FIC: While the Wife's Away (Harry/Teddy) NC-17

[marguerite_26]

Author: marguerite_26
Title: While the Wife's Away
Rating:NC-17
Pairing(s): Harry/Teddy, Harry/Ginny, Teddy/Victoire
Summary: Ginny and the kids leave Harry to take care of the house while they travel to Egypt. Luckily Teddy just moved in and is around to keep Harry from getting lonely.
Warnings: a bit of het, lots of infidelity, not chan, age discrepancy (36/18)
Word Count: ~7700
Author's Notes: Written for snarkyscorp as a thank you for her contribution to the Australian Red Cross wildfire relief fund. She requested an Harry/Teddy infidelity fic. Consider yourself warned.

Thanks to my betas: empress_jae, piratesmile331, themostepotente and snegurochka_lee. ♥

And to potteresque_ire and nolagal for their helpful feedback.



While the Wife's Away
By Marguerite

"Harry, hand me my blue jumper."

Harry fumbled through the pile of seemingly identical jumpers and handed one at random to Ginny. She narrowed her eyes and clucked her tongue. She placed the jumper back in the pile and pulled out the correct one. Refolding it, she carefully placed it in her trunk.

"I've made a list for you." Ginny pulled a parchment out of her back pocket and placed it in Harry's hand with a gentle slap on his cheek.

"A list of what exactly?" Harry asked, ignoring the parchment resting on his stiffly outstretched hand.

"You aren't going to sit around for a fortnight and watch the telly with Teddy. There's plenty you can do around the house."

"Gin, I'll be on call!"

"So maybe you'll be called in twice in two weeks! The garden needs tending, the house needs to be kept up and you have to fix that shower on the second floor."

"Don't start in on that shower again." Harry griped and tossed the list onto his bedside table.

"Don't you give me any more shit about that shower, Harry Potter." Ginny snapped, poking him hard in the chest as she spoke. "It has been broken for three years now. The kids have been using the en suite on the third floor. You know the one off the room you offered to Teddy? We can't have Lily traipsing through Teddy's bedroom every morning."

"Fine. Fine, I'll fix it." Harry raised his hands in surrender.

"Or better yet, call a plumber."

"Ginny, you know I don't want strangers past the Fidelius. Last time– "

"Yes, yes. The painter that sold the picture of you in a towel to Witch Weekly." Ginny giggled and placed a pair of shorts into the trunk. "It wasn't that bad."

"It was bloody embarrassing."

Ginny slipped her arms over Harry's shoulders and nuzzled his neck. "It was a pretty good picture though, you must admit. You are so sexy when you are angry." Ginny bit along his neck until she reached his ear, then she slid her tongue along that spot there behind his earlobe.

Harry growled and spun her around, lifting her up and pinning her against the wall. She quickly wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him in. Rocking his hips, he pressed against her heat.

"Too many clothes," she moaned into a kiss, her hands tugging at his shirt.

There was a crash beyond their open bedroom door. They both turned in time to see Teddy, red-faced, casting a Reparo on his dropped glass and Vanishing the spilled water.

Harry lowered Ginny to the floor and pulled his shirt down to cover his tented trousers. "Sorry, Ted." Harry ran a hand through his hair and Ginny giggled into his shoulder. "We thought all the kids were asleep."

Teddy ducked his head and mumbled, "No problem," and took off down the hall.

"Oh. Shit." Ginny put a hand over her mouth to muffle her laughter.

"Poor kid's probably going to have nightmares now." Harry shut and locked the door.

Ginny cleared the piles of clothes off the bed and dumped them into the trunk on top of her formerly meticulous packing. "He is hardly a kid anymore, Harry. When he came through the Floo last night, I barely recognised him."

Harry nodded. Embracing his godson in a hug upon Teddy's arrival, Harry realised Teddy now stood half a head taller than Harry. Wearing his hair in a shaggy mop, colouring it his father's sandy brown and with his mother's bright playful eyes, Teddy had grown into a handsome young man. "Those two years at Beauxbatons really matured him."

"Yes. And he's just down the hall now, and we'd better remember that. Throw up a Silencing Charm."

Harry chuckled and did as he was told. When he turned back, the bed was clear of clutter and Ginny's top was half off. He pounced while her hands were still trapped in her sleeves. Her laughter echoed loudly off their bedroom walls. It would be a long two weeks without her.

~o~

"Lily, have another piece of toast. We might be delayed at the Portkey office half the day."

"Mum, have you seen my – never mind, found it."

"James, I'm going to be checking your trunk after breakfast."

"Ah, Mum!"

"No. I will not arrive in Egypt and find out you only packed two pairs of pants."

"Teddy, would you like more coffee?" Harry asked, ignoring the constant bickering that was a staple of family meals.

Lily jumped up. "I'll get it."

Harry's eyes widened at his unexpectedly helpful daughter. He looked over at Ginny and she winked back. Ah.

