Title: Berry Red
Pairing: H/D
Warnings: Slash pairing, swearing, AU
Summary: An explosion in the Forensic Potions Department of the Ministry of Magic has people wondering who has it in for the Ministry. After Auror Harry Potter does some digging, however, he realises the Ministry is not the target.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. The dialogue in this chapter leading from "It's okay to hate me." to "I hate you!" Is based on dialogue from Charmed Season 4, Episode 3: Hell Hath No Fury. Awesome episode, you must watch it.
A/N: Fred Survived instead of George, Moody didn't die either.

Previously: Fred let his head fall back once more. "Despite how careful he is, when he actually wrote my name as Fred, instead of Frederick I thought there may be something good between you after all." He shut his eyes. "Now, I don't know what to think."

Neither did Harry, except for the word Sorry.

Minutes later, Kingsley walked into his office not at all surprised to see Fred sitting on the couch in the corner, and walked to his seat. Once there he glared at Harry menacingly. "You've cost me a very valuable agent, Potter."

Harry sat forward. "Where is he?" he asked worriedly.

"A few weeks ago he was offered a position as a Trainer in Spain." Harry's heart skipped and his stomach dropped hearing that. Suddenly he remembered seeing the letter outside of Draco's apartment all those weeks ago with the red coat of arms. He'd wondered what Malfoy had to do with the Spanish Ministry of Magic. "They'd heard of his methods and the high success rate. He told me about it and I convinced him to stay. As I walked here, finally calm enough to face you without killing you, he came to me and told me he'd be taking it after all." He sat forward. "Do you know why?" Harry nodded shamefaced and looked down at the ground. "No. I don't think you do."

Fred stood understanding what Kingsley was saying. "Harry, Draco's not upset at what you said. He couldn't give a shit whether or not you can take a joke, so stop being so self-centred. It's that youannounced it in front of all the people he's been trying so hard to convince he's worth something." He crossed his arms over his chest.

Kingsley leaned forward at his desk and linked his fingers together. "On his way to me, he was called a few choice names that set him over the edge. Needless to say we turned a few heads in the corridor talking. Only time will tell how long it takes to make it to his students. He's decided to cut his losses while he can." Harry remembered one of the students had already been there. If he'd heard it, then the students would know by morning.

Harry sat back in shock. "He's being transferred to Spain. He doesn't even speak-"

"He speaks fluent French, Spanish, German and Italian, Harry," Fred said, staring at him reproachfully. "I take it you both don't do a lot of talking."

Harry blushed and let his head fall into his hands, his elbows resting on his knees. "Oh God." He winced a little at the pain in his jaw.

Kingsley nodded once choosing to ignore Fred's comment and leaned back in his own high back seat. "Yes, he resigned on me, told me and the Department to go to hell and walked out hexing two secretaries on his way." There was more intimidating staring. "You've cost me an excellent teacher, Harry. Perhaps even a few secretaries. I hope you can repay me." The Head of the Auror Division sighed. "Harry, what on Earth were you thinking?"

Harry spluttered. "He told me he did it. I asked him how he got you to say yes to teach them dark curses and he said that was what he did. He said he refused to let you come until you said yes."

Both Fred and Kingsley rolled their eyes. "And you took him seriously?" Fred said, honestly not believing he was hearing this. "Merlin, he told me the same thing but we busted out laughing afterward!" Fred rolled his eyes when Harry looked down. "Oh, you complete idiot."

Harry squirmed. "He was very convincing."

Kingsley cocked an eyebrow. "And you didn't bother to ask me?" His cool demeanour told Harry to tread carefully.

Harry sat forward, desperate. "I did! And you said it took you a long time to come to a decision. You were squirming around a lot."

