Author: HatefulRodeo

Title: Love Sparks From The Dying Embers

Notes: Hola Dearies! This was just floating around my head and I couldn't resist writing it. It'll be around the same length as A Photo of Past Ghosts, maybe shorter and will have explicit slash. It's about as close to being a PWP as you can get so keep that in mind.

This story takes place after the war, about six years after, so Harry would be around twenty-four and Marcus would be around thirty. I'm not going to be exact and all that but you have a vague idea of their ages plus I'm giving them time to get their careers going and actually be believable about their levels of success.

Anywho, obvious A/U, EWE and OOC characters doing naughty homoerotic things! YAYAYAY! ENJOY LOVELIES!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I will make no money from the posting of this story.

~*~*~*Chapter 1~*~*~*

Harry smiled as he glanced at the clock and picked up his cell phone; it was six thirty and his lover should be leaving the office for the night. Tonight was very special for the raven and his blonde lover. This night they would be celebrating their one year anniversary together and the emerald eyed chef had taken a few days off over the weekend so he could spend some quality time with his love.

He and Draco didn't get to spend as much time together as they would have liked. Harry, after the war and culinary school, became a renowned chef at a small, welcoming restaurant in downtown London while Draco was busy taking over his father's place as Lord Malfoy within the magical world.

After the war Harry walked away from the magical world easily and left the circus it brought with it behind. He still ventured into Diagon Alley and took in the occasional Quidditch match but for the most part he stayed out of the limelight. Harry loved working in his little restaurant, shunning his fame as he always did.

However, the raven could not say the same in regards to his partner. Draco was in the papers every week for some bit of legislation or initiative he was launching; whether it be the introduction of muggleborn children into their world earlier or his purchasing of the Holly Head Harpies the Prophet jumped on the chance to write about the reformed Death Eater.

Harry was proud of his man, even with all the hardship Draco pulled through and became the man he should have been sooner, erasing the stain Lucius had cast on the name of Malfoy. Sure, the press could be very annoying and sometimes Harry got tired of Draco's preening but in the end he loved the blonde so if putting up with the vultures what he had to do Harry would.

When he heard the line being answered and Draco's deep voice flow over the line Harry beamed; "Hey sweetheart! Are we still on for the weekend."

It was the deep sigh that came through the open line that let Harry know that all was not well and he was not going to like where this was going. "I'm sorry Harry but I can't get away from work. Maybe next weekend we can do something but I'm swamped as it is." The emerald eyed savior frowned but pushed forward with a stiff upper lip; "It's alright. Maybe I'll come by tonight for a little bit so we can spend some time together."

"No, Harry that's not going to work. I have an important meeting tonight and I can't miss it. I'm actually still at the office." Harry bit his lip and nodded, realizing that Draco couldn't see him; "Okay...well then well stop by tonight if you can, anytime I'll be here. I love you, Draco."

"You too." and with that his lover disconnected their call. Harry looked around his home, taking in the gourmet meal that was in the process of being made and the candles waiting to be lit on the table. He felt saddened that his partner hadn't even wished him a happy anniversary. He was doubly saddened that he'd planned this little surprise for naught.

With a deep breath he went about cleaning the place up. There was no point in cooking a meal when it was just him; he'd have a bowl of cereal and turn in for the night with a good book. Plugging his phone into the wall he smiled when he remembered how hard it was to get Draco to use the little device but now the blonde seemed to like the gadget.

Once his little house was clean and Harry was ready for the night he slipped into bed, snuggling his slender body into the soft sheets and blankets. After finding a good spot he picked up his book and began to read, twirling a strand of waist length ebony hair in between his fingers as he devoured the book given to him by Hermione; the only on of his former friends to stick with him after he'd come out with Draco.

He loved her all the more for her staunch support of him and his life choices. With a smile Harry marked a good place to stop for the night and laid down to sleep. Within a half hour he was dreaming pleasantly, completely unaware that his life was about to be overturned in the cruelest of ways.

~*~*~*Time Skip*~*~*~

The sound of pecking at the window let Harry know it was morning and the post owl wanted to be paid for bringing the Saturday Prophet to him. With a groan he stumbled out of his large, soft bed and opened the window for the pushy bird. After scrounging up a sickle he dropped it into the little coin purse on the owl's leg and sent it on his way.

The headline made him choke in pain; on the front page was Draco kissing Pansy Parkinson in a dark corner of Diagon Alley. Harry couldn't believe it, wouldn't believe it! It couldn't be true! He and Draco were together, they were in love and happy and they were talking about moving in together. This couldn't be happening!

The sound of a deep voice calling his name broke Harry out of his staring contest with the paper on his dresser. He turned broken emerald eyes to the blonde man in his room; "Is it true?" It was all Harry could get out right then and truly it was the only questioned that needed to be asked.