Full carafe in hand, Lily tried to squeeze past Teddy's chair. Harry watched it happen, mouth open to issue the warning too late. She stubbed her toe on a chair leg and in the split second that she lost her balance, the steaming coffee emptied down Teddy's back.

Teddy cried out in agony and the room burst into chaos. Lily was in hysterics, the boys were shouting at Lily, Ginny was yelling at them to shut up. Teddy was repeating, 'I'm all right. I'm all right,' over and over as though trying to convince himself. Ginny tried to lift his shirt to see how bad it was and Harry saw tears forming in Teddy's eyes.

"Everyone STOP." Harry's voice boomed in the small kitchen. "Ginny, you still need to get everyone ready to leave. Lily, sit and finish your breakfast. Boys, if you are done, go finish packing. Teddy, with me." Harry stood and stalked out of the room, confident there would be no rebuttal.

Harry entered the first floor bathroom with Teddy at his heels. Carefully, he peeled off the wet shirt. Teddy hissed as the cool air hit his back.

Harry focused on his Auror emergency medical training and not on the fact that the painful burn marring the skin in front of him belonged to his godson. It was already beginning to blister. A large purple mark formed between Teddy's shoulder blades and ran down to his waistband. At the worst it was about ten centimetres across. It tapered off as it ran down to his waistband.

Harry placed a comforting hand on Teddy's shoulder and began some preliminary healing charms. It would be enough to dull the pain for now and hopefully save the damaged skin.

White knuckled, Teddy clutched the sink. In the mirror, Harry watched Teddy squeeze his eyes shut and Teddy's hair morph a shade darker.

"I know this first one stings a bit. I'll numb it in a second. It's a pretty bad burn, but I think we'll be able to reduce any scarring."

He considered Floo calling Hermione, but Ron would not thank him for interrupting their packing chaos as well. After Ginny and Ron were safely off with all five kids, Harry would get Hermione to stop by.

Teddy inhaled sharply as Harry did a final pass before sagging in relief as the Numbing Charm began to take hold.

James poked his head around the bathroom door and Teddy jumped a little, wincing as the movement stretched his tender skin.

"Merlin, Ted. Where'd you get those abs?"

"James, shouldn't you be packing?"

James gave Harry a shrug and looked back at Teddy. "Seriously, Teddy. You didn't look like that a few years ago. What were you doing over there, Quidditch practice every night?"

Teddy chuckled. "Not quite. Beauxbatons had a really impressive rowing team. They aren't much into Quidditch, but their hover boat races are quite popular. I was Middle Crew."

"I have no idea what that means, but you look ready to wrestle a dragon with Uncle Charlie."

Ginny's voice came screaming from a floor above, "James Sirius! Did Uncle George give you this to bring with you? I'm going to kill him!"

"Oh, shit." James took off in a run.

~o~

An hour later, Harry shut the door behind Ginny, the kids, their trunks and their constant boisterous discussion. He took a deep breath, enjoying the sudden silence and flopped down on the couch.

Teddy did the same and cried out as his back brushed against the soft fabric.

"Shit," Harry said. "I'll Floo Hermione right now."

"It's okay. I'd forgotten. That Numbing Charm was quite thorough, but I think it's wearing off."

"Hermione still handles all our minor medical issues and saves us from St Mungo's and having every scrape and bruise be front page news."

Harry stuck his head in the Floo and called, "Healer Granger?"

"Auror Potter?" Hermione mocked. "Did Ginny get off all right?"

"No problems. Ron?"

Hermione nodded in the flames. "The house is silent."

"Miss them?"

"Give me a few hours." Hermione smirked. "Hugo was a terror this morning. I'm sure Ron will be spending the first day complaining about his 'career obsessed' wife who can't even take two weeks off."

"I'm sure Ginny will provide a sympathetic ear. Being 'on-call' wasn't much of an excuse to miss a family vacation, in her humble opinion. Listen, we're in need of your expertise. Could you stop by?"

"Sure. Step back, I'm coming through."

Harry went off to make tea. When he returned, Teddy was flat on his stomach on the transfigured coffee table, shirtless and his trousers low on his butt. Harry blinked as his eyes fell to the edge of a tattoo appearing to the right of his butt crack.

Hermione cleared her throat and Harry looked up. His face heated as he realised what and who he was caught staring at.

Her eyes widened at him in a silent reprimand. Harry ducked and fiddled with the tea and biscuits.

"Teddy, it's a pretty bad burn but Harry's preliminary Healing Charms have already begun to heal the skin. I'll strengthen the damaged skin and get you a burn salve to prevent scarring. For the next few days it will need to be applied right before bed and try your best to sleep on your stomach."

Hermione looked up at Harry and paused for a minute. "I'll be happy to come back and apply it for you."

"Can't Harry do it?" Teddy suggested.

"If you prefer –"

"Thanks, I would. No offence."

