Harry remembers the old lady who used to live next door. Mrs. Fig had a million and one cats. She was also crazy about baking. She came over once a week to borrow sugar from him. But that may have had more to do with the fact that he answered the door shirtless half the time. Harry was no slouch. He wasn't a bodybuilder by any means. But he took care of his muscles.
Harry's dad used to be a famous footballer. Even after James Potter died, Harry pushed himself to be the best. He pushed and he pushed, playing through injuries, lying about concussions, taking shots of cortisone to keep playing. It finally caught up with him. Harry blew out his knee when he was nineteen. Mostly, he can walk, run, and exercise. But if he does too much it starts tingling, then it goes numb, and finally it starts hurting like hell. His football career was over.
Thankfully, Harry had already been signed. So his team took care of the cost. Plus, he had all his dad's earnings from his football career. Harry never knew his mom as she died giving birth to him. But Mrs. Fig had lived in her apartment for thirty years. The only reason she left, is because some niece got the grand idea to move her to a retirement home. Some of the cats went with her. Some still hung around.
But all of a sudden after three years of living in that apartment building, the apartment next to him was for sale. Harry tried to convince his friends, Ron, and Hermione, to move in together there. While Ron was all for it, Hermione had her reservations. She didn't think they were at that point in their relationship where they could move in together. It was more like she saw how Ron lived with Seamus and didn't want to have to clean up after him. Hermione may not have known this, but Ron could be a clean freak. His moods just came spontaneously.
So it was after three months that a blond man moved in. Harry went down to the corner store and bought a premade pie. His few years with his aunt and uncle certainly hadn't taught him anything in the way of manners. His godfather hadn't exactly taught him the best manners, but his godfather's partner instilled certain habits into him. So when someone new moved in, Harry sprinkled some cinnamon on top and brought it over.
"Hey, neighbor. I'm Harry. I live right next door, and I brought over a welcoming pie." Harry said. Then Harry got a good look at him. He was in some casual trousers and a knit jumper. He seemed a little aristocratic, but it was tempting.
"Hi, I'm Draco. It's nice to meet you. How long have you lived here?" Draco asked.
"I've lived in the building for a few years now, but I've lived in London my whole life," Harry said. He handed Draco the pie.
"Oh, you didn't have to go through the trouble," Draco said. He took the pie. Draco opened the door wider and started walking into the apartment.
Harry took that as a cue to follow. "It was no trouble." And it wasn't, it had only cost 5 pounds. Harry was pants at any baking, cooking he could do, but if it involved sugar or sweetness it usually went up in flames. But the view of Draco's arse was priceless. "Do you need any help moving in?" Harry offered.
"Um yeah, but don't worry about it. My boyfriend is coming over later to help." Draco said. Harry sighed wistfully, all the good looking ones were taken or crazy.
"Well if you need anything, I'm right next door," Harry said. He pointed over his shoulder with his thumb and beat a hasty retreat. It didn't do to encroach on another's relationship.
At first, Harry didn't have a problem with his new neighbor. He would nod his head at him if he saw him by the mailboxes. He would wave if they took their garbage out at the same time. But Harry wasn't overly friendly.
But all that changed a week after the boyfriend started coming over regularly. It started small. There was excessive laughter that was ridiculously overdone. But it didn't bother Harry. Even when a larger short haired brunette started collecting mail with Draco, and they were talking in hushed tones. Generally, they were just being all lovey-dovey in his face. His single face that didn't have anyone in his apartment to laugh with or whisper sweet nothings to.
But the smile on Draco's face could light up a Christmas display in an affluent neighborhood. The adoring eyes that followed the slightly too large frame wherever it went, showed Draco's love. The piggy back rides up and down the stairs weren't too bad. Honestly, at least they weren't swinging their arms and taking forever to walk up the stairs, which Hermione and Ron had been known to do.
Then after another week it started to get worse. There was music blasting on a few weeknights. Harry wouldn't have minded. Except, Ron had forced him to get a job. He didn't need the money, but Ron started nagging him. So Harry needed to be awake at eight am and to have Marvin Gaye blasting at two in the morning didn't help. That followed by an hour of the bed banging against the wall, led to a cranky, overtired Harry for his first week on the job. It didn't spell well for him keeping the job.