The Malfoy Lord looked uncomfortable but did not move to deny it. That was all Harry needed; "Get out." Draco's eyes shot back up to look into his but Harry was not moved by the pain he saw in them. He knew that pain was reflected double in his green eyes and it was all Draco's fault.

"Get out of my home and go back to your whore. I don't want to see you for a very long time and to think I was so happy. It was our anniversary yesterday. Did you know? Or did you even care or think of it?"

"Or were you too busy with that slag? You know what I don't care...Get Out!" Responding to its masters wishes Harry's volatile magic ejected Draco from his house and locked the Wards down on the small house. No one was getting in until the raven allowed it, which wouldn't be for a while yet.

Feeling drained and heartbroken the slender male fell to the ground and cried his heart out. Harry cried for his shattered heart, his fractured dreams and his ill placed trust. How could Draco have done this to him? Harry had given everything to the man, all he had was Draco's and that ass just tossed it all away for a troll.

Well fine! Voldemort hadn't finished him and he'd be damned if Draco succeeded where that bastard failed. No, he be okay but even as he mentally raved Harry knew it would not be so easy to forget their time together. It was wonderful and lovely while it lasted and it taught Harry so much about himself and what he wanted in his partner.

Pulling himself back up he squirrelled back under the covers and proceeded to scream, rage, curse and cry until he fell back into a restless sleep.

~*~*~*Time Skip - Four Months Later~*~*~*

The small raven proudly placed a rose shaped steamed baby carrot on the top of a swirled mound of mashed parsnips; it was done! The last dish he would be sending out for the entree round to the one hundred person party that booked his restaurant for their annual Yule party. The Potter was pleased with himself and his accomplishment.

Sure, Harry could have used magic to make it all easier but he enjoyed working with food the muggle way. Besides all magic used left residue behind and that residual taint altered the taste of the food and when one was paying four galleons for a Filet Mignon the taste of magic left behind just would not cut it.

He gave the people in his restaurant the best and nothing else. Whether they were muggle or magical Harry wanted them to have a quality experience when they dined within these walls. That was why Orion's was the talk of the town, both magical and muggle. It was a bit hard to keep the muggles from finding out about magic when you had so many wizards dining there but a few powerful Notice-Me-Not Charms on the tables took care of it mostly.

It also helped that Harry hired several muggleborns who needed work out of Hogwarts as wait staff. Coupled with the Charms and a few well-placed Obliviates things went well for them. However, the raven was seriously considering making this place a purely magical establishment. He would use the same protections and spells that made St. Mungo's and The Leakey Cauldron go unseen by muggle eyes.

But Harry really did like dealing with the muggles. They didn't know him as anything but Chef Potter and the raven liked that. Muggles didn't look at him like he was their savior or act as if he owed them something. Maybe he should open a strictly muggle eatery somewhere else. But could be handle the strain of two restaurants?

He'd have to hire help to manage Orion's while he was in the muggle restaurant but it was doable. His Front of the House Manager, who happened to be Lee Jordan, could handle the magical place quite easily and his head Sous Chef Hannah Abbot could handle the kitchen at Orion's just fine while he was away.

It had merit not to mention after he and Draco went through their public split Harry had a lot of time on his hands to fill. With a smile he placed the last dish in the window for Lee to pick up and serve to the hungry masses of wizards.

This night would end a very profitable month for Orion's. Tonight he whole restaurant was bought out by Marcus Owen Flint; Lord and Wizengamot member.

The Flint Lord was taking his staff and extended family out for a Yule dinner to show his appreciation for their work throughout the year and to celebrate Yule a bit early with them. The actual celebrations for Yule would not begin until tomorrow but most places would be closed for the Eve and day of Yule; Orion's included.

So here Harry was whirling around the kitchen with his staff like dervishes, plating desserts that would make anyone's mouth water. Chocolate soufflés filled with a warm raspberry filling served alongside mint topped Tahitian vanilla ice cream drizzled with warm dark chocolate fudge. It was a work of art if Harry may say so himself!

Soon everything was served and the restaurant was empty of the last remaining patrons. Only then did the Potter allow his staff to leave for the night so they could have even more time with their loved ones. The emerald eyed petite man had no one waiting for him at home so he would stay and clean up the place. Hermione would be stopping by on the day of Yule for a little while but until then it would be just Harry.

Lost in thought the raven distractedly began to wave his wand, locking the door and spelling the pans to wash themselves with a powerful Cleansing and Anti-Bacterial spell used on hospital equipment. The slender man would not stand for filth in his restaurant; any news of food poisoning would be damaging to a business's reputation and kill its earning potential so the powerful spells were used to ensure cleanliness.

