Harry was gone when Draco woke up. At least this time there was a note, neatly folded and placed on the nightstand next to Draco's wand.

Draco sat up and reached for it, feeling curiously depressed. He wished he had been awake for Harry's departure, if only to say goodbye.

He unfolded the parchment and read the words slowly.

Draco,

I wanted to wake you up and say thank you, not just for last night, but for everything, except that I'm pants at expressing myself with anything other than a wand. My life has changed completely since the night you walked into the club to fetch me. I will always be grateful for that.

And last night was incredible. I would wax poetic about it, but then I would sound like an idiot and you would likely not believe half of it, so let me just say that I'll treasure the memory forever. You are a wonderful person, Draco Malfoy, and I'm very glad to have known you.

Affectionately,

Harry

Draco read it through several times and then glanced at the clock on the wall. 9:38. Shit.

He threw aside the blankets and snatched a black dressing gown from the wardrobe. Ten o'clock, International Portkey, he had said. There was no time to do anything other than cast a quick Toothbrushing Charm and drag a comb through his hair before rushing to the fireplace and tossing a handful of powder at the flames.

The International Portkey Office was near the Muggle airport. It was also one of the most convoluted buildings on the face of the planet, and packed with people rushing to and fro, trying to reach their destinations, towing luggage, animals, and children.

Draco dodged a portly toddler riding a broom down the corridor and then narrowly missed being trampled by the child's mother, who shrieked at him to come down at once! Draco pressed on until he reached the magical reader board, whose glowing letters announced the rooms for the various departures.

Draco scanned the words frantically until he found it. New York City, 10:00 am, Marie Antoinette Chamber, 5th floor.

He cursed as he joined the ranks of late travellers rushing through the halls. The queue for the lift was huge, so Draco opted for the stairs, pounding up them two at a time. He was heartily winded by the time he reached the fifth floor, and made a mental vow to stop eating cream with his crumpets.

The Marie Antoinette Chamber was thankfully not much farther, and Draco burst into the massive room only to slide to a halt when he noticed that all eyes had fixed on him. He cared nothing for the stares, all except one.

"Draco!" Harry said in surprise before his eyes slowly took in Draco's attire. A smile curved his lips, those same lips Draco had kissed to swollen redness the night before. "Come to see me off?"

Draco's eyes flicked first right and then left, registering the presence of Harry's usual bookends, Weasley and Granger. Weasley looked bitterly annoyed to see him. Granger simply bestowed him a speculative stare.

Draco lifted his wand and cast a Muffliato, allowing himself a moment of smug satisfaction at shutting out Harry's former minions.

Harry's eyes went to the large clock on the wall. The long hand clicked forward. Two minutes left. He looked at Draco again with a curious expression. Draco knew he only had one shot at it.

"Last night, when I said 'don't leave'," he explained, "I meant don't leave."

Harry gaped at him. "You mean—?"

"Please," Draco added, deciding he was not above begging, at least just this once.

"Draco, I…"

It should have been a refusal, but it didn't sound like a refusal and Harry was not shaking his head, nor was he backing away and looking at Draco like he wanted to flee. Draco took a single step forward.

"I know. You quit your wretched job and you're supposed to go to America and you have no reason at all to stay here, but…" His words trailed off and he suddenly realized he must look completely insane, wearing a dressing gown and house slippers and practically begging in a manner that would have his ancestors turning in their graves.

And then none of that mattered because Harry was striding forward and cupping Draco's face with both hands and saying, "Maybe I do have a reason to stay."

Granger and Weasley both started chattering at once. Granger pointed out the time and gestured at the Portkey queue while Weasley made spluttering noises and simply repeated, "Malfoy? Are you mad? Malfoy?"

Harry ignored all of it and continued to kiss Draco until the Portkey was gone.

"Are you staying, then, Harry?" Granger asked when the kiss finally ended. Draco was nearly too dazed to catch the amusement in her voice.