Harry got fired. It sucked to be fired. Harry hadn't ever been fired before, cut from football teams, yes, but fired, no, never fired. So Harry bitched. He would meet up with Ron and Hermione for weekly drinks and complain. Hermione told him to try a job in a different field. So Harry got a job as a server. He was pretty good at it. It was fast-paced enough to suit him, but not too much so as to strain his knee.
Draco and his boyfriend ended up at his restaurant one night. But the hostess sat them in Parvati's section. So Harry didn't have to see them being all stupid and in love in front of his face at work too. They were both in suits. Although Draco's boyfriend's suit didn't look as fancy as Draco's. The restaurant was a little fancier than most, but it wasn't exactly formal. But it wasn't Harry's place to comment. Plus, Harry barely knew Draco. He didn't even know the guy's last name.
After a month of Draco living in the building, he threw a party. Draco invited everyone under the age of forty on the apartment floor. Harry went. He started to realize Draco was a pretty chill guy. He ended up talking with Draco and Vincent for the whole night. And, despite the pompous sounding names, Draco and Vincent seemed to go well together. Vincent apologized for the paper thin walls. "We always hear you banging your pots and pans. So you must be sick of hearing us banging like rabbits." Vincent laughed uproariously. But to be fair, he had had a bit much of the fair liquid.
Draco looked mildly uncomfortable. Then Vincent started to invite himself over. "You must be great at cooking. Goodness knows that pie was delicious. We should come over now and try some." When Draco looked like he was going to interrupt, "No, tonight's already full of enough excitement. We'll come over tomorrow. What time do you get off? Ha! Silly question, of course, when I let you." Vincent said with a waggle of his eyebrows. "We'll be over at nine, tomorrow." Vincent declared.
Draco seeming to notice that it was very forward of Vincent tried to salvage the situation. "He means if it is alright with you. Otherwise, we can just go out." Draco said.
Harry just laughed it off. It wasn't a big deal to him. He had the early shift tomorrow anyway. "Tomorrows fine, do you guys have any allergies?" Harry asked.
"Nope, no allergies, should we bring a bottle of wine? White?" Draco asked.
"Make it red wine and you got yourself a deal," Harry said.
Vincent started to get a little grabbier as he got drunker. So Draco started to shut the party down. As everyone went home Harry felt on better standing with his neighbor.
At dinner the next night, Draco was unable to get out of work. So Vincent came over and ate both Draco's meal and his own. Harry just let it happen as he didn't exactly know what the etiquette for that particular situation was. However, Vincent showed up to his house sans the bottle of wine. But Vincent didn't seem to mind the lack of wine. Harry learned that Vincent owned a gym on the other side of town, and Draco was a barrister. They met at Vincent's gym. Vincent had been Draco's trainer. Vincent also had a knack for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.
When Harry licked the ice cream off his spoon, Vincent said, "That's how Draco likes to be licked." Not only were those comments popping up throughout the meal but Harry just wanted Vincent out of his apartment. When they heard a noise through the wall, Harry started to clean up hoping Vincent would take the hint.
"I think that noise means Draco's home, you could bring him some ice cream if you wanted," Harry said. He really hoped Vincent didn't turn it into something wrong.
"That's a great idea, thanks mate, I'll catch you later!" Vincent quickly headed out into the hall with his bowl of ice cream. Oh well, Harry would just grab it another day.
That night the banging on the wall was slower. It honestly made Harry feel worse. It wasn't even a jealousy about Draco or Vincent. It was more of an issue that they had a relationship, and Harry was still single. Harry had always been single. He had never had a real relationship. There had been a few people he explored with.
He even had a tattoo on one arm that had one girl's favorite quote on it. But that was back in his football days. Tattoos were part of that culture. Also, it was nigh on impossible to be bent as a footballer. In fact, it didn't even occur to him that he was bent until after his accident. But to be fair, that wasn't an avenue he really explored. His life back then had been entirely focused on one thing, football.
Harry had a few other tattoos on various parts of his body. Thankfully, most of them were in easily covered places on his body. Only Hermione really knew the extent of his tattoos. But that was only because she had been there when he had one of his incidents. She had needed to strip him down to help clean up his wounds. If Ron knew, he would flip.