On automatic he cleaned, drifting in his thoughts further. The last four months were hard, impossible actually. Once the news of Draco's infidelity spread the Prophet was hounding him like there was no tomorrow. Harry weathered it all, advising the reporters that he had no comment and eventually they'd given up, leaving the distraught emerald eyed man to heal his broken heart.

However, that wasn't the only thing that happened during these four months of healing. The Weasely family had tried to come back into his life. Expressing their support of him through this hard time but then they had to ruin it. Ron was the first to express the sentiment that Harry got what was coming to him for trusting a nasty Slytherin with his heart.

At first Harry just ignored it, knowing his friend carried a deep grudge for anything green and silver but when Ginny and then Molly joined Ron in his spouting off of anti-Slytherinisms the raven had enough and once again cut ties to his former surrogate family. Draco may have been a Slytherin but that had nothing to do with him being a cheating bastard.

Lucius, Draco's father, the consummate Slytherin and arse that he may be, had never, not once, cheated on Narcissa in all their years together so it was not a Slytherin thing it was Draco's a lying bastard thing. There was a huge difference and really didn't the Weaselys know that Charlie chested on his former girlfriend? So infidelity wasn't an exclusively Slytherin trait but the red headed Clan seemed to ignore that.

It hurt to have to leave them again but Harry couldn't stand by and listen to them slander a whole House due to their prejudices. Didn't they learn anything from the war? He guessed not. So it was once again Harry and Hermione; the smartest witch of their age was always abroad though. She was a very successful magical archeologist specializing in dead languages so she was constantly called to view newly discovered structures.

Harry was proud of her and the job suited Hermione's rampant desire to learn and explore new things. In her chosen field she would never be bored so at least the two of them had careers they loved and enjoyed doing very much. The raven just wished he had closer friends to rely on. Lee and Hannah were great and he liked them but they were boss and employee so their relationships could only go so far.

Befriending muggles was too hard; you were always trying to cover up the magical world that soon it became a chore more than an enjoyment. And trying to befriend magical people was even more of a trial. Witches and wizards had preconceived notions of just how Harry should be and that did not make for a good friendship.

Harry always disappointed them when they figured out that he was a homebody who loved to cook and read a good book. Going out and getting drunk, fucking whatever came to him was not his style; never would be. Nope, the emerald eyed male still wanted a family, a warm home and a great man to share it with but now that desire was tempered by a healthy dose of caution.

After Draco Harry didn't want suave or debonair. He wanted real and rough if that was what the man truly was. Simply he wanted the man he chose to be with to be real and true, saying what they meant and meaning what they say. His former lover always tried to be slick and composed, spinning pretty words that in the end were just that; empty words.

The Malfoy Lord didn't mean the promises of forever or his vow to be faithful. It pained Harry to realize that he believed it all because he wanted to. The raven so desperately wanted to be loved and wanted that he forgave Draco all his faults, which looking back were many.

It really all had to mean nothing to Draco since one didn't go from a loving relationship with Harry to engaged to Parkinson in less than four months if they truly loved Harry as much as Draco claimed he did. At least that was what Harry thought.

The feeling of strong arms wrapping around his middle made Harry freeze and let out an unmanly squeak. A deep voice chuckled into his ear, sending a shiver down the raven's spine before he was pulled back further. Soon he was leaning into a very strong male upper body. Breathless and bit afraid Harry spoke while slowly reaching for his wand; "What do you want?"

The mystery man stepped away and turned the emerald eyed man around. Harry was surprised to see Marcus Flint smirking at him from a couple feet away. "Flint? What the hell was that about?" The tall, broad man's smirk grew larger; "Nothing. I was finishing up some business in one of the private booths and when I was done signing my papers I noticed the place was empty."

"I came back here and you just looked so damn cute swaying those hips as you cleaned the kitchen I couldn't resist copping a feel. You are a sexy little thing, Potter. Have dinner with me tomorrow." The raven just gawked at the man; swaying his hips? Sexy thing? Have dinner with him? What the hell was going on?

Not to mention that Lee and Hannah had inadvertently left someone in the restaurant before they left; he'd speak to the about that when they all returned from break, and to make it worse Harry hadn't noticed either. But he would berate himself later for his inattentiveness. Right now he had a very large, and if Harry admitted tonly to himself attractive, Marcus Flint in his kitchen to deal with.

He looked into the older man's dark grey eyes and shuddered when he saw the lust swirling in their depths; "Sorry Flint but I have to decline. I'm not interested in quick fling so please leave me."

The former Slytheirn scowled and advanced on the smaller man, pushing Harry back into the counter; "Who said I just wanted to fuck you and run, Harry? I believe I asked you to dinner not to cuck on my cock, though I won't deny you if you want to. And it's Marcus to you."