Kingsley huffed, remembering that 'talk', now understanding they were in fact having two separate conversations then. "You asked me about how I approved his lesson plans, Harry, not whether or not I made him-" Kingsley's temper flared and he shut his eyes and turned away from Harry for a second. When he calmed down Kingsley turned back to him. "As to the squirming, it was because the process of me saying 'Yes' came from him using a dark curse on me." when he was satisfied with the pale colour Harry had turned, he continued. "He refused to turn me back until I had heard him out. He said if I'd known the properties of the curse, I would have recognised the way his aura changed and been able to deflect it easily. That is what he has been teaching his students, how to recognise the properties of a curse and how to deflect it, most of the time wordlessly. Even Moody attends his classes, and he hated him when he first came to work here. It took me so long to tell him yes because he taught me how to reverse it while I was still cursed. It took me five hours." He frowned. "It was very uncomfortable, but it made me work toward changing myself back. I admitted to myself then that he was an excellent Trainer."

Harry closed his eyes in mortification. "Let me guess, you said 'Yes' over and over and over."

Kingsley's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "Of course I did! You didn't see what he turned me into. I even hugged him." Fred's eyes widened in surprise. Kingsley ignored him. He coughed and withdrew a scrap of parchment from his drawer. "He has gone to stay with his mother in France. I am giving you the address because I want you to fix this." He snatched the parchment away as Harry came forward to take it and glared. "FIX only, do you understand me?" Harry nodded and took the paper from his hand. He rushed out.

Fred sat down watching Kingsley curiously. When Kingsley noticed he looked over and frowned. "What was it?" Fred asked curious and a little proud of his friend. "What did he turn you into?"

Kingsley squirmed. "I don't want to talk about it."

(-)

Despite public belief, not every Gryffindor is constantly brave. It took Harry two days to get up the courage to go to Narcissa Malfoy's Chateaux in France because he was scared to confront her son. He didn't waste his two days though. Oh no, Harry (being half Slytherin) knew that in order to really say sorry to any fellow snake you'd have to put your neck on the line to prove it. Slytherins need proof of loyalty, not platitudes and promises.

They also take a while to even listen to your platitudes and promises, as shown when the door to the Chateaux, which was actually on the top floor of a high scale apartment complex, opened by Draco himself, slammed into his face echoing ominously in the hall. But Harry didn't give up (proof of his Gryffindor half); he knew Draco was still on the other side because he heard the rustle of his shirt slide on the door.

"I'm sorry," he said through it.

The muffled scoff he heard – he figured he deserved it. "I couldn't give a shit if you're sorry. God, I told you, I told you that I was waiting for it, didn't I? I knew it would come one day, I just didn't think it would be so soon or that you'd be the one to send me packing."

Harry breathed steeling himself. "No one is sending you packing but yourself."

There was a rustling sound and when the door swung open, Harry jumped back in case the blond was going to hit him. He was angry enough to. "That is a lie!" Draco glared at him and his eyes were suspiciously glassy when they narrowed at him in accusation. "You didn't see their faces, drunk as you were you complete arsehole. No one looks at you like that, like they couldn't believe I fooled them for so long. It was mortifying, Potter. I'm surprised I lasted that long if that's what they've all been thinking."

Harry didn't know what to say. He only knew he had to convince him to come back. "You have to come back." It was a safe enough place to start.

Draco moved away from him as if he disgusted him. "The fuck I do."

Harry put up his hands in surrender. "No, I'm serious. No one remembers it anymore. The trainer for the Obliviators? Kingsley had him sit with the both of us and I had to apologise for what I said to every member of staff. Then he cast Obliviate and I had to apologise again for my drunken escapade."

The look of anger abated and was replaced by confusion. "What drunken escapade?"

Harry blushed red. "The one he implanted of me dancing on the high table at Beltane."

Draco's eyes narrowed but Harry could see from the glint in them that he was getting through to him. If the slight curl of his mouth was anything to go by. "What kind of dancing?" Draco said casually, a little toocasually. Harry could tell he was trying to maintain his angry facade.

Of course that mattered. Every Slytherin knows it's not that you embarrass yourself, but how you do it. "The Macarena."

