Checkmate

The Game Part 2

I have to hand it to you
For you've managed to make me forget why I ever agreed to this farce

I don't know why I can't think of anything
I would rather do
Then be wasting my time . . . with you

Lyrics from "Mountain Duet" from Chess by Benny Anderson, Tim Rice and Björn Ulvaeus

* * * * *

There was a frozen moment in time, when Harry's softly spoken words, "Come here," hung in the air between them, echoing over and over in silence. Then Draco stepped around the table, and came to him, one hand trailing along the edge of the table, as if he needed something solid to cling to for a moment. He came to stand face to face with Harry, very close, his left hand still resting on the edge of the table, firelight turning his flaxen hair to a molten red-gold.

Harry suddenly felt no more compelling need than to just gaze at Draco, up close, to let his eyes rest on the perfect curve of that inviting upper lip, or on the pale cheeks that were flushed just now with firelight and maybe something else, or on the fair delicately arched eyebrows or the thick dusky-blond lashes that framed those exquisite eyes. Harry saw that Draco was studying his face too, and he gave one brief distracted thought to whether Draco could possibly find him as attractive as he was finding Draco, because he was coming just now to the startling realization that Draco Malfoy was very beautiful to look at. Not in a feminine sense, but in the sense that Harry felt he could stare at the perfect features and soft-hued colors of Draco's face all night long.

Then Harry's eyes traveled up to the pale, fire-burnished blond fringe falling over Draco's forehead, and his longing-to-look turned into wanting-to-touch. And so he did. With the fingertips of one hand and a feather-light touch, Harry reached up and brushed those soft strands back, then let his fingers trail down the side of Draco's face, behind his ear and into the silky waves of hair that fell down the back of his neck.

At this first touch, Draco eyes closed and he drew in a short sharp shivery breath.

Harry stroked Draco's hair down the back of his neck, then he raised his hand again and let his fingers trail down the side of Draco's face from temple to jaw line.

Draco turned his face slightly into Harry's hand so that his cheek brushed Harry's palm.

The tenderness of this small gesture almost undid Harry. Touching Draco only with that one light caress of fingers to cheek, Harry leaned forward to kiss him. He hesitated for a fraction of a second, so close that he could feel Draco's breath on his face, and then their lips met, and he was kissing Draco, oh, so softly, and everything melted. Time, the room, and all thought swirled away in a dizzy flood of trembling sensation.

Draco never moved his hands, letting this be Harry's kiss, making no demands of his own, surrendering control of whatever happened entirely to Harry for this moment, giving him everything.

Harry moved his hand back behind Draco's head, fingers sliding into that wonderfully silky hair, and he slipped his other arm around Draco's waist, slowly drawing their bodies together, as he deepened the kiss. Draco's warm mouth opened for him, and Harry felt a tremor run through Draco as their bodies came together. An answering shiver went through Harry, and he felt in that timeless second, as if some missing part of him had just slid quietly and perfectly into place. He dropped his hand from the back of Draco's head, wrapped that arm around Draco's back and pulled him tighter against himself. Draco moved then, and Harry felt firm arms encircle his neck, gentle hands and fingers caress the back of his neck, tangle in his hair.

Oh . . .

Draco was responding to him with a trusting abandon and willingness that was quite new to Harry's experience, and that told Harry far more about how much this meant to him than anything Draco had said. He really wants this - wants me. Oh God, this is serious for him - no, he thought, this is serious for us, and Harry acknowledged the commitment he was making with this kiss. For he knew with certainty in that moment that he never wanted to hurt Draco again, not ever again.