Lipstick || Drarry

Part 1

Draco found the tube under his bed. He knew it was the lipstick Pansy had lost and had been bitching about for days to anyone within earshot. He also knew that she had owl ordered a new one, but that wasn't why he didn't give it back.

He waited until everyone was in the great hall for dinner, spell locking the bathroom door behind him before he even dared to take the lipstick from his pocket. Draco opened it carefully, setting the outer tube on the ceramic counter with a soft click that seemed to echo around the room. He twisted the tube and the deep red lipstick rose, feeling accusatory just by being exposed to the air, in his hands, alone in this room.

A single faint tremor went through his hand. If his friends, if his family ever found out- Draco couldn't bear the thought. But it was just curiosity, nothing more. Once he had done it, he would just leave the lipstick in the common room somewhere and be done with it. It was just once.

Draco bit his bottom lip thoughtfully and then lean forward. He hastily dried his lips with his thumb and then carefully traced his bottom lip, leaving pale red in its wake. He blinked, his heart rate picking up as he carefully went over his lip until the colour was as deep and rich as the lipstick itself. He took just as much care with the top lip and used tissue to clean up the edges until it was perfect.

He pressed his lips together and let them go. It was like looking at someone else. He had never paid much attention to his lips before except in passing. They had a nice shape and the lipstick made them seem fuller and bigger. Draco leaned back from the mirror, shivering when he took in all of himself. The red was so stark against his pale skin, stark and bold. His cheeks were flushing with excitement and nerves.

He liked it. He liked everything about it.

The distant sound of the common room entrance opening made him jump. Draco quickly wiped the lipstick off and vanished the tissues so no evidence was left behind. He made a hasty retreat back to his bed where he pulled the curtains and in the shady half-light, opened his hand to look at the tube of lipstick in his palm. He knew he wasn't going to get rid of it. It was stupid and reckless. And he knew he would put it on again.

Draco carried the lipstick with him everywhere. He told himself it was safer that way. If anyone found it in his room it would be harder to explain. If they found it in his bag he could say he found it and was going to return it or was planning to draw on Nott's face when he was asleep. The truth was he liked having it close, he liked having this secret that he could see and touch whenever he wanted without anyone knowing.

He liked being able to slip away to empty bathrooms and classrooms and put the lipstick on and imagine what it would be like to wear it out there. How would people look when they saw? He liked to think they would be shocked by his boldness and admire how good he looked. He liked to imagine himself brave, but he never was. Because he knew there would be no admiration, only stares, whispers, muffled giggles, and insults. He would quickly wipe the lipstick off when he thought of that, his face burning with embarrassment at himself. If he wasn't Slytherin if he wasn't pureblood with all their cultural baggage if he wasn't Malfoy, would it be ok then? Would this new part of himself ever be ok?

He was in the quidditch locker room, hair still damp from the showers. He had been flying practice drills on the empty pitch, ending with a few snitch catching runs that had gone long. He finished buttoning his shirt, picked up his robe and hesitated. Draco glanced around and once he was sure the room was empty as it had been when he came in, he pulled the lipstick from his robe pocket and went to the mirror.

He could apply it easily now, in easy confident strokes. He plumped his lips absently, messing with his hair so it fell loose on one side and into his eyes. He smirked at himself then let it relax into a smile that turned melancholic as he watched.

Draco's head jerked up as he caught a flash of movement in the corner of his eye. In the corner of the mirror, he saw Potter reflected back at him, green eyes wide with shock. Draco's hand flew up to cover his mouth, fumbling to pick up the lipstick as he turned away. Draco's face felt hot, his heart pounding in his ears as he shoved past Potter, grabbing his cloak and hurrying to the door.

"Wait!" Potter's hand caught the back of his shirt and a second later was close enough to curl around his arm and pull him back.

Draco kept his face turned away, unwilling to see the expression on Potter's face, the mocking, the glee. "Well?" he sneered, trying to jerk his arm away though Potter held on tight.

"Oh, um," Potter mumbled faintly, "It's just-"

Draco took a deep breath to steady his voice, "If you're going to take the piss, get on with it, Potter. I haven't got all day."

"Take the-?" Potter said, surprised, his grip loosening and letting go, "No! I- No... I wouldn't make fun of you. I-You look...."

Draco shivered and let himself turn. Potter was flushed and only grew redder as Draco faced him, his gaze seemingly locked on Draco's lips.

"Yes?" Draco prompted, curiosity getting the better of him.

Potter's throat bobbed as he swallowed.

Draco pressed his lips together, rolling them out into a faint pout and letting them fall open slightly. He watched Potter's eyes widen and grow dark. A different sort of flush began to fill Draco's body. "Do you like my lipstick?" he asked carefully.

"I- just..." Potter took a step back, suddenly it seemed as if their roles had reversed and Potter was the one on the verge of running away.

Draco followed him, stepping after him, leaning forward, "...Do you like me in lipstick?" he asked quietly in the narrow gap between them.

Potter's gaze flicked from Draco's lips to his eyes and back down to his mouth. He opened his mouth and he closed it again in silence.

Draco heart was pounding with as much fear as excitement. He leaned forward slowly, wondering with each heartbeat if this was the moment Potter turned and ran. But he didn't. And Draco carefully and firmly pressed his lips to Potter's cheek, feeling the first hint of stubble there and a rich woody smelling aftershave.

There was a perfect kiss of red lipstick left on Potter'scheek as Draco pulled back. That was when Potter bolted. The locker room door slamming shut behind him and leaving Draco alone with a turbulent mess of emotions in his chest and the certain pounding wish that he had kissed Potter's lips instead.