Hey Lovelies! So this is a random one-shot because all of my inspiration for my long stories has decided to run off to some unknown location and I can't find it. I'm looking though! Any way this is set to "Learning To Live Again" by Garth Brooks. Enjoy and let me know if you like it!
Harry stood in the master bathroom of Grimmauld Place running a hand through his untidy black hair. He had just celebrated his thirtieth birthday and he was sure that he would never find a way to properly tame it. He didn't know why he was nervous, well he did, this was the first time he had gone out on a date in two years, and before that he had been married for eight. But that was beside the point, he was being set up and they were going out together, a double date, but still Harry was nervous.
So much so that he hadn't been looking and the charm he was using to dry off had burnt his hand when it remained unfocused for too long. He muttered some of his favorite curse words under his breath as he tried to cast a simple healing charm on it, something that for all his triumphs he had never been able to succeed at all that well.
He resigned himself to the slight burn, hoping that whomever it was that Andromeda was bringing along wouldn't mind the redness that was overtaking his left hand. With his right he picked up the blade from the counter and began to shave off the growth that had accumulated over the past couple of days.
Harry had been spending more and more time at the Ministry and less time worrying about little things like shaving. When you worked in the Department of Mysteries very few people cared about your overall appearance. "Hssss," Harry sucked in an audible hiss as he nicked his cheek with the blade. He stopped the bleeding with a towel and shook his head at his reflection. What had he gotten himself into?
Once the bleeding was under control he slipped on the shirt that he had set out for the night and glanced down at his watch. Andromeda had said that they would be there at seven and it was six fifty-six, he was sure that they would be there any minute. The Shacklebolts were nothing if not punctual.
Harry had barely made it out of his room when he heard the doorbell ring and Kreacher answer it. Three voices could be heard floating up to him. Andromeda's and Kingsley's were easily distinguishable, and the third sounded vaguely familiar over the distance. Perhaps he had met the woman before?
He put on his best smile and tried to adopt a generally happy mood as he made his way downstairs towards the entrance hall to greet his guests. He was so unaccustomed to having company that he hadn't thought to turn any extra lights on, and so it wasn't until he actually reached the front hall that he could properly see them.
Immediately Andromeda swept him into a hug and he nodded once over her shoulder to Kingsley. The other woman was standing just to the side and she was half hidden behind the Minister, but he did catch a glimpse of incredibly long, wavy, blonde hair. When Andromeda finally let him up to breathe he smiled at her, "It's good to see you too."
"Harry, I'd like to properly," she paused and looked down, she had grabbed his hand in hers and she had only just noticed the burn, "What did you do?" Her dark eyes were full of worry, much like he had seen when she found that Teddy had gotten himself hurt. She glanced over her shoulder at the other woman in the room. "Will you come look at this?"
Harry couldn't help his reaction when the woman stepped around the Minister, whomever he had been expecting Andromeda to bring, he hadn't been expecting her little sister. "Mrs. Malfoy?"
"Not anymore." Her voice was cool, but her icy eyes sparkled as she moved forward, "I haven't been Mrs. Malfoy in almost ten years." She extended one small hand towards him, "May I?"
"Ummm…" He looked confused but both women smiled.
"I had my healer's license reinstated a few years back, I promise that it will be fine." Gently she took his hand in hers and began to look it over. She slipped her wand out of her sleeve and Harry was impressed, it had been so cleverly concealed that he never would have known it was there. The more he studied her the more impressed he became, Andromeda had told him to dress muggle, and all of them were dressed incredibly well. No one would have thought they were anything but.
An icy sensation swept through his hand and he looked down to see that it was perfectly healed. His eyes must have showed his surprise at her skill because she just laughed. "You seem shocked Mr. Potter. Did you believe that I couldn't do it?"
"Of course not. I was just, distracted."
"Distracted?" Andromeda asked, confused.
Harry's cheeks flushed a little, "You both look wonderful." He mumbled under his breath.
Narcissa dropped his hand gently before taking a step back from him. Allowing the younger man room to breathe. Kingsley slipped an arm around his sister-in-laws shoulders as she stepped back. He took it upon himself to break the silence that had settled around them. "Andi said that you picked out a little café for dinner, is that true Cissa?"
"Yes." She laughed at him, and Harry was startled. He had never heard Narcissa Mal-, no, Narcissa Black laugh, but he was certain that he wanted to hear it again. The blonde and the Minister led the way out of the house; Harry and Andromeda following close behind.
It wasn't but a few minutes later that the four of them found themselves seated around a table in a small, but respectable muggle club on the other side of the city. Harry had thought that he had heard Kingsley say something about a café and this, he looked around them, was most definitely not a café, but both women seemed to be enjoying themselves, and so he refrained from commenting on it.
Harry was listening to the conversation swirl around them, the other three actively chatting about this or that, with very little input from the youngest member of their party. He was reflecting on how he and the Minister had switched partners at the door and Narcissa had waited for Harry to open it for her before entering. Since he had taken her on his arm he had acted the perfect gentleman, but he couldn't help wondering if she was having the same misgivings about this set up as he was?
When Narcissa stood from the table Harry automatically stood with her. "I'm just going to the ladies room, I think I can handle that by myself." She gave him a small smile and put her hand lightly on his shoulder as she passed by him. Harry sank back down in his chair looking more than a little defeated.
"You're doing fine." Andromeda's voice was filled with merriment as she chuckled at the forlorn look on the younger man's face. "She's actually having a good time. I haven't seen her smile this much in a long time."
Harry sighed, he wished that he felt the same way, but he figured her smile had more to do with the other two than it did with him. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up into her startlingly, icy blue eyes. "Mr. Potter, would you grace me with a dance?"
"Of course." He stood automatically and took her hand in his as he led her to the dance floor. He was thankful that the music had slowed down, "I believe, Ms. Black, that you have long ago earned the right to call me Harry." He surprised himself by smiling at her, and was even more surprised when she returned the sentiment.
After spinning back into his arms with the flourish of the music she nodded, "Very well then Harry, I believe you should call me Narcissa." He spun her away once more as the music allowed, thankful that dancing was something that he had had a natural affinity for once he had taken the time to learn properly.
When the music finished he stopped her movements and collected her hand in his once again. Bowing over it he gave her his best smile and kissed her knuckles before leading her back to the other two people at their table. When they got there Andromeda said something that caused her twinkling laughter to reach his ears again and he smiled. Harry caught her eye as he retook his seat, and he hoped beyond hope that she didn't see that she was slowly killing him.
As they left the club Kingsley asked if they wanted to find somewhere to have coffee. Narcissa looked undecided, and Harry heard himself offering to escort her home if they wanted to continue on. He caught a glimpse of her smile again and he had offered her his arm, allowing her to turn on the spot and pull them away before either of the other two could get a word in.
That's how he had found himself standing on her front porch, waiting for her to unlock the door and step safely inside before he allowed himself to leave. He met her eyes and he could see that she too was trying to figure out what to say. "I had a good time tonight." He offered gently, his hand still resting on her elbow. Before either one of them realized what was happening he had leaned in and kissed her softly on the cheek.
"Good night Harry." She offered with a small smile as she stepped away from him.
Instead of replying with the same Harry found something entirely different tumbling out of his mouth. "Can I see you again?"
To his surprise she smiled and laughed, not as a rejection, but more out of surprise that he had been so bold as to ask. She met his eyes with a smirk as she pushed the door open. Just before she disappeared inside she answered him, "We'll see."
As the door clicked shut behind her Harry smiled, he turned on the spot and let himself into his own house. One thing was for sure, he looked around the room at the pictures on the walls and he smiled, "Learning to live again, is killing me."