a closet pervert or something, Dotty? You want me to bat for the same team and give up women for the rest of my life never to have children and-"

"You know that's not what I meant. I'm only saying that given your track record with women, that it might due you well to explore other options." Dotty smiled wanly. "Who knows? You might prefer the company of men to women. It's not that much of taboo any more in the wizard world and in some parts of the Muggle world it's wholly accepted." Dotty sighed at Harry's lost expression. "I'm not saying you have to end your relations with women. Just think about it. Oh, look, here comes Remus. I better make him some hot chocolate."

The site of Remus completely drove Dotty's suggestion from his mind for the moment. The werewolf looked more cheerful then Harry had seen him in a while. The deep, golden strands streaked with mocha and silver was once again trimmed to Remus's graceful throat. The kind, amber eyes were full of warmth yet always guarded due to the wolf living inside. He was still thin and Harry figured Remus would always be on the slender side but his lack of weight suited his just-a-little-smaller then average frame. "Hullo, Harry. I'm relieved that you look well. I had thought with your quitting Quidditch you might look a little worse for the wear."

"I'm fine with that. It was getting a little annoying anyway. Not only am I accosted for being the Boy-Who-Won but now as Quidditch's Golden Boy? I'm tired of being recognized. That's why I'm a little apprehensive to return to Hogwart's and teach. I doubt the students will even pay attention once they see me. It irritates the shit out of me."

Remus nodded sympathetically. "You'll just have to make them understand that you don't want that even if you must scream at them. Most of them were just children when the war reached it's zenith. The only reason they even know who you are is because of what they've been told or what they've learned in the history books."

Harry grunted, a hand sliding through his hair. "You're right, of course. You always are. How's our dear Severus? Dotty said that he'd injured himself?"

Remus sheepishly blushed, stirring his hot chocolate. "I was distracting him from performing a rather difficult potion. Instead of mixing nightshade, he added belladonna. The result was a rather nasty explosion that blistered his arm." Harry clucked disapprovingly. Remus frowned. "Severus should have more control in his lustful urges by now. It's not entirely my fault, you know."

"Never! Who would dare to incriminate Moony?" Harry teased, stealing a marshmallow floating in Remus's drink and popping it into his mouth. "It's not your fault that you're so damn sexy that it turns Severus's head when your around. You should know better, Remus. Anyway, I was wondering something before we get to business. Do you a tall, blond bloke named Tom that comes here?"

Remus shook his head. "I haven't heard of anyone by that name. Why?"

Harry shrugged. "It doesn't matter. Dotty seemed familiar with him so I thought you might as well. I brought you here to help me plan my curriculum. I've never been a teacher before and your expertise in the area would be most appreciated." Harry grinned lazily at Remus though internally, he wanted to know who Tom was and why he seemed so familiar.

.xxx.

5 pages. I did well. Yes, I am aware this is a new story and I deeply apologize. When plot bunnies decide to mate rapidly in my cluttered mind, I can't make them stop until I write my story down for all to read.

Please Review. It makes a starving author very happy.