“Where is my son?”

“In the shower,” Harry replied, enjoying the look of surprise on Lucius’ face before it was quickly replaced with Malfoy impassivity.

“The shower,” he repeated slowly, “were you- are you a client?”

Harry nearly said yes just to fuck with Lucius, but then he realized he could have even more fun with something closer to the truth. “It's a bit complicated, actually,” he said, letting a smile curve on his face as he stood up and walked towards Lucius, “I’m working towards something far more intimate with your son ,” Lucius leaned back slightly as Harry got closer, “I have started dating him, it could lead to true courting really, if I’m being honest with you.” Once he was about a foot away from Lucius he shrugged casually and stuffed his hands in his pockets, “You don’t mind him dating, do you?”

Lucius looked as if he might get sick right on the floor, but he didn’t look away.

“Not that you’re in any position to bargain,” Harry said, echoing Lucius words from the fateful night at the ministry. He flashed him a wicked, unapologetic smile and said, “I’m not all innocence though, I’m definitely open to hiring him if the courting doesn’t work out.”

Before Lucius could respond, green flames, just behind Lucius, jumped to life again, and Narcissa Malfoy stepped out of the floo, around her husband. Keen blue eyes landed on Harry and he fell silent at the sight of her, his memory of their last encounter flooding his mind.

Hands, softer than he had been expecting, touched Harry’s face, pulled back an eyelid, crept beneath his shirt, down to his chest and felt his heart. He could hear the woman’s fast breathing, her long hair tickled his face. He knew that she could feel the steady pounding of life against his ribs.

‘Is Draco alive? Is he in the castle?’*

Unsure of how to proceed with a greeting that indicates ‘i can’t be disrespectful to you because you saved my life, but I’m not sure where we stand with each other,’ Harry gave her a careful nod, “Hello.”

“Mr. Potter,” she said, her eyes quickly flitting around the room and then back to him, as though looking for clues as to what he was doing there.

Lucius moved closer to her, seeming to recognize her ability to pull at least some civility out of Harry. Eventually her eyes landed on the plans spread out on the table where he had been working. Harry moved back over to the couch and his cup of tea and waited as Narcissa came closer and scanned the plans.

“I read about your renovation work in the Prophet,” she said.

Harry nodded in acknowledgment, then, - Thank Merlin! - he heard the bathroom door open.

Draco stepped out in a pair of low slung jeans and no shirt. The fresh lovebites Harry had left less than an hour ago stood out vibrantly on the pale skin of Draco's abdomen, not to mention a few more just above the hem of his denims. While staring, Harry was surprised to spot a tiny snitch tattoo on his left hip bone that he hadn't noticed before.

How did I not see that while I was on my knees for him? he thought.

Harry felt his face heat at the sight of him, embarrassment and lust warring internally.

Draco took in the sight of his parents next to the fireplace. “Mother, Father. You’re here early,” he said casually, sauntering into the room and sitting next to Harry.

Narcissa wordlessly summoned a shirt from Draco’s room, handed it to him with a pointed look at his bare chest, and said, “We were hoping to take you shopping before lunch at the manor.

“Sorry Mother,” he said, slipping the shirt on. He folded the collar down around his neck and met her eye again. “I was working,” he said, laying a hand on Harry’s thigh, just above his knee.

Apparently that was enough to break Lucius of his silence. He sneered at the site of their contact. “Don’t lie Draco, Potter already told me that you’re he's not a client of yours,” Lucius said.

“Did he?” Draco replied, his smile growing. He stood then, after a brief squeeze of Harry’s thigh, and walked over to Lucius. “You know Father,” he said, laying a hand on his arm and guiding him towards the manor plans, “you’re absolutely right. I’m his client. I’ve hired the Harry Potter for renovating the manor.”

Lucius stiffened, narrowing his eyes at Harry before glaring at his son.

“The Savior of the wizarding world,” Draco said, “saving our home. The Chosen one, choosing our floorplan,” here he nudged Lucius jovially, “the Boy-who-lived to rebuild with his team of muggles and half-bloods!” he finished with false excitement.

“Stop terrorizing your Father, Draco,” Narcissa said, still casually reviewing the plans. She looked up at Lucius and Draco, who appeared to be involved in some kind of stare down or holding a conversation through Legilimens, then turned her eyes to Harry.

Harry, feeling more awkward than he ever had in his life, cleared his throat and took a sip of tea.

“Mr. Potter,” Lucius said, turning to Harry, “I hope you know that you will have to get these plans approved by the family before you begin.”

“No,” Draco said, still looking at his Father, “I’m the only one he will need approval from.” He flashed a smile that held no warmth, "Remember? There was a trial and a ruling, and the ruling was that I would be in charge."

"Draco," Narcissa said only his name and lifted a pale brow when his eyes met hers. After a moment she turned back to Harry, "I'm sorry we interrupted your planning, but I must insist he come with us. It is his birthday, after all."

"Oh, he's well aware that it's my birthday," Draco said, summoning his boots.

Harry felt himself blush from the words and looked down at the floor. He carefully did not will the floor to open up and swallow him whole, lest his magic mistake his misguided thoughts as a true wandless cast.

****

An hour later, Harry sat with Dean and Seamus at Papadom, the closest Indian food restaurant to Lovegood's house. He cast a Notice-me-not charm as Dean spread out the plans of Malfoy Manor onto the table.

Both of them had howled with laughter at Harry's uncomfortable morning, and easily agreed to work on the Manor project, especially since the main goal seemed to be ticking off one Lucius Malfoy. As they sat there plotting, not only the remodel but ways to make it hell for Lucius, Harry's phone buzzed. He fished it out of his pocket and saw a message from Draco. Feeling his stomach flip, he quickly hit view.

~I'm bored. Being with my parents is sucking the life out of me. Entertain me, Potter.

- uh. ok. i'm with dean and seamus talking about work and pretending not to still have a hard on

~You're still hard from this morning!?

- of course I am! Not like I could do much about it with your parents there. Luckily it's only about half mast.

~How about now? Still half mast?

Harry stared at the picture, desperately hoping that he hadn't whimpered aloud.

Merlin, he thought, fucking tease! He's going to be the death of me.

-Fuck Draco!

~Maybe tonight, if you're good. Come over at 8. I will be home by then.

Harry bit back a groan, willing himself to keep in mind that he was in a restaurant with other people. The promise of Draco's text combined with the picture had him considering a quick wank in the loo. When he looked back up it was to find Dean and Seamus staring at him expectantly.

"Care to share Harry?"

"No," he replied with a wry smile, slipping the phone back into the pocket of his jeans. He had no intention of sharing Draco Malfoy with anyone.