Note: Welcome to the chaos. This story is an experiment. Where it is going? I have some ideas. I have been watching way too much gay drama lately. Anyway, please read and review. I enjoy feedback, and if you're reading this after Hidden Desires, thank you for having read that one as well! I haven't done much writing since then, but here is something.

Author: D.J. Dresden

The characters are not mine, they are Rowling's. Since she is free to turn Dumbledore gay, however, I figured I'd turn a few gay myself. Thanks.

Summary: After years apart, Harry and Draco have a chance meeting that screws everything up in their lives. Harry is currently engaged to be married to none other than Cho Chang, and Draco is immersed into a lucrative world of drugs and sex. The question becomes - what exactly is a meaningless fling between enemies?

What's a meaningless fling between enemies?

Dead in Paradise

I Want You.

i.

At any other time and place, I could love you easily. But the time is now and the place is here. They say the war is over, and we can all be free. But if the evil is truly gone, why am I still stuck? I, for one, know that what they say isn't true. Who are they, anyway? When were 'they' given the authority to dictate to us what is and what is not supposed to be? No matter what world we are in, whether it is one full of magic or one that cowers in fear at the thought of magic, we will never be free.

"It makes me wonder what kind of life this is. What is the purpose of a life without freedom, peace, and love? To never truly fulfill our desires and lead a satisfying life?"

"What the fuck are you rambling about?" asked Draco drowsily, shifting around under the warm covers. He snuggled up to Harry's bare body and kissed the other boy's shoulder. His silver eyes opened, and he blinked a few times, his eyelashes brushing against Harry's skin.

"I am getting married," Harry said plainly, eyeing the clock but unable to see the time since he was not wearing his glasses. He narrowed his emerald green eyes, squinting slightly, but he still could only see the dark blur of the clock's hands. It was well past the time to leave, and he was aware of that. Lounging around with Draco Malfoy during a rainy afternoon was not the wisest of choices, but it had not stopped him from doing so. As his mind wandered, however, Harry could not entirely remember how he had ended up in bed with the ex-Slytherin.

"I know." Draco's voice was barely above a whisper as he buried his face into the side of Harry's upper arm. The brunette's scent was intoxicating to him, but he had to remind himself that this was a meaningless fling and meant nothing. It had, at least, meant nothing to Harry.

"So I should probably go," Harry commented dully while pulling his arm away from Draco's affectionate touch. Sitting up, he blindly began to feel around on the nightstand for his glasses. When he finally found them, he began another blind search for his pants, but it was to no avail. "I am turning the light on," he warned.

As Harry switched the light on, Draco covered his eyes and whined dramatically. "The fucking light! It's blinding me!" He peeked through the space between his fingers and watched the naked boy search for his pants. Harry's skin was sun kissed from being outside constantly and staying active. Draco uncovered his eyes and raised a dirty blonde eyebrow at the sight of Harry's abs. Somehow the blonde stopped himself from making a comment about how fit the other was.

Draco knew that he could not provoke Harry right now. Not with tender comments or lighthearted quips, for Harry despised Draco just as much as he always did.

It was like déjà vu. The same routine had taken place multiple times before. They met, they fucked, and Harry left. Generally he did this while Draco was still asleep, never giving the other boy a chance to give him a kiss goodbye or a farewell blowjob. Draco would be left alone to keep himself warm.

Harry got his jeans up around his narrow hips and buttoned them. After he slipped his t-shirt back on, he headed for the doorway. He glanced back over his shoulder at Draco, who was wearing a solemn expression. His own face was equally as mirthless. "You know this is the end, right?"

It seemed that the words they exchanged never were kind at this point. Draco moistened his dry lips. The warm air had left them feeling chapped and split. He hungered for them to meet Harry's lips once more, but he refrained from requesting this.

After some hesitation, Draco finally said, "Yeah."

With this Harry looked away and slammed the door shut behind him. Draco was alone once more.

In the back of his mind, Draco wondered if Harry would be happy. It was true that the dark haired man was going to get married and to a woman that Draco found himself abominating with every ounce of hatred he possessed: Cho Chang. She had been stunning in school but now that she was adult, she was every bit as beautiful as everyone thought she would be. The long flowing dark hair, the sienna eyes, and the dazzling white smile all made the blonde man want to vomit profusely; an immature reaction to say the least.

