A/N: Okay, so no TYE. Yet. However, I decided to explore a new fandom, so hold those rotten vegetables! It's Draco/Harry, and my first Harry Potter fic. Yay! Hope you all like it!
Disclaimer: I own nothing of Harry Potter. If I did, there would be less Ginny and more Draco love.
On the Sunflower
The first time Malfoy gave him flowers, Harry was stunned. He gaped at the wild bunches of daisies, their cherry petals stark against the white of the vase, their leafless stems arching over the vessel like the boughs of a willow; some other small purple flowers peeked through the red thicket.
He blinked, and still they were there. Malfoy gazed at him keenly, holding out the vase to him.
Harry coughed into his fist. "Umm, thanks, Malfoy."
Malfoy did not move.
"You can—put them over there," he hedged, gesturing to an uncluttered corner of his desk.
The blonde nodded once, smiled wanly at him, pivoted on his heel, and left, leaving Harry in an utterly mystified state. He resorted to poking the vase repeatedly with his wand; he was certain that there was some odd spell on the vase. Why else would Malfoy need to bring him gifts, other than a disguised attempt at humiliation?
But there was nothing. No spells, no hexes. Nothing. Just a vase of prettily arranged flowers.
Huh.
Before he left work, Harry levitated the posy to the darkest, messiest turn in the room. Better safe than sorry. Malfoy was a swarmy git, after all.
.-~*~-.
The next time Malfoy brought him flowers, it was a bunch of purple lilacs tied with a yellow ribbon. Harry frowned and cleared a space on his desk. The parchment mountain parted, and the flowers rested in between, a splash of color amidst the cream and white.
"Thanks," he murmured, eyeing the other. Malfoy looked awfully formal today, his robes pressed and hair swept aside in a silver clasp. He wondered what the occasion was.
Like before, Malfoy nodded, turned, and disappeared.
This time, though, when Harry tested the flowers for spells or toxins, he found something: a cheering charm.
It had to be misdirection, a ploy to lull him into a false sense of security, Harry decided. Once again, he hid the bouquet in the darkest, messiest corner.
That Malfoy was one strange, conniving character.
.-~*~-.
Over the course of the next few days, he received big purple flowers (mallow, he was later told), red carnations, lilies of every color, and delicate moonflowers. They came in tall vases, their stems intricately woven together, and filled with cheering charms. And they all dwelled in the corner, which now smelled of spring and rot and sweetness.
A week after the first delivery, Malfoy discovered the hiding place. The next day, his hair was unbound; he brought potted aloe, and Harry secretary grimaced at the display. She refused to talk to him for the day and sent short, sharp notes to his office.
Harry left the aloe on his desk after that. Malfoy appeared too cold and still for him to toss the flowers carelessly aside, at least this time. Besides, he could always give some of the aloe to Hermione, whom could manufacture some useful potion from it.
The day after that, Malfoy brought nothing. He swept into Harry's office, eyes downcast, and grimaced when he saw the aloe. Then, the mask reappeared.
Harry stood. "What, Malfoy?" Obviously, something was going on—a conspiracy between his secretary and Malfoy, perhaps?
The other man smirked. He looked tired. "Nothing, Potter. I see that you have decided to keep the aloe. Might I ask why?"
Harry shrugged. "It seemed the most useful, and better than those other plants. I think I'll give it to Hermione, though. She can make use of it."
"Oh." Malfoy's voice was thin and small. He blinked rapidly. Probably had something in his eye. "I see, then."
"See what?" Things were getting more confusing by the moment.
"Your wishes."
Harry's brow crinkled. He swept aside a pile of scrolls into a basket. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"You prefer the aloe?"
"I guess."
"Ah." Malfoy reached into his robes and pulled out a vial of marigold. Grasping Harry's hand, he placed the vial against his palm. It was cool, and the air shuddered as the glass rested against his palm. "I should have known better; you never did respond."
"What—"
The door opened. Harry turned. His secretary stood there, one hand behind her back. Harry caught a glimpse of small, whitish clusters. She cleared her throat.
"Mr. Potter, I must speak with you."
"Leslie, can't this wait?"
She huffed, and tossed her hair back. Then, she strode in and thrust a vase into his hands. Her eyes were soft. "No, it may not. Your flowers have arrived." She glanced over at Malfoy, and Harry saw how he bit his lip, and how his eyes brightened a bit, and suddenly he knew what he had to do.
His eyes darted to Malfoy's. The git looked as though he'd been through hell twice over. He could use something nice, maybe. Anyways, Leslie seemed ready to hex him if he didn't do this.
He held out the vase. "Here."
Malfoy chewed his lip for a moment. Then, he accepted the vase. His voice was oddly quiet, and he had gone rather still again. "Thank you, Potter. Do you give these of your own free will?"
Harry looked at him. Maybe Malfoy had hit his head on something; it would explain his bizarre manner. "Yes, I suppose I do."
Malfoy smiled then, a true smile, and Harry suddenly realized that, though he might be a total git, he was also quite handsome in a pointy, elfish way. "Then thank you, Harry," he whispered, leaning forward and pressing a kiss against Harry's cheek.
Harry flushed. Must be some Pureblood thing, the thank-you kiss. He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled faintly. His cheeks were burning. "Sure. No problem."
Malfoy smirked, and his eyes twinkled, and suddenly Harry felt as though he had missed something big. The blonde kissed his cheek again.
"I think that tomorrow, I shall bring some coral roses." He winked, and heat settled in Harry's belly. Must be nausea.
Malfoy left then, his white flowers in hand, and Harry turned towards Leslie. She was smiling at him in a funny sort of way, like one does at babies or lovers or older couples. He grimaced.
"What just happened?"
She laughed.
.-~*~-.
Flowers Given:
* Red daisies- beauty unknown to the possessor
* Purple lilacs- first emotion of love
* Mallow- consumed by love
* Red carnations- "Alas! My heart aches for you!"
* White lily- purity
*Orange lily- desire, passion
* Scarlet Lily- aspirations
* Moonflower- dreaming of love
* Aloe- grief
* Epigaea repens (given by Harry)- welcome
* Coral roses- passion and desire