"Yeah, I'm staying," Harry said with a laugh. "In fact, I think I'll escort Draco home. I'll owl you later."

"Much later," Draco added and then gave Ron Weasley a wink just before Harry Apparated them home.

Epilogue

Draco opened his eyes to find a vivid green gaze staring back at him. It was almost hard to catch a breath through his sense of relief and he reached out to touch Harry's cheek with a smile.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked.

"Watching you sleep. It's lovely. You look so peaceful and adorable, perfectly relaxed. I think I've found a new hobby."

"I find that slightly disturbing."

Harry laughed. "I'll try to limit it to times when you're actually asleep, then. That way, you'll never know."

Draco frowned. "You've become rather wicked, Chosen One."

"Indeed. Shall I demonstrate some of my wicked talents, Mr Malfoy?"

"What do you have in mind, Mr Potter?"

"Here, I'll show you," Harry said in a low tone and reached out to run a hand over Draco's hip. Within moments, Draco was on top of Harry, kissing him passionately, while Harry's hands worshipped Draco's arse with languid caresses and gentle squeezes.

Draco had thought Harry sexy the night before, but he looked even better now, with his hair gleaming dark against the white pillow and an almost reverent expression on his face as he stared up at Draco.

Draco leaned down and kissed him, knowing he was lost, but strangely not panicked by the idea, not with Harry looking at him like that.

"I want you, Draco," Harry said hoarsely. "I want you inside me."

Draco had to close his eyes for a moment as he fought for control of his own voice. "I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be."

Harry's wondrous spells were quickly cast and then Draco pushed into his heat, wondering, despite himself, the identity of the last man allowed such a privilege. He forced down a rush of jealousy with determination, knowing it did not matter at all, since Draco planned to fuck him well enough to eradicate the memory of anyone before him.

Harry chuckled and Draco stopped for a moment to stare at him. "Whatever brought on that gorgeous expression," Harry said, "I approve."

Draco had to smile, especially when he thrust forward, earning a gasp from the Chosen One and changing his amused visage back to something far more erotic and needy.

"Draco," he breathed and his fingers tightened on Draco's arse.

"That's better," Draco said.

"Oh, you still win for wickedness," Harry assured him.

"Don't you forget it," Draco replied and then set about showing Harry just how wicked he could be, bringing him to the brink of orgasm and then backing off, more than once, until he was nearly begging. Somehow Draco didn't think any of Harry's former lovers would be a problem in the future.

"Please, Draco. Please," Harry cried, arching his back and dragging his nails over Draco's skin. In truth, Draco had resorted to thinking unsexy thoughts about Millicent Bulstrode in order to keep his own orgasm at bay.

"Yes," he said soothingly and thrust one last time, stroking Harry's incredible cock as he did so. The result was amazing. Harry screamed Draco's name and hot fluid gushed between them. Draco could not even spare a moment of amusement at annoying the neighbours, because Harry was tightening around him so brilliantly that he saw white for a moment.

As he fell atop Harry in a limp heap, gasping for breath, he could only wonder if it would be this astonishing every time. He wanted to find out.

"I bow before your greater wickedness," Harry said. "I believe you own my soul after that." His hands drew over Draco's skin, soothing the marks his fingers had to have left there.

"You only believe I do? I shall have to work on making you certain."

"I look forward to it," Harry said and kissed him again.

Later, sprawled next to a freshly cleaned Harry—some of the cleaning having been done by Draco's tongue—he asked, "What do you plan to do today, Boy Who Has No Job?"

"That's Man Who Has No Job, impertinent brat," Harry replied with a grin. "I plan to go to the Ministry and demand my job back." He paused and added, "My Auror job."

Draco nodded approvingly and then smiled wickedly at the thought of Shacklebolt's expression when Harry made that particular announcement. He might have to accompany Harry just to witness it.

"And if they refuse to give it to you?" Draco asked.