"None taken." Hermione glanced over at Harry again. "Or you could go to St. Mungo's –" Harry rolled his eyes at her.

"What a hassle! Harry, you don't mind, do you?" Teddy lifted onto his elbows and looked over his shoulder at Harry.

"What?" Harry asked, startled out of his eye-conversation with Hermione. "Oh. No problem. I did that for James' sunburn a couple years ago," Harry said, looking pointedly at Hermione.

"All right, I'll Floo the potion over later." Hermione nodded then tapped Teddy's hand and said, "It's nice to have you back, Teddy."

~o~

Hermione dropped off the pot of salve just as Harry was stashing the remains of the take-away in the fridge. There'd be plenty of time for cooking in the coming weeks.

"This needs to be applied to clean, pat-dried skin," Teddy said as he skimmed the parchment attached to the pot. "Hermione suggests a bath first."

"That's fine. You go on up."

"Great. Give me twenty minutes and come up."

Harry finished cleaning up and headed to the guestroom. He knocked softly on the door and pushed it open when he heard the muffled 'come in.'

Teddy lay on the bed, face down. His shaggy hair, dark and wet, left water marks on the pillow. A towel was placed across his buttocks, barely covering the bottom half.

Harry's eyes followed the sleek line of Teddy's back muscles, the gentle curve of his arse. This morning's ogling was clearly not a fluke. What the hell was wrong with him? Less than twenty-four hours ago he'd made love to his beautiful wife. He couldn't even use being sex-starved as an excuse.

Shaking it off, he focused on his task. It was no different than first aid in the line of duty. Except bandaging an elderly woman's sprained wrist didn't come with lots of tanned, bath-warmed skin. Which was actually a good thing.

"Hermione said to apply it 'liberally' the first couple of times until the mark starts to fade."

Harry snapped back to attention and grabbed the pot off the bedside table. "Liberally. Right." He opened the pot and scooped some of the thick paste onto his fingers. It smelled earthy, like cedars and a campfire.

The skin still looked tender, and Harry tentatively applied salve to the top of the mark applying almost no pressure to the skin. "Okay?"

"Yeah." Teddy thought for a moment. "Tingles a bit, but it doesn't hurt."

"Good. Tingles. Hope that's what is supposed to happen."

Teddy chuckled into the pillow.

Harry continued to work his way down Teddy's back, touching the skin just enough to leave a thin layer of goop covering the mark. As he reached further down the back, the tattoo caught his eye. A dark grey tail curled towards the top of Teddy's cleft. The rest of the tattoo was hidden below the towel.

Teddy lifted a bit and looked back at Harry.

"Sorry." Harry covered his embarrassment by quickly slathering on more salve.

"Did you want to see it?"

"What?"

"My tattoo. You're curious."

"No. I –"

"No, really it's ok." Before Harry could think of any reason to stop him, Teddy reached back and tugged the towel down further.

On Teddy's right butt cheek was a large grey wolf. It was beautifully done. The fur was thick and well textured – the kind you'd want to run your hands through just to know the feel. The snout was long and fierce. It was howling, though there was no moon. It looked lonely without it.

"I saw him once. Transform, that is."

"Did you?" Teddy whispered, his voice rough. "I wish I could have seen it."

"I was thirteen. I was terrified. If it weren't for Sirius –" Harry stopped himself.

"He'd have killed you?"

Teddy was old enough; there was no point in denying the truth. "Very likely."

After a long pause, Teddy replied, "Still. I wish I could have seen it, just to know."

Harry nodded and bit back his impulse to argue. Teddy wouldn't want to hear it. Harry simply pulled the towel over the lonely wolf and finished applying the last bit of salve.

~o~

Harry did not know how to fix a shower. The thought finally settled into his brain.

The first hour he spent casting every spell he could find in the household repairs book – something he'd purchased the last time Ginny had insisted they get it fixed.

The next hour Harry put down his wand and picked up his wrench. The shower was as dismantled as it could get without blasting through the wall and checking out the pipes. Still, there was nothing marked 'broken' that Harry could find.

The problem was – Harry realised then – he didn't know what a proper working shower looked like on the inside. So he took his wrench to his en suite and set about learning how it was supposed to look.

Harry was an excellent Auror, surprisingly good with details. And yet, the exact order and placement of this washer and how that nut fit on that part – well something was clearly not right. Harry knew this because by the time he disassembled and reassembled his shower, it no longer worked either.

Harry began to drink then.

~o~

Teddy entered the kitchen, took one look at the line-up of empty beer bottles on the kitchen counter and shrugged. Grabbing a bottle from the fridge he asked, "Want to order take-away again?"

Harry nodded. He probably should eat something before he had another beer. He ran a hand through his hair and it came back grease-marked. "Can you order something? There's a list of our favourite places on the fridge with Floo addresses. I'm going to take a shower." He stopped a moment as he remembered his afternoon's work. "Um, all right if I use your shower?"

"Fine." Teddy chuckled.

