The brick was cold against Harry's back and a rough edge of hardened mortar dug into his shoulder blade. He had moved several times, shifting the jutting bit to different areas of his back, but he was quickly running out of places for it to make sore. He supposed he could just stand, instead of leaning, but lurking the way they were required some sort of casual stance.

"This is boring," said Ginny for the fourth time.

"He's not even going to show up," Ron said in disgruntlement.

"Do you two ever shut up?" Draco added.

Harry hid a smile with his hand. The three of them kept repeating the same conversation, with minute variations, every ten minutes or so.

"Well, it is boring," Ginny replied without malice. "Who knew becoming an Auror would mean we all get to stand around for hours on end, hoping for our victim to show up?"

"Perpetrator, Ginny. The perpetrator, not the victim."

She waved her hand. "Semantics. He'll be my victim once he's in range of my wand."

"Just like the poor fellows at the Purple Pony," Draco said drolly, referring to a local nightclub they sometimes frequented after work.

Harry choked back a laugh at that and Ginny threw him a sidelong glare as she lifted her chin a notch.

"I don't need a wand to catch the pretty boys, Malfoy. All I need to do is crook my finger." She waggled her index finger at Draco to demonstrate.

"Godric, Ginny, do you mind?" Ron said in a wailing tone.

"Of course I don't mind, big brother, or I wouldn't seduce them when you were around."

Ron made a retching noise and Harry couldn't hold it any longer. He burst out laughing. "Harry! Don't encourage her!"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Honestly, Weasley-comma-R, from your virginal sensibilities, one would hardly guess you were a married man. Or has Granger yet to convince you to relinquish your virginity?"

Harry doubled over with laughter and he could hear Ginny begin to giggle, as well.

"Not funny, Malfoy!" Ron snapped. "I just don't need to hear my own sister talking about—"

"Sex," Draco supplied. "It's called sex, Comma-R."

Harry's chuckles made it difficult to see, so he wiped at his eyes. Merlin, he would never have guessed how much fun he would have on boring stakeouts, nor how delightful it was to have Draco Malfoy's biting wit at hand, although it wasn't quite as amusing when turned in Harry's direction.

"And that's another thing!" Ron said. "When are you going to stop calling us by those ridiculous nicknames? I am not Comma-R and Ginny is not Comma-G!"

"According to your badges, you are. Besides, you prefer Weasel and Weaselette?"

"I prefer Comma-G," Ginny said, raising her hand.

"We are not voting!" Ron snapped.

"I like the Commas," Harry put forth and lifted his hand, as well. Draco's silver eyes shifted to him and glinted with merriment.

"We are not voting!" Ron shouted.

"Commas it is," Draco said. "All in favour?"

"Aye!" cried Harry, Ginny, and Draco, who added, "I won't bother to ask for opposing votes."

"You are all horrible, lousy tossers," Ron spat. "I hate you all."

That statement was met with three different scoffing noises and Ron gave them the two fingered salute. Harry's side was beginning to ache from laughter. Merlin, he loved these idiots.

A droplet of water hit his face and he lifted his head only to have a few more ricochet from his skin. "Oh great, it's raining."

"Sterling observation, Potter."

"Comma-H," Ron muttered loudly.

"There is only one Potter, so he gets to use his last name," Draco explained.

"Why does he call you Draco?"

Draco turned a questioning glance toward Harry, who grinned. "He wouldn't answer to Prat."

Ron snorted a laugh at that and Ginny erupted into loud giggles. Even Draco cracked a smile.

They all stood silently as the drizzle turned into a full-fledged downpour, each casting Umbrella Charms to protect themselves. Harry debated calling Headquarters—there was no way their intended mark would venture out in weather like this. Still, it might blow over.

"Isn't there some Muggle movie where the bloke dances in the rain? Hermione told me about it. Malfoy, show us your dance moves," Ron suggested.

"Malfoys don't dance in the rain," Draco said.

"What do Malfoys do in the rain, then?" Ginny prodded.

Draco shrugged. "Malfoys are usually smart enough not to embark upon careers as Aurors and instead avoid the rain."

"Malfoys are missing out, then," Ginny said.

"Missing out on what?" Draco asked and then winced, obviously annoyed at walking into such an obvious opening.

"Something fabulous," Ginny replied. "Kissing in the rain. Have you ever kissed anyone in the rain, Malfoy?"

"I have!" Ron piped up. "Last Tuesday, in the garden! Ginny's right. It's brilliant."

"You were kissing your sister in the garden?" Draco asked.

"No, you plonker! I was kissing my wife! Bloody hell!"

"He's just trying to avoid the question," Ginny said placidly. "Well, Malfoy? Have you?"

Draco looked thoughtful and Harry waited for his response, not noticing he was holding his breath until he released it when Draco replied, "I don't think so."