The next night, Draco returned the bowl and spoon to Harry. "Sorry about Vincent. Sometimes he just thinks about what he wants and the quickest path to get there. He forgets to consider others in those moments." Draco apologized.
"So what drew you two together, you seem to be opposites. Don't take this the wrong way, but you seem a little more uptight, and he seems to be very loose." Harry said.
"We work because we are opposites. Can you imagine being in a relationship with someone who was exactly like you? You would drive each other insane." Draco said as he ran his hand through his hair.
Harry just shook his head. He couldn't imagine being in a relationship period. Harry knew who he was, but he couldn't fathom prioritizing someone else's needs before his own.
"But doesn't there need to be some symmetry. You guys have to have something in common." Harry said.
"Oh, we have a lot in common," Draco said with a conspiratorial wink.
That night Harry and Draco got to know each other better. Harry found Draco could be a good sounding board. He also got to prove that Harry could hold an intelligent conversation.
Through the following months, Draco and Harry got closer. They eventually settled into a routine. Every Saturday morning, Draco and Harry would meet at a cafe. They would bicker over who had the worst week. Draco complaining about his clients' ridiculous commands. Harry would complain about the crazy people who came into the restaurant.
"So this old guy came in. He had a walker. I was covering for Neville that day. Anyway, he tells me that he needs assistance rising from his seat to get to his walker. But corporate threw a huge fit a couple of months ago about touching guests. Someone helped someone into their wheelchair, and then the guest sued, claiming that the helper caused her back to get out of whack. They're going to settle for hundreds of thousands. So I can't touch this guy, I'm not supposed to touch any guests because someone scammed this one girl. I have to go get the manager. She threatens to call the fire brigade to come lift him out of his seat. She, of course, couldn't tell him about corporate. I just felt so bad. He had a girl with him. She was walking with a limp as well. She seemed to have Parkinson's disease. You know. It's terrible the way these things work out. Anyway at the end of the day, he got into his walker on his own." Harry said. He didn't even really stop for breath. Draco just rested his chin on his palm. Then after Harry finished. He passed the Danish pastry to Harry.
They had a running bet. Whoever had the worst week, they would earn the Danish pastry. They usually swapped on paying for it every week.
After Draco had lived next door to Harry for six months, Harry felt comfortable complaining to Draco about the paper thin walls that separated Draco's bedroom from Harry's kitchen.
"Do you know how disconcerting it is to attempt making primavera only to hear you and Vincent shagging like rabbits in the next room. I might revoke Danish privileges. It seems like you have a nice hunk to go home to. Woe is me, the single neighbor." Harry said dramatically.
"Oh shut up. What about the other night? What were you doing trying to drill a hole? It kept me up for an hour." Draco complained right back.
"That was the electric mixer. I was trying to make waffles." Harry said.
"Now do waffles fall under the sugar and sweet category, making you unable to master them." Draco teased.
"Don't hate on my waffles. I make Norwegian waffles. My waffle iron shapes them into hearts. You wouldn't understand." Harry said.
After a year, Harry started wondering if Draco was going to marry Vincent. They had been dating for six months before Draco moved. But Draco obviously loved Vincent. As much as Vincent occasionally made Harry throw up red flags, Harry always kept his thoughts to himself. In a weird way, Vincent did balance out Draco. It wasn't perfect. Draco didn't become a better person because of Vincent.
Then Draco asked Harry to go ring shopping. Of course, Harry went. They had gotten close over the year. Harry was also friendly with Vincent. Draco wanted someone who could understand both sides of their relationship. Draco wasn't just buying a ring for Vincent. He was going to get himself one too. That way Vincent wouldn't be offended about being the girl of the relationship. Draco also asked Harry to make his heart shaped waffles for Draco and Vincent's breakfast the next day. Draco was going to propose then.
However, after Harry dropped off the waffles. Draco disappeared from the face of the earth. Well not literally. But Draco distances himself from Harry. One day turned into a week. Draco skips their Saturday breakfasts. A week turned into weeks. He no longer smiles at nothing. When Harry tried to confront Draco when they met at the mailboxes, Draco blew him off. Weeks turned into a month.
Harry decided he had had enough. The next day was a Saturday. So Harry showed up at the café at the usual time. Of course, Draco didn't show. So Harry bought three Danish pastries and returned to the apartment building. He went to his apartment, got some ice cream, changed into jammies, and grabbed the bag of pastries.