Harry pulled a few coins from his pouch and left them on the counter and made his way to Teddy's room.

He stared at the shower nozzle a moment. It was almost tempting to go grab his wrench, one more look and maybe– no. He would not ruin the only working shower in the house. Harry stripped and stepped beneath the spray, only then did he notice the shower lacked both soap and shampoo.

Harry groaned and turned off the water. Slightly off balance, he stepped out and began searching. The main cabinet was locked. Ginny kept theirs locked as well – it kept Lily out of Ginny's expensive hair products. She had likely warned Teddy. A quick incantation broke the standard ward and the cabinet door swung open.

It must have been over-flowing, because half the contents fell into the sink. Through his half-drunk haze it took a moment to register what the items were: a razor, cologne, several magazines, toothpaste and a large pink dildo.

Harry stood naked and dripping all over the floor as his brain caught up with the medley of items. Harry's eyes fell instinctively to the movement in the picture of the open magazine. It was very explicit and very gay: a slim blond boy on his hands and knees while a large, muscular man pounded in and out of his arse. Harry watched as the enormous cock slid back and forth, disappearing into the tight glistening hole. The photo looped as the blond writhed and pumped his own cock with his fist.

"Oh fuck." Teddy stood in the doorway looking between the spilled contents and Harry.

Harry grabbed for a towel and clutched it to his groin. "I wasn't snooping. I was just looking for shampoo. I swear."

Teddy's cheeks coloured further as he spotted the dildo resting in the sink. "Fuck."

"I was just looking for shampoo." Harry repeated.

Teddy covered his face in his hands. "I realised that my shower stuff was in the cabinet and I came up to – ah, too late, I guess. Fuck."

"Look Teddy. Can we talk about this later?" Or maybe never? "I'm a little pissed and wet and still just want a shower."

Teddy nodded and placed a few bottles from the cabinet on the side of the tub. Grabbing the stuff from the sink he tried to tuck it all under his arm but one of the magazines slipped free.

Harry stared at the tattered old cover of Witch Weekly. A candid picture of Harry in, ironically, nothing but a towel waved up at him.

"That's not… Fuck. That's not what it looks like." Teddy grabbed the Witch Weekly and rolled it tight in his hand before slamming the bathroom door shut behind him.

~o~

Teddy was waiting in the living room. The coffee table was littered with an impressive number of empty bottles, considering Harry's fairly short shower and the depleting stock of the fridge.

Teddy scrubbed his face in his hands. He looked wretched, eyes red-rimmed and hair sticking up awkwardly. He refused to meet Harry's eyes as he spoke. "Do you want me to move out?" His voice was hoarse, like he was speaking past a lump.

Harry flopped into the seat across from Teddy. "God, no. Merlin, Ted why would you even think–"

"Don't tell me you weren't horrified in the bathroom. The look on your face, Harry…" The muscle in Teddy's jaw worked as he ground out the words.

Harry shook his head, not that it mattered. Teddy had yet to look at him. "Any of those bottles full?"

Teddy pointed out one, and it immediately flew into to Harry's waiting hand.

Teddy finally looked over. "Show off."

Harry grinned and took a long gulp, trying to restore the earlier buzz that was quickly edging towards a headache. By the time he'd finished the beer, he'd sorted his thoughts. "I'm not upset with you," he began. "I admit I was surprised and embarrassed by the stuff in the cabinet. But you need to realise Teddy, you left here at sixteen begging me to show you a Spot-Away Charm. You came back and you're suddenly … older. I don't care if you're gay or straight or just trying to figure things out. You're welcome under my roof for as long as you need it."

Teddy sat for a long while, clearing his throat before he responded. "That's good." He cleared his throat again and with a small smile he added, "I haven't a job in the queue and no money for a flat until then, so you are stuck with me."

Harry gently squeezed Teddy's shoulder. "Good, we're settled. Just don't let James find your mags. I'll never hear the end of it from Ginny."

"I'll step up my wards. He's pretty clever."

Harry chuckled. "A right pain in the arse, actually." Harry nodded towards the brown bag of something that smelled heavenly on the kitchen table. "Can we eat? I'm starving."

~o~

Teddy gradually relaxed with more beer and a full stomach. It felt nearly as it did before to Harry, so long as he didn't think on it too long. But now, with Teddy lying shirtless on his bed, awaiting the next application of the salve, Harry's eyes would flicker to the bathroom door and the images in the magazines. It didn’t take much to go a step further and think on what Teddy had those mags for. Harry felt a warm rush in his groin. He hadn't wanked to a magazine in years. It wasn't odd that his body would remember, Harry told himself.

Harry dipped his hand into the salve and tried to focus.

Teddy gasped. "Ah. Tingles"

Harry's body thought it was a terrific sound, and it sent more blood in the direction Harry wanted to ignore.

Harry spread the salve further down Teddy's back, the silence broken only by the frequent pleased sounds from Teddy and the rustle of clothes as Harry moved.

