A/N: One shot for Leopards_Bane
Test reader: Nefernat
Beta: Allexandrya
Word count: 1, 138 words
Oct. 23, 2005
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 Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. THIS STORY CONTAINS MALE/MALE RELATIONS = SLASH













Harry walked down the Ministry Hallway, casually waving and nodding to the hundreds of employees that seemed to know him, even if he had no clue who they were. He’d been made Head of the Auror’s office ages ago, before the war. But many things had happened during the war. The Malfoys, most notably, had switched sides the eve of the first battle, giving them the crucial heads up. As soon as the Malfoys had been given any measure of trust Draco was made an Auror as well. His Potion making skills gave them another key person on their side.

Mr. Malfoy became a Junior Minister, second only in line to the Minister of Magic. Harry knew he’d be a good Minister, but he, like Lucius, recognized the people felt safer with him in the second slot. The old Minister had been killed by Voldemort and the new one was an incompetent who often had Lucius do his thinking for him, so in a bizarre way it worked out anyway. Lucius had been content to hold all the power, but quietly so.

It was his office Harry was headed to. This was the first day Lucius had returned to work after the many injuries he suffered in the final battle. Lucius had fought at Harry’s back and Harry was glad of it. They’d come to a quiet surrender of the intense chemistry between them, yet each knew the timing was off. Harry quickened his steps down the dim corridor hoping the time would be soon. Even Draco was starting to push for it and Hermione had begun her “oh honestly� sermon more times then Harry could count.

Smiling at that, he knocked at the thick oak door before waiting to be granted entry; once he had it, he peeked his head around the corner.

“Is now an okay time, Mr. Malfoy?� Harry grinned cheekily.

Lucius looked up tiredly from the mound of paperwork and smiled seeing Harry. “It’s Lucius and you know it, as well as I never turn down a visit from my favorite Ministry employee.�

“I’m the only Ministry employee you can tolerate and we both know it,� Harry teased back.

“Touché,� Lucius smirked which was cut off sharply by a wince.

Harry dashed to his side. “Lucius! Are you okay?�

Lucius nodded but he did not verbally answer. Harry slammed his hand against the intercom,� Get Draco Malfoy up here now!�

Harry carefully swept the long platinum hair off of the man’s forehead, noticing it was heated. “Oh Lucius,� He was surprised to feel Lucius lean against him, admitting weakness that Harry felt oddly proud to be privy too, but it was tempered by concern for the blond.

He was surprised to hear the blond was in the office already. Lucius had been held under the Cruciatus curse longer than anyone else. It had broken most of the bones in his body as he fought against it. Most of which had been mended, but his ribs were still bandaged. Draco had admitted to Harry that he was worried about his father, so Harry knew Lucius had to be in a bad way. Perhaps that’s why calling Draco had been the first thing on his mind, the second was to give him a small box of sweets that even now was shrunken in his pocket, most likely melting.

Draco dashed into the room with a bag of potions, looking for all the world like an old fashioned doctor with his black bag. The humorous thought was fleeting as Harry felt Lucius go stiff along side him with another wave of pain.

“How long has this been going on father?� Draco snapped.

“Draco,� Harry said softly. “Just give him the potion. I think he’s been punished enough for trying to come in, don’t you?�

“Humph,� Draco shook his head and pressed a vial of pain potion to his father’s lips. “He will never learn.�

“Pot calling the kettle black, Malfoy,� Harry winked at Draco who very maturely stuck out his tongue. Lucius snickered and instantly regretted it, unable to stop the groan of pain that escaped his parted lips.

“Either you let Potter take you home, or I will and there will be no one to stop the speech I will give you,� Draco teased his father, but Harry saw through the mask, seeing the love for his only parent shining through his eyes. It was especially hard on Draco to lose his Death Eater mother at the hand of a fellow Auror, and then watch his father fall on the front line, and that was never clearer than right now. Harry was not surprised to see tears making Draco’s eyes shine in the soft light that filtered into the room.

“I’ll take him home, just get off his back,� Harry commented without malice. Draco looked at him gratefully. “Let someone know I left early – please?� Draco nodded and didn’t say anything, but instead helped Lucius up. He smiled when he saw the two standing arm in arm.

“Not the greatest circumstances, but you two make a striking couple,� Draco whispered to his father, but Harry blushed at hearing it.

He cleared his throat and with a crack Harry and Lucius vanished only to reappear in the Manor seconds later. Harry helped Lucius to the nearest couch where he sank down gratefully. “Going to the office may have been a decision made erroneously.�

“No arguments here, Lucius,� Harry commented no longer sure if he should stay or go.

“What did you come to my office for?� Lucius asked turning his full gaze onto Harry. Smiling Harry took the small box out of his pocket and waving his wand, returned it to normal size. “You brought me muggle sweets?�

“Trust me, Lucius. I’ve seen you devour cherries and chocolate, this just combines the two and adds to it divinely.�

Lucius chuckled, a sure sign the pain potion was kicking in, “You make it sound orgasmic.�

Harry blushed and popped one into the blond’s mouth, shivering as the pink tongue brushed over his fingers. Grey eyes rolled back in epicurean delight. “I can only think of one thing better.� He whispered seductively. Taking a chocolate covered cherry he put it into Harry’s mouth leaned over and kissed Harry for the first time.

Mindful of nothing else Harry lost himself to the taste of cream, cherries, chocolate and Lucius. The blond pulled away with a smile at his dazed companion, “It’s okay, Harry.�

“I just never thought we’d reach this point,� Harry admitted, choking on his own emotions.

Lucius popped another cherry into Harry’s mouth, leaned over and whispered against Harry’s lips, “Just breathe.�

And from that point on the couple shared every waking and sleeping breath as one.