Ron made a superior-sounding snort and Ginny said, "Don't worry, Harry hasn't, either."

Harry blinked as three pairs of eyes turned to him. "What?"

"Don't play innocent, Harry. You would have told me," Ginny insisted.

"Not fair!" Harry said. "Don't drag me into this."

"Not so funny when she turns her evil pronouncements in your direction, is it, Harry?" Ron asked sagely.

"You haven't, have you, Harry?" Ginny prodded.

He scowled. "No, I suppose not. Why are we talking about this?"

"Rain virgins! Rain virgins!" Ginny sang and danced a little jig, splashing in a puddle that had begun to collect at her feet.

"Grow up, Weasley," Draco growled.

"That's Weasley-Comma-G to you, Malfoy," she corrected.

"I see why you broke up with her, Potter," Malfoy commented.

"I broke up with him," Ginny corrected. "Because Harry is—"

"Merlin, look at the time," Harry interjected. "We should get back. Abrams won't show in this weather."

"Not until you two have discovered what it's like to snog in the rain," Ginny said in an adamant tone.

Harry and Draco stared at her with identical expressions. Draco broke first and glared at her. "You have clearly gone mental," he said, shaking his head. "I am certainly not kissing you."

Harry nodded in agreement. He had already kissed Ginny plenty of times, if not in the rain, and it was nothing special. He also had no intention of watching Draco kiss Ginny. Even the thought of it made a curious sensation twist in his stomach, as though a jealous dragon were shifting around in there.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Not me, you idiot. Each other. You have to kiss each other."

Ron burst into guffaws. "Ginny, you act more and more like George every day."

"Thank you, brother," she said, preening a little and ignoring the stunned looks being sent her way.

"Each other?" Harry managed when he got his vocal cords working again. He risked a glance at Malfoy, who seemed just as shaken by the suggestion. Malfoy seemed to notice his stare and he lifted his chin as his eyes narrowed.

"Scared, Potter?" Draco demanded.

Harry gaped at him. Draco couldn't honestly want to kiss him? He snapped his jaw shut and glared back. "Of course not. I just didn't want…" Harry trailed off, unable to finish. He didn't want Draco to know how much Harry fancied him. They all got along famously these days and Harry would never admit to his stupid crush in a million years. But Ginny had just handed him a golden opportunity. One kiss. One kiss with Draco Malfoy. "Well, you are pretty scary," he finished with a lame smile. He narrowed his eyes at Ginny, silently threatening to get her back later, the bint. Her eyes gleamed with wicked amusement.

Surprisingly, Draco's features softened. "I won't bite." He smirked. "This time."

Harry snorted a laugh and took a step forward. "Let's see it, then. What have you got, Malfoy?"

"Draco," he corrected, shoving away from the wall to meet Harry halfway.

With what seemed unconscious accord, they both leaned forward slightly and pressed their lips together. It was anticlimactic, to say the least. Draco's lips were soft, probably well taken care of with expensive lip balms and spells, and for a moment Harry was chagrined to realize his own lips were probably dry and probably—

Harry's world shifted when Draco's mouth did the same, tipping slightly and fitting more tightly against Harry's, parting and allowing a hint of slickness between them. Draco's breath mingled with Harry's and he realized his eyes were still open, although the sight of Draco's amazing blond lashes was blurry with nearness.

I'm kissing Draco Malfoy, Harry thought in wonder, just before he took another step forward and wrapped his hands around Draco's hipbones. To his surprise, he felt Draco's hands curl in his hair and then his lips opened and he drew Harry inside. Their tongues met and curved together. Harry thought his heart might bang completely out of his chest. His blood felt like molten lava in his veins.

He pulled Draco even closer, knowing he was gripping too tightly, but unable to let go. Harry tasted him, drinking deeply, lapping and caressing at his mouth with everything he had ever learned about kissing, and making up more on the spot.

After what seemed eternity, and yet no time at all, the sound of loud throat clearing broke through Harry's blissful daze. He reluctantly pulled his lips away from Draco's, wanting nothing more than to dive back in, especially when he witnessed the glazed look in Draco's eyes and felt a stab of pure satisfaction to know he had put it there. The unruffled Auror was not so stoic, now.

They panted together for a moment without pulling any farther apart. Ron was making choking noises behind them, and possibly having an actual seizure.

"You idiots. You forgot to cancel your Umbrella Charms," Ginny said with a put-upon sigh. "You'll have to do it again."

She cast Finite Incantatum and Harry grinned like the Cheshire cat when the rain began to pour down upon them.

"We'll have to do it again," Harry repeated breathlessly.

"Pity," Draco managed in a dry tone, hands still wrapped in Harry's hair, and then they moved together once more.

Sometime later, Harry noticed he and Draco were alone and sodden to the skin. He didn't care. Kissing in the rain—it was brilliant.