"Nothing is going to change who he is!" Hermione desperately wanted to shake reason into her best friend, make him see the reality of the situation and not just his deluded thoughts. "The same thing that happens every night is going to happen again tonight. He'll end up drunk in the arms of one of his whores and he'll come home before dawn, reeking of sex and apologising for being late. Open your eyes, Harry."
"No." The raven haired man shook his head frantically. "No. He was just angry last night. He won't do it again. I shouldn't have insulted his family like that."
"What about the night before that, h'mmm? Or the night before that. Tell me, when the last night he spent here was. The day you moved in wasn't it? 5 months ago."
"He sleeps here every night, Hermione. I don't know what you're talking about." Harry's voice was laced with denial. He knew that Hermione didn't consider stumbling in at 6 in the morning only to awake three hours later spending the night. But he couldn't bring himself to admit that maybe the man had interests elsewhere. He couldn't bring himself to say the pledges they made were meaningless.
"I'm glad Ron died—at least now he doesn't have to see you in such an embarrassing childish state." Hermione's voice was brittle and her eyes were threatening to spill tears. Only in a most desperate of situations would she consider bringing up her deceased lover.
"Ron would hardly have been one to be embarrassed by childish behaviour. As I recall he never aged much passed 11. Holding petty grudges until the day he died. Never looking at the bigger picture; only his warped perception of it." His only acknowledgement of his friend's gasp was the smirk he sent her way. "Leave now, Hermione. Draco will be home and I don't think he'll be very pleased to hear what you've been suggesting about him." He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "You know the way to the door. And if not, I'm sure Reeve can show you." He snapped his fingers and a deranged house-elf appeared, breathing heavily through its squashed nose and surveying the scene through eyes attempting to see through the swollen skin surrounding them.
"Just listen to me. He's not coming back; at least not for you. He's Draco Malfoy! Dray-co Mal-foy," she enunciated slowly.
"I'm very well aware of who he is," he replied evenly. Had this been pertaining to any other subject he would have been most displeased at seeing his long-time friend so upset. But this was about his Draco. He sunk back into his chair and shut his eyes.
By nature he was a very trusting person, and once he trusted someone, he was quite unable to see the person's fault. That's why he was the only one in the wizarding world to believe that Draco Malfoy was loyal, a good person, and capable of awesome, powerful, turns-one-from-the-path-of-darkness love.
"Is there anything else master sir will be needing?" the deformed elf wheezed from the doorway. Harry cracked his left eye open, relieved to see that his nettling friend was gone.
"I should very much like to eat out on the balcony tonight. Set the table for two and tell Master Malfoy to meet me there when he gets home." Harry stood up and stretched. "And get Cali to lay out some cleans robes for me, something nice."
"Yes, sir." The elf looked for a moment like he wanted to say something but thought better of it. "Right away, sir."
He walked to the shower, leaving a trail of clothing behind him. He stood under the shower head for ten minutes, scrubbing himself with his favourite apple spice body wash and thinking about all the delicious things that might be done to him later. He barely glanced at the clothing Cali had laid out for him, trusting her judgement enough to know he was going to look good. Then he wandered out to the balcony and waiting, staring into the candlelight, for his lover.
At dawn he was shaken awake by his boyfriend. Harry was forced to squint as the sun hit his eyes, nearly blinding him. He breathed in deeply, inhaling the scent of alcohol and something incredibly musky. He made a note to have the elves go and clean out Draco's office.
"Sorry I'm late," Draco said, reaching his hand out to Harry.
"S'okay," Harry mumbled sleepily and allowed himself to be dragged off to the bedroom.