Even in the Wizarding World that phenomenon had spread, from the Muggles in the schools doing it at school dances and the moves being so easy to replicate. It was just as embarrassing though. "Oh my God," Draco said bursting out laughing.

Harry winced at just how much Draco was enjoying this but it was necessary. "I know, but it had to be bad to make up for it. It was my idea," he made sure to insert.

Draco calmed himself. "Do my students know?" Because Fred had told him, Harry knew this was the most important part of why Draco left. Those students that he'd worked so hard to convince them he was a good teacher that deserved the respect he asked for.

Not all of the students had known but Harry made sure to take his apology to the extreme, it was the only way. "No, but I apologised to them too. They've been mocking me ever since." He rolled his eyes. He'd seen a few them re-enacting the episode as if they were there and just had to share the event with a friend. Even though it never happened, Harry still felt embarrassed and angry at them. Then he realised. It was exactly how Draco would have felt if he'd stayed. "Of course, they knew what the Obliviator was trying to do, what with those amazing psychic powers you gave them. We had to ask Moody to teach them how to 'Staticise the Aura' so that they couldn't predict what spell the Obliviator was trying. He did it in a few hours actually, your methods are astounding."

Draco cocked an eyebrow at him and crossed his arms over his chest. "Good."

Harry nodded and dropped his head to look at the ground. "I know. I really am sorry."

Draco cocked his eyebrow, but those grey eyes had warmed considerably since he'd arrived, so there was hope. "You said that already."

"I'm emphasising to prove my point."

"I don't think you need to do that anymore," Draco said still trying to hold back his mirth.

Harry nodded and looked down to the expensive carpeting in the hallway. "Are you still going to Spain?"

Draco frowned. "How did you-?" He nodded anyway figuring either Kingsley or Frederick had a hand in this. "I accepted the job."

Harry just focused on breathing. "Turn it down."

Draco laughed again. "Why?"

Harry didn't think his face could get any redder. "I'm in love with you."

The shock that registered on Draco's face was cleared quickly. "And that's supposed to change my mind is it? Your love won't pay my bills, Potter." He leaned against the doorframe with his arms still crossed.

Harry leaned a hand against the same door frame. "You'll never want for anything."

Draco's eyes narrowed. "Except my job."

"Then have it." Draco looked down to where the carpet in the hallway met the plush carpeting in his mother's apartment; he played in the soft threads with his toes. Looking up at Harry through his fringe, he wondered before he looked back down again. Harry waited for an answer and came to attention when Draco sighed as if he had the woes of the world on his shoulders.

Draco opened the door a little more so that Harry could see inside. Draco turned to the massacred meal that was supposed to be his dinner. He turned back to Harry smirking. "And gourmet meals with really long unpronounceable names?"

Harry smiled, the relief lifting the weight from the pit of his stomach. "You can have that too."

Draco watched him carefully. "And flowers, everyday."

A nod. "Done. Though you'd get sick of it."

Those grey eyes narrowed again. "Everyday, Potter."

"Fine, everyday," he said raising his hands in surrender. "Anything else?"

"I withhold the right to add to this list at my whim," Draco said affronted.

Harry nodded. "Okay," he agreed readily.

Draco stared at him on the other side of his door for a while before he finally took hold of his robes and dragged him into the kiss that Harry willingly followed him into. Harry's mouth parted with ease as Draco begged entrance and his tongue invaded, exploring and teasing him.

"Oh," Draco interrupted, "and a new wardrobe. Most of my clothes have been burned."

Harry's shoulders fell. "A whole wardrobe?" He'd seen the blond's previous wardrobe, the man could shop.

Draco stepped back. "What? You're seven times richer than you were in school." Of all the things to remember, of course he'd remember that. "Besides, I won't want for anything, right?" He walked away to the kitchen. "Come on, I'm hungry."

Harry just rolled his eyes, smiled and closed the door.

~Fin~