He was nearly done when Teddy whispered, "Harry, I need to tell you about that magazine."

"Um, which–"

"The Witch Weekly."

God. How could he have forgotten? Though the explicit scene in the first one was certainly enough of a distraction.

Talking into his pillow, Teddy continued, "It's not mine. I mean, it was my roommate's in France. He had this thing… for you…"

"For me?" When Harry had thought about it, which wasn't very often, but when he did, he pictured middle-aged housewives tittering over his naked chest. Not teenage boys using it to… "I'm 20 years older than him!"

"Hmm… probably eighteen. But anyway, yeah, older man, Auror, Chosen One – all that. It was a fantasy of his, I guess. I can't tell you how many times I heard him call out 'arry, when he'd toss off –" Harry cleared his throat. "Sorry, too much. Anyway, he thought it was funny that I'd get pissed off. Until one day I walked in on him wanking to the photo of you and me waiting for the Portkey to Beauxbatons."

"Oh, fuck."

"I lost it, yeah? He spent two days in their medical unit recovering. After that it was better. He stopped trying to get a rise out of me. That way, at least. He gave me the magazine as a graduation gift. Kind of an inside joke."

Teddy left it at that. Harry was happy to drop the subject and quickly finish the application before Teddy noticed how uncomfortable he'd become.

~o~

Harry was already back in his room, when he realised he'd left his wand on Teddy's bedside table. He'd been an Auror for nearly twenty years. There was no way he could sleep without it under his pillow.

He knocked, quietly. Teddy had looked partially asleep by the time he'd finished with the salve. When no answer came, Harry slowly opened the door. The room was dimly lit with a single candle. Teddy was leaning against the headboard reading. The hallway light spilled into the room as Harry pushed the door open and entered, casting a long shadow.

"Forgot my wand," Harry mumbled in apology and he would not have noticed anything had Teddy simply nodded. He would have Summoned the wand and left.

Instead, Teddy started and the infamous Witch Weekly fell to the floor. Teddy scrambled to grab for it while clutching the sheets to his crotch. Harry's cheeks burned as he watched Teddy fumbling to hide the magazine under the covers and pull up his pyjama bottoms at the same time.

"This isn't what–"

"No," Harry said, suddenly angry. "No. I'm sure it's not what it looks like. You didn't – you didn't have to lie to make up some stupid story about your roommate."

"It was my roommate's!" Teddy stood, flushed and angry, too. His pyjama bottoms did nothing to hide his excitement.

"It's none of my business. I just don't appreciate being lied to," Harry snapped. He held out his hand and silently Summoned his wand. "In the future, locking charms would save us both this embarrassment. He turned to walk out the door, desperate to escape, but Teddy rushed over.

"No. I didn’t lie. Just let me explain."

"It's none of my business." Harry stared at the floor, avoiding the red cheeks and doe-eyes in front of him, or worse the broad naked chest and tented pyjamas.

"I know, but I want to tell you. I –" Teddy turned away, glancing back at the bed. "Fuck, this is embarrassing."

"Exactly. Let's forget it. You are a teenage boy. You wank, I did too. I don’t need to know what you are thinking about when… you know."

"I'd never … you know... thinking of you… that way. But telling you about Andre and his stupid fantasy and being here with you now that I'm older. I just wanted to see if I thought of you differently."

"And?" Harry wanted nothing more than to not know the answer, both yes or no would involve having to face being disappointed or grateful and Harry didn't want to know which. What he did know was that Teddy was sucking in his plump bottom lip and making it red and wet.

Teddy didn't answer. He took another step closer. They were practically nose to nose. Harry caught the faint scent of cedar from the salve and realised he was hard, his cock pressing urgently against his zipper. This was suddenly dangerous.

"Teddy." Harry tried to shrink back, but Teddy followed.

"I need to know," Teddy whispered, and plunged forwards pressing his wet lips against Harry's. Harry squeaked and pressed his hand to Teddy's shoulders urging him back. Teddy gripped Harry around the neck and kept them pressed close. Close enough that Harry could feel Teddy's erection poking his hip. Teddy moaned and rocked into Harry, showing that he likely felt Harry's too.

Harry backed up trying to get some separation. "Stop," Harry said with a shove.

Teddy stared at him breathless and panting. His eyes were glazed. "I guess that answers that."

Harry tried to focus. He'd been through this before. He recited the speech he used for employees who had crushes that got out of hand. "Teddy. It is fine you feel this way. But it doesn't change anything between us. I'm happily married."

Teddy blinked at him as if he'd been slapped.

"Teddy, you have a crush. And I'm flattered, really. But if you are going to… live in this house–" He managed to change 'work in this office' just in time – "I'm going to ask you to not touch me in that way again." His voice was cold and formal. He hated the sound.

Harry was ready for the argument, ready for the apologies and denial that always followed. But Teddy surprised him in his fury. Teddy's face paled and his eyes widened. "Fuck you," Teddy said through clenched teeth. "And get the fuck out."