The insistent ticking of the clock reminded him that he needed to get up from bed. His muscles still ached from the previous night as he sat up and made his way to the bathroom to get a shower. He had to rid himself of Harry's scent.

As Draco stood under the hot water, feeling it fall directly on his head and mat his platinum hair down, he let his eyes fall shut.

"I love…" his voice trailed off and it seemed distant to him. Letting his head rest against the dampened tile wall in front of him, he exhaled heavily. If he had the ability to cry, surely he would have done so.

"No one," he finished his rhetorical statement finally, "I can't."

Three Months Earlier

It had been approximately one year, three months, and four days since the war had been over. Body counts were still not complete and there were still steady reports of loss every day. No magical family was immune from the devastating events that had taken place with the return of Lord Voldemort. The Ministry of Magic was in complete chaos and disarray, along with the rest of the magical world. There was no order anymore. Laws were disregarded. Buildings had crumbled pathetically without anyone to magically repair them. Hospitals were full of patients covered in irreversible hexes that would probably plague their bodies for the rest of their lives. Children, who had lost their parents, were sent to orphanages that barely fed them or cared for them at all. Many witches and wizards had had to make choices that they never dreamed they would have to make.

Draco Malfoy had had to make a choice as well: leave the magical world and do not return. Though it may have sounded simple, it was difficult to abandon everything he had ever known. His father and mother had fled. Something Draco had not expected from his mother, though he knew her maternal instinct had always been poor. The woman had left her son behind – Draco had to fend for himself. So now, Draco turned his back on a life that was all too familiar to him, for a life of which he knew nothing.

But the streets of London were beautiful and the clubs were far more provocative than the ones he had visited in the magical world. The living quarters he had assumed were a measly bedroom/bathroom/kitchenette/living room/crammed with too much shit flat. Though he was not aware of it, the glorious bohemian lifestyle that he had achieved would have made some others envious. Draco despised it along with everything that was muggle-like.

Somehow during his stay in the non-magical world, Draco had slowly lost contact with everyone in the magical world. When it had finally occurred to him that he had, he realized that he did not miss those people at all. Though, it felt like he was caught between two worlds where he had no feelings for the people in them.

So it was too his complete surprise, and absolute disdain, when his eyes met a familiar face in a muggle coffee shop one snowy afternoon. Yes, coffee. Draco had developed a taste and a craving for the sour ass-like beverage. Coffee left that bitter, yet, sickeningly sweet taste in his mouth, which was so reminiscent of his own life it made him angry. An odd reason to return periodically and buy the hot beverage that made him cringe.

He stood there, a million memories flooded back to him as he stared at the brunette boy- turned-man. Delicate strands of silvery-white fell into his light eyes. He seemed to be a perfect reflection of the snow that fell outside.

Then the man turned, and Draco felt himself freeze. Eyes met. As much as the blonde wanted to simply pivot and walk away, he could only stand there planted in a single spot. The weather had turned furiously cold as winter pursued and snow fell. Draco had bundled up in an attractive charcoal colored coat, a chic addition to the muggle wardrobe that he had obtained, and a navy scarf that covered the paper-like skin of his pale throat.

Draco's face was startling to Harry Potter.

Both stood there, eyes fixed on each other. Each man was suspicious of the other as they simultaneously reached into empty pockets only to realize their wands were not present; a habitual response.

But then Harry smiled. Draco sneered that this. Why the fuck is he smiling? Draco thought.

Harry slowly approached Draco, holding a steaming cup of joe and wearing the same elusive smile on his lips. Wearing only a light jacket, Harry's own neck was exposed to whatever the elements had to throw at him. Draco continued to stand there, suspicious but curious.

"Malfoy," Harry's tone was as cold as the blizzard that raged outside the doors.

When Draco said nothing in response, Harry continued. "Lovely weather we are having."

Why is he trying to make conversation with me? Draco thought. "What?" He blurted in response.