After Marcus was finished talking two large hands came to hold Harry's slender waist as his handsome face came within an inch of the small raven's; "Give me a chance, Harry. I promise you won't regret it." Emerald eyes fluttered shut in pleasure when Marcus' hands held him so tightly yet so gently and gasped shallowly when he tasted the mint wafting from Flint's mouth.

He wasn't sure what to do. On one hand he wanted to go out with Marcus but on the other he was afraid that it was too soon to start another relationship. Wasn't he still healing from Draco's betrayal? He was torn in his choice and he was floundering at the moment due to Flint's close proximity.

However, when the elder male pressed a chaste kiss to his plump lips Harry figured it couldn't hurt to give the man a chance. Pulling away from those thin lips he looked into Flint's dark eyes; "But tomorrow is Yule. Shouldn't you be with your family?"

The Flint Lord snorted; "Harry, my immediate family is dead and good riddance to the bastards and my extended family was taken care of tonight so no I won't be. Now that we've taken care of that; will you go out with me tomorrow night?" The slim raven bit his lip and nodded shyly; "I will."

The larger man hugged him close and stroked his hand down Harry's thin back, stopping when he reached the top of the raven's chef pants; "Perfect. I'll see you tomorrow Harry and I'll owl you the address to my floo in the morning." With that Flint let the smaller man go and strode out of the kitchen looking quite pleased with himself.

Harry leaned bonelessly against the counter while pressing a hand to his lips. Had that really just happened? The tingling in his body let him know that yes it had and Harry had in fact agreed to a date with the Flint Lord. The sound of the front door closing let Harry knew he was truly alone now.

Lifting his hand he waved the Holly wand, locking and closing the wards on the restaurant for the night. Now he was truly alone and with his own thoughts. Sighing, he continued with his cleaning, thinking about his upcoming impromptu date with Marcus Flint. Where would they go? What would they do? Harry had to admit that he was excited to see how this went.

It may be nothing but it may be something and he just couldn't pass up the chance to see which it was. Four months was long enough to wait wasn't it? Hermione thought it was. She was always badgering Harry to get out and find someone to be with. Well his bushy haired friend would be pleased to know that Harry had in fact scored a date with a very attractive man.

By Merlin Marcus had cleaned up since Hogwarts! His teeth were still a bit crooked but that was the only thing about the Flint Lord that wasn't utter perfection to Harry's eye. And the man was the polar opposite to Draco in every way.

Marcus was blunt and to the point. He was the type of guy who would ask for what he wanted from Harry even if it was a bit crude and perverted. Draco, on the other hand, would dance around the topic until Harry got tired of the verbal games and just asked flat-out him what he wanted.

Not to forget they were at extreme odds in their stature and coloring; where Flint was dark haired and eyed Draco was fair. Where the Malfoy Lord was tall and lithe Marcus was a giant and built like a tank. It was a good change too if Harry had anything to say about it and it was good thing his was the only opinion that mattered. The emerald eyed man knew he couldn't keep comparing the two but it was hard not to.

Marcus, in those few short moments, made Harry's blood race and had taken his breath away but at the same time made the Potter feel safe; well once the emerald eyed man realized Marcus wasn't going to hurt him. Those strong arms cradled him nicely and Harry liked the feeling of being protected for once.

Another thing in Marcus' favor was the lack of gossip about the man. He'd never really heard or seen anything about the other man in Prophet before. Harry liked that the that he wasn't an attention whore like Draco became towards the end. The raven was a bit of a recluse and hated to be photographed and stared at like a zoo exhibition.

With a smile on his handsome face he restacked the dishes and pans in their appropriate spots and readied to apparate to his home. Another one of the perks of owning the place; he could apparate at will inside the building. With a sharp turn of his heal and a muffled crack the raven was gone.

I know what you're all thinking; shouldn't this bitch be updating her existing fics? Yes, yes she should be her muse is a fucking slag sometimes and gives her inspiration where she may. Sooooo enjoy the fruits when they drop on your head and this is what is dropping on your head right now.

Beggars cannot be chooser! Anywayssss, still plan on updating Only Black, then Sirius' and then Unexpected again. Embers will be thrown in there somewhere or other.

One last thing I do not read reviews; I have a life and things to do so don't expect me to respond giving you the verbal equivalent of a blow job for taking a minute to leave a few words. I do not care about reviews and honestly I could care less what anyone thinks of my work so save yourself the time and just favorite or follow the damn story if you like it.

Honestly, if I could I would block reviews altogether. Yes, I am a hermetic, cranky bitch of a writer but it is what it is. I write for me not you so fuck off if this offends you. Thanks!

As Always All Mistakes Are My Own!