Harry left without another word. His hands shook as he closed the door behind him.

~o~

Harry woke the next morning with a nasty hang over and that dull ache in his chest he would get when he argued with Ron. What he needed was a hot shower and a dozen cups of coffee. But since the first was impossible – there was no way he was asking Teddy permission to use his shower – and the second involved sitting and drinking the coffee with Teddy, he opted for a complete change of his vacation schedule.

He penned two notes. The first, he owled to Hermione to ask for the name of a plumber he could trust. The second he left on the kitchen table telling Teddy something had come up at the office and he'd be at the Ministry until late.

His day was spent trying resolutely not to think of the kiss. This resulted in pretty much an entire day of doing nothing but thinking on it.

His refusal had been a simple knee-jerk reaction rather than any kind of moral high-ground. He had not seriously considered that Teddy might approach him. In retrospect, had he been less surprised, it would have been far more difficult to deny the temptation. Harry could easily picture his hands gripping those thin hips, pulling them back on to his cock, watching Teddy's slender frame writhe beneath him as he slowly pumped in and out. That magazine had offered the scenario, Harry supplied the faces. Given more time to dwell on the depraved possibilities, Teddy's offer would have been truly difficult to resist.

Luckily, for his sanity and his marriage, it wasn't likely to be repeated. Still, he needed to fix things with Teddy. The crush was fleeting but the hurt feelings would linger if Harry didn't talk to him soon.

Harry glanced at his watch. Four o'clock. He'd hidden long enough. Arriving home well into the evening as he'd planned, would only add to the tension.

He tossed powder into his private Floo and called for home.

Harry stepped through the Floo and immediately darted his eyes around the room, thinking he'd arrived at the wrong house. Everything was in order – his couch, his coffee table, his television. But it took a moment to recognise the naked bodies on his carpet.

It wasn't until Victoire arched and tilted her head back, emitting a gasp that he recognised his niece. Teddy's head was buried in her tits, while his hips were thrusting between her spread legs.

"Uncle Harry!" Victoire cried, tugging at Teddy's hair to get his attention. Teddy met Harry's gaze half embarrassed, half defiant. Harry said nothing while Victoire scrambled out from beneath Teddy, flitting around the room gathering clothes and whispering apologies. Harry allowed a passing thought that this might not be their first time. He had heard that Fleur and Victoire had spent some time at Beauxbatons during their tour of France last summer.

Victoire was dressed and out the front door when Teddy finally started pulling on his trousers, forgoing pants. Grabbing a shirt, he stood for a moment looking unapologetic. All bruised ego and thundering hormones he scowled and announced, "I'm going out. Don't wait up."

~o~

Harry waited up.

Teddy came in at half past two, hair dark purple and mussed, shirt wrinkled and smelling of sweat and come. Teddy watched as Harry got a good look at him and Teddy smirked, having made his point perfectly.

Harry clenched his fist. "Go shower. Then we are going to talk."

Teddy chuckled and made a show of walking gingerly up the stairs.

Harry waited on Teddy's bed until he heard the shower stop, then he stood and paced the room. The second the door opened, Harry was in Teddy's face. "Tell me you were careful tonight."

"What, are you my father now?" Teddy pushed passed him, dropped his towel and pulled on his pyjama bottoms. The scar on his back had nearly healed.

"I'm not, but I knew him well, Teddy. I know he'd want you to be careful, no matter how angry and hurt you are. Were you safe?"

"They used condoms, if that's what you mean. This Muggle club in London is great, did you know that? Just stand against a wall, lower your trousers and someone will come along and –"

"Don’t," Harry said, raspy and low. The images came to him anyway, men lined up to take their turn at Teddy.

Teddy's eyes were red and glistening, pupils blown wide.

"Is this something else you picked up in France? Debasing yourself?"

Teddy looked away, a tear slipping from his tightly shut eyes.

Harry blinked and froze, trying to keep up with the lightning fast change of mood. Gently touching his shoulder, Harry whispered, "Are you hurt?"

Teddy wiped his nose on the back of his hand and shook his head.

Harry pulled him closer, running a hand through Teddy's damp purple hair. "Teddy, you are clever and talented, not to mention gorgeous. You have your whole life ahead of you." Don't be so stupid, Harry wanted to add, don’t you dare throw it away. But Teddy was already sobbing in his arms. Harry held him until the sobs turned to trembling and Teddy began to crash from whatever Muggle drugs he'd taken.

Harry carefully lowered Teddy onto the bed. When he rose to leave, Teddy clung to Harry's shirt. With a sigh Harry squeezed into Teddy's single bed, remaining fully clothed and on top of the sheets.

~o~

Harry woke to the feel of his zipper being lowered and a warm, strong hand wrapping around his cock. At the first firm tug, his eyes flew open.

Teddy stared back at him with a broad grin. His hair was back to his default sun-kissed light brown.