"The snow," Harry said, looking out the window briefly before turning his gaze back to the blonde.

This is ridiculous, thought Draco. "Right," he responded. He finally realized he could move his legs, and he decided that it would be for the best if he just left as soon as he could. There was something far too odd about Harry's semi-friendly demeanor and it frightened Draco.

Turning to walk away, Draco felt his arm being caught in the other man's strong grip. "It's over now," Harry said while his eyes focused on the blonde's profile.

"What?" Draco asked again only to realize he was beginning to sound redundant.

Harry smiled kindly as Draco met his eyes once more. "What you did before it was over was far braver that what I ever expected from you," said the brunette in a quiet tone.

Draco felt a chill course through his body. He tugged his arm away from Harry's hand and furrowed his brow. "I don't need to tell me about my supposed acts of bravery, Potter. Besides, I didn't do shit."

"No?" Harry asked. He vaguely wondered why he was trying to make conversation with someone who clearly was not making the effort back. "Maybe I am imagining things."

"This conversation isn't taking place," replied Draco through his teeth. "Not here. Not now. Not ever." He turned and walked out of the coffee shop.

If he follows m-

The blonde man's thought was cut off by the sound of Harry's voice. "Wait up!" Draco turned around, facing Harry's pleading eyes.

"What do you want?" Draco was growing impatient.

"To talk," Harry said quickly. "I know that you still hate me, and I am not thrilled with you either. Our relationship, obviously, wasn't a good one during Hogwarts. But you're just one of the first people I've seen since then - and here of all places." He looked around the busy streets. Nothing stopped the city from bustling with people, not even the weather. A parade of taxies passed as the two men faced each other.

Draco turned and began to walk only to have Harry keeping up with his strides alongside him. "Well you've gone this long without seeing me. I have done quite wonderful without your excruciating presence in my life. I think you will do fine without me in your life as well," Malfoy said dully. "I didn't do anything. You must have hit your head."

Harry made a face. "You abandoned all of the Death Eaters, though?"

"Yeah, so?"

It surprised Harry how quickly Draco had responded to this, and he looked at the other young man with widened eyes. "I don't think you're as much of an asshole as you'd like people to think."

"What do you know about me?!" Draco snapped, staring incredulously at Harry. He could not understand why any of this was happening.

"I know that I've almost known you for ten years and you have proceeded to surprise me numerous times. Generally in a negative way," Harry began, looking thoughtful. "You think you're a badass, but you're still humane. I know that your father didn't love you as much as you loved him…"

"You're fucking crossing the line, Potter," growled Draco.

"I know that I like you a lot, and I know…"

Draco cut Harry off this time. "What?!" he responded loudly.

"Hm?" Harry put his finger to his lip. "You didn't know that?" The black haired man wore an expression of innocence.

Malfoy cocked his head to the side and looked at Harry in disgust. "What do you mean like me?" He thought Harry was somehow being condescending. "Faggot! You're insane." He shook his head. "You've fucking lost it…"

Harry wore a mischievous smirk and followed behind Draco. "Oh come on, Draco! We can be friends, right?"

"That's Malfoy to you, Potter. We never were and never will be on a first name basis," fumed the blonde.

"Okay, Malfoy," Harry said. "You like the idea of friends, though."

"I don't! Because you're a goddamn delusional freak!" Draco responded impatiently. He turned around and was face to face with Harry, the tip of his nose was mere centimeters from the other man's nose. "Goddamn it."

Harry smiled and got out a piece of paper along with a pen. He scribbled something down on it and handed it to Draco. "I'm having a get together Saturday," he said. "Info is on the paper. I think that you should come and stop pretending that the past is completely erased just because you've chosen to ignore it." Warm green eyes met seething silver eyes. At this point, Harry was just forcing himself on Draco to piss the blonde off more.

Draco half-heartedly took the piece of paper that Harry shoved into his hand and growled quietly. "I'm not coming, you nut!" he called after Harry as the other man walked away from him.

"Yeah, yeah, you will," he heard Harry say in a confident tone.

At this Draco sneered again and walked in the opposite direction.

He hated it when the Gryffindor was right.

- - -

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