Harry started knocking on Draco's door. No one answered. Harry wasn't giving up. Draco had had a month. So Harry starts yelling through the door.
"Draco! I know you are in there! You better open this door or so help me…" Harry tried to let the threat hang. But Harry wasn't a very threatening guy. "Alright, we both know I'd need help breaking down this door. So why don't you just let me in? Come on Draco! You wanker! I haven't had a real conversation with you in a month!" Harry's voice took on a whinging quality at that point. "Can you just let me in. I haven't seen you smile in too long. To not see you smile is like water without blue. You need to smile Draco."
"What do you mean water without blue, water is clear you idiot," Draco said.
"Ah Ha! He speaks. Now you have to open the door. I've heard you." Harry said. There was a muffled curse. "It's been ten minutes." When that didn't work, Harry tried a different tactic. "The ice cream will melt." Harry cajoled.
The door opened a crack. "Is it vanilla flavored?" Draco asked. Vincent had liked chocolate.
"Is the sky blue?" Harry asked with a scoff.
"Technically…" That was as far as Draco got before Harry cut him off.
"Are you going to let me in or not?" Harry interrupted.
"Fine," Draco said. Then he opened the door wider.
Harry didn't hesitate. He shouldered Draco out of the way. Then he headed straight to the couch. He pulled the afghan off the back of the couch and grabbed some more blankets. Harry moved the tissues to an easily accessible spot. Then he repositioned a small basket for garbage. Harry turned around. Draco was staring at him with his mouth open. Harry just pushed Draco into a comfortable spot on the couch.
Then he went off to Draco's kitchen. He grabbed two bowls and two spoons. He put two of the pastries away. Then placed one of them on top of Draco's bowl of ice cream. Then he handed the bowl to Draco. After making sure Draco was comfortable, Harry rearranged everything that wouldn't affect Draco until Harry was also in a comfortable position.
"You need to eat that entire Danish pastry before we start talking," Harry said.
Draco practically inhaled his pastry. Harry still didn't speak. It was a little disconcerting as Harry usually never shut up. Draco finished his ice cream too. Harry just kept staring him down without speaking. After Draco finished eating, he started talking.
"Everything was fine. Vincent loved the waffles as usual. When I got down on one knee and proposed he said 'No,' and when I asked him why…" Here Draco paused and wiped his nose with a tissue. "He said, 'You don't marry someone when you love someone else.'" Here Draco started crying again. Harry didn't speak. He couldn't even picture Vincent with someone else. Let alone, the thought of Vincent cheating on Draco just didn't compute.
"Vincent agreed to breakfast to break up. He had no idea that I would propose. It seems he met someone else at his gym. Someone who has more in common with him than I do." Draco said. Once he got started, it seemed he couldn't stop. He started ranting and raving about Vincent. Draco went over all of his faults and flaws. At some point, he stood up and started pacing back and forth.
When Draco seemed to have tired himself out, Harry untangled himself from his nest of blankets and got up. He cautiously approached Draco. Once it was clear that Draco wasn't going to run away, Harry wrapped his arms around Draco. Draco sank into the embrace and started crying again. Harry still had yet to speak.
"I just don't know how I could have treated him better. Why wasn't I enough for him? I loved him so much." Draco sobbed.
Harry just guided Draco back to the couch. He spent the rest of the night holding Draco. Harry was rocking Draco in his arms and held him until Draco fell asleep. Harry started tidying up around Draco. He didn't jostle Draco in any way. Harry would let Draco sleep the day away.
It wasn't Harry's place to fix anything. He didn't need to be the one to bring a smile back to Draco's face. Harry didn't need to fill the role Vincent left. Harry's job was to be a friend to Draco. It's what Harry was best at.
ok but a 'your apartment is next to/above mine and I can hear you and your partner dancing and singing and the bed moving and you two laughing and talking in hushed tones and it won't let me sleep so I bitch about it to you 24/7 and one day it stops and one day turns to one week and then months and I haven't seen you smile in forever please let me in, I've been knocking for ten minutes' au. Harry complains to Hermione & Ron, who are together, Draco is all cutesy with Vincent, but then Vincent dumps Draco for Gregory. Incorporate line from burn notice: "You don't marry someone when you love someone else."