"Teddy, what –" Harry's words were choked back as the grip around him tightened and a thumb swiped past the tip. A moan rumbled at the back of Harry's throat.

"I don't remember much from last night, to be honest," Teddy said, "But considering I'm quite sore in all the right places –"

Something acidic churned in Harry's stomach. Harry needed to tread carefully. The last thing he wanted was to send Teddy back to the club to try to prove something. "Teddy, no," Harry said, his voice filled with regret.

Teddy's eyes flashed a moment of insecurity. He masked it by pumping a fraction faster and leaning in to kiss Harry's neck. "I'm sorry I don't remember but I'll make it up to you. Promise." His breath was hot and wet on Harry's sensitive skin.

Harry groaned as he fought to stay in control. He pulled at Teddy's arm "It wasn't me, Teddy."

Teddy stilled but didn't remove his hand. It was just enough of a reprieve for Harry to get another sentence together.

"You came home from the club last night, thoroughly fucked and high as a snitch. I stayed with you while you came down off the drugs. That's all."

Harry watched the realisation come crashing down behind Teddy's eyes. Teddy's expression flickered between pain and self-doubt then embarrassment as the memories trickled back. It lasted only a minute before a cocky mask slide into place.

"This is real though," Teddy said defensively, giving the cock a squeeze. "You want me."

Slowly Teddy slid his hand down and up, down and up. Harry stared in panic as Teddy's wide blue eyes begged him to agree, dared him not to. Harry squeezed his eyes shut. His grip on Teddy's arm was fierce, though whether it was trying to stop Teddy from continuing or urge him on, Harry no longer knew.

Harry gasped as a wet, hot tongue slid up his neck.

"Teddy, please." Harry meant to say more, hadn’t meant to sound so needy. But his blood was running south and his mouth was open, choking for more oxygen.

This couldn't be happening. He was not cheating on Ginny. It was a dream, a dirty fantasy that Harry's mind produced after the last few stressful days. Except the delicious tight pull of his cock felt too real and the panting in his ears – Teddy's and his own – was too loud and too erratic. The hard cock thrusting against his thigh, too awkward. Fantasies didn't come like this.

It was impossibly real and he was letting it happen. With a strangled cry, Harry's mind burst with sensation and he covered Teddy's hand with come. Teddy continued pumping, making Harry's cock wonderfully slick and messy.

Harry lay in shock, not quite able to process what he'd allowed to happen. Harry watched, mind blank, as Teddy stripped himself. Teddy grabbed his own cock with the come-slippery hand and pulled himself off in a few quick strokes, splattering Harry's denims and jumper.

All Harry could think was: he'd need to do laundry before Ginny got back.

~o~

It should have stopped there: a fumbling one-off because Harry had been unprepared, easily seduced in his sleepy haze. Except upon waking, Harry let Teddy pull him to share a shower together. The mix of vulnerability, enthusiasm and youth left Harry powerless to say no. Each moment of ecstasy, each whispered adoration, each look of gratitude left Harry pushing his guilt further away.

Harry's heart raced like it hadn’t in years as he applied the salve that evening to a completely naked Teddy. Once he was finished Harry traced Teddy's wolf with a lazy finger, a gentle touch from snout to tail and back until Teddy squirmed away. When Teddy handed over a pot of lube, Harry didn’t think about how wrong it was or how Ginny was back in less than ten days. Instead, he coated his finger and relished how Teddy smiled at him before laying back and spreading his cheeks wide.

There was no crisis of sexuality as Harry pushed past the tight ring. Harry marvelled at the incredible tight heat and the delicious way his finger disappeared into Teddy's perfect arse. Teddy's whimper as Harry pressed in further was pure bliss. There was no crisis at all. Harry's only thought was how incredible it was going to feel when that tight hole was squeezing around his cock.

~o~

The plumber came and went and all showers in the house were working – though Harry and Teddy still only used the one off Teddy's room. Harry managed to occasionally cook a few good meals and he'd even weeded the garden, twice. The former was embellished with candles and followed by dessert in bed. The latter resulted in the delightful discovery of Teddy's dirty, sweaty man kink and more shower sex.

Harry had never had a more utterly relaxing week in his life. The guilt was quite bearable because he simply did not think about it. Their little haven of fucking and cooking and housekeeping and fucking and taking the occasional emergency Floo from work, seemed separate from Harry's real life. Like whatever happened during this time with Teddy was unique and special and justified because it was so extraordinary. It wouldn't last forever. Ginny would be back in three days and it would be over. A memory both he and Teddy would cherish. It was a holiday from reality; Harry was sure Teddy understood that.

Harry was in the pantry trying to figure out the difference between spaghetti and spaghettini when Teddy appeared with that mischievous smile Harry had learned to associate with mind-blowing orgasms. Without a word, Teddy dropped to the floor and Harry went from selecting pasta to half hard in the time it took for Teddy to reach for his zipper. The boy was insatiable. They had fucked on the living room carpet not an hour ago.