"I've been thinking about that," Harry said. "While I was watching you sleep." He laughed as Draco poked him in the side. "If Shacklebolt plans to be an arse, I think I'll open my own agency. A detective agency, or something. I have enough friends still in the Auror Division that I'll be able to use them as a resource. Either way, I'll be doing something to help people, instead of frittering my life away."

Draco opened his mouth, but a flash of light appeared next to the bed—the Minister's Patronus. Malfoy, I need you to locate Harry Potter and bring him to the Ministry for questioning.

Draco laughed as the Patronus disappeared. "I think I'm going to enjoy that. Are you going to come quietly, Potter?"

"I don't know, what will you do to me if I resist?" Harry asked in a purring tone, leaving Draco speechless as he envisioned such a scenario. He shook it off, but mentally made a note to revisit that particular conversation later.

"I'll think of something," he said lightly. "Will you wear your Order of Merlin to your meeting with Shacklebolt?"

Harry snorted a laugh. "I don't know; I rather like it where it is."

Draco craned his head to look at the gleaming medal, now pinned to the front of Draco's pants. Harry had declared Draco's cock deserving of an Order of Merlin and attached it with a solemn ceremony that nearly had Draco in tears with laughter. They both snickered.

Draco sobered and said, "I've been thinking, too. While sleeping, because I'm talented that way."

Harry grinned and lifted a hand to brush Draco's hair away from his forehead before cupping his jaw and leaning in for a kiss. "You're talented in a lot of ways."

"Don't distract me, Potter. This is important."

Harry made a humming noise and pressed kisses over Draco's face. "Keep talking. I can listen and worship your body at the same time. I'm rather good at multitasking."

When Harry's kisses reached his collarbone, Draco was not sure he could keep talking through the reawakening desire. He refused to admit defeat, however, and ploughed ahead. "Whether or not you get your job back, I want you to think about running for Minister."

Harry stopped tantalising him with kisses and reared back to stare at him in surprise.

"I am serious," Draco said. "You'd be brilliant at it, especially with me to help you. If you still want me by then, I mean." He put a finger to Harry's lips and continued sternly. "You know Shacklebolt is doing a shite job. He was an excellent Auror, but he's bollocks at politics. The Wizengamot has Shacklebolt in its pocket and the senile old cretins have no concept of how things need to change. You aren't afraid to stand up to them, Harry, and neither am I. No one would ever accept me for the job, but you… Well, you're you, Harry. I know you could do it."

Harry seemed to shake off his astonishment with effort. "I never thought to have your support with something like that."

Draco glared at him. "Don't pretend that you know me at all, Potter. You have a lot to learn."

Harry's hand trailed quickly over Draco's abdomen in a soothing gesture. "I'd like to learn," he assured him. "I'd like to learn everything about you. Starting with what it takes to make you duplicate that sound you made about an hour ago right before you banged your head on the headboard."

"Don't change the subject," Draco said and gripped Harry's hand to still its downward motion.

Harry's gaze turned serious. "All right. I'll think about it, okay? I promise. It's a big step, so for today let's just focus on getting my job back, yeah? We'll have time to iron out the future, later."

Draco sighed and nodded, releasing Harry's hand so that it could return to its pleasant motion.

"And Draco?"

"Hmmm?" Draco asked, working his own hands over Harry's beautiful skin.

"These plans for the future, I want them to include you. That takes precedence over the rest, actually." Harry's tone was stern.

Draco smiled and batted his lashes coquettishly. "Why, Harry Potter, are you trying to claim me exclusively as your very own?"

"I always knew you were smart," Harry growled. "You got it in one."

With that, he pushed Draco back onto the bed and set about proving his words.

(Author's note: Finished! Amazing what can come of one little photo! YAY for hottie inspiration. If you're curious, the pic is on Chapter One of this fic on my dysonrules Livejournal account. I even made sure the TAGS work. *hearts everyone for this*)