A Simple Charm
Chapter 1: It's a Date
Harry Potter exited the quaint little furniture shop at the edge of Diagon Alley with a shrunken rocking chair for Molly. She'd taken to knitting more often now and her own had succumbed to the wear and tear of years.
She was the last on his holiday shopping list. It had taken far too long to get through it, as every time he stepped a foot out the door he was bombarded by fans or photographers. He finally had to threaten never to set foot in Diagon Alley to get some respite.
He was so exhausted, and therefore wasn't watching where he was going and ran into someone, causing them to land in a heap of tangled limbs. Blonde landed on his face which he huffed away. The weight atop him shifted as the person lifted their head and he came eye to eye with Lucius Malfoy. He groaned and thumped his head on the sidewalk.
"Now Mr. Potter, is that any way to treat an old friend."
Harry snorted, and was surprised to see some amusement reflected in the other's eyes. "Yeah, Friend. If I could lift my hands right now, I'd make some quotation marks."
"Of course." Harry was starting to become uncomfortable seeing as Malfoy was making no effort to remove himself from him.
They had formed a sort of truce during the war. He often thought he and Narcissa did it primarily to save their own skins or their son, but he had to admit that they were very helpful in the fight towards Voldemort's demise. It didn't mean that he wanted the man to crush him.
"Umm, mind getting off me any time soon?"
"Get you off? Why Mr. Potter, what an interesting proposition."
"Haha" he said deadpanned.
The man did, however get up and gather his own items, and handing Harry his things, raised his wand over them both getting rid of the dust and dirt.
"Thanks." he smiled.
"Doing some holiday shopping?"
"Yeah, just finishing up."
The man looked like he was about to say something before deciding not to.
"Are you shopping for Narcissa?"
That shocked the man and a flash of hurt passed through his eyes before a terse, "No." came out.
"Are you attending the Winter Gala at Hogwarts? I've been told it's going to be a 'must-to' event."
In all honesty he was hoping not to go, but Hermione had reminded him that his presence was incredibly important, no so much for publicity but as comfort and reassurance to those that survived the war. "I'll be there."
The man left, turning his head back briefly to say, "Then it's a date."
And Harry was once again left standing, wondering what the hell was going to happen to him now.