Harry gasped and dug his fingers into Teddy's thick brown hair as Teddy wrapped his mouth around Harry's cock and began sucking him. Ginny had once sucked him off, just like this in the kitchen. She'd been pregnant with Albus at the time. It seemed like another lifetime ago.

"Harry? Teddy?" Hermione's voice came from the hall. The steps were getting closer.

Harry yanked Teddy back and hissed as teeth scraped along his cock. He painfully tugged his zipper over his erection, pulled his shirt down just as Hermione rounded the corner of the kitchen.

"Oh, there you – " Hermione looked between them and stopped in her tracks. A blush rose to her cheeks.

Teddy cleared his throat and said, "Found it!" He grabbed the nearest tin of food to him and rose, making a show of dusting off his knees.

Walking past Hermione, Teddy placed the tin of pickled onions on the counter and slinked out of the kitchen.

Harry stared at the tin a moment. A litany of shit, shit, shit echoed in his head. Reaching up he grabbed the bag of spaghetti. At least that was a more believable cover. "Hello, Hermione." His voice was inappropriately formal, even to himself.

Hermione stepped closer. "End it," she hissed.

Harry looked over and nearly dropped the bag in his hand. The absolute fury he saw made him swallow the lie he'd half formed in his head. Her eyes flashed in a way he'd seen only when she'd discussed the likes of Bellatrix Lestrange. His throat went dry.

"End it, Harry. Right now. Or I swear to God, I will make sure Ginny gets the best solicitors money can buy and you will never see your kids unsupervised again."

Fuck. "Hermione."

"He is a child, Harry. A lonely child that needs the love and support his parents couldn’t give him. He does not deserve to be your midlife crisis. My God, Harry! How could you?"

"I didn't –"

Hermione held up her hand. "Do not insult my intelligence. Even if the house didn't reek of sex, even if I hadn't already seen a jar of lubricant open on your living room floor, it was plainly written across both your faces exactly why he was on his knees."

She turned to leave, but stopped. Without looking back she whispered, "End it now."

~o~

"Teddy's back there," James said breathlessly, pointing back over his shoulder into the billowing clouds of steam. "Just seen him! And guess what he's doing? Snogging Victoire!"

Blood thundered in Harry's ears as he watched James babble on excitedly over this new discovery. He knew Hermione was watching him, and he didn’t give her the satisfaction of looking up.

"…Teddy Lupin! Snogging our Victoire! Our cousin! And I asked Teddy what he was doing–"

"You interrupted them?" said Ginny. "You are so like Ron –"

"– and he said he'd come to see her off! And then he told me to go away. He's snogging her!" James added, as though worried he had not made himself clear.

Harry's fists clenched at his side, but he kept his expression blank. This was what they had agreed upon. It was all for the best. It would work out in the end. He blinked as the billowing smoke of the Hogwarts Express stung his eyes.

"Oh, it would be lovely if they got married!" whispered Lily ecstatically. "Teddy would really be a part of the family then!"

Harry felt that tingle of cold sweat at the back of his neck that came just before he vomited.

"Lovely to see Teddy moving on with his life," Hermione announced. "Being part of a healthy relationship will do him wonders. It's exciting to see him finding his place in the world."

"I was so surprised to come home and find Teddy already moved out." Ginny laughed. She leaned in and kissed Harry's cheek. "It was wonderful of you to help him out with his new flat and get him that job at the Ministry. I was always hoping you'd offer."

Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Harry mumbled, "It only seemed right."

Harry watched, stomach churning as Teddy walked by and gave the group a curt nod before walking through the platform's barrier.

Hermione jumped on the silence. "Why don't I take Lily tonight? Hugo will be lonely with Rosie gone. And it will give you two a chance to catch up. I'm sure it's been crazy since Egypt."

Ginny grinned, her eyes widening with delight. "That would be brilliant." She raised an eyebrow and smirked at Harry.

The prickle at the back of Harry's neck returned. He pulled her into a hug to hide his forced smile. "Perfect," he whispered into her hair.

As Hermione and Ron pulled a chattering Lily and Hugo through King's Cross, Harry turned to Ginny. Double checking that they were well out of earshot, Harry asked, "Gin, I'm going to stop by Teddy's first, all right? I'll be home in a couple hours."

Ginny grinned, "You are worried he'll be lonely without Victoire, aren't you? You are so good to him."

Harry thanked Merlin for such a generous wife. "Yes. Yes, that's it exactly." He kissed her then, full of passion and promise, not caring that the station was still packed and the picture might be on tomorrow's front page. He stepped back, smiling at her half lidded eyes and flushed face. Everything would be just fine.

He turned and Apparated to Teddy's doorstep, licking his lips in anticipation.

~fin~

Parts of the final scene are direct quotes from JK Rowling's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Vancouver : Bloomsbury Publishing, 2007