Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter... as much as I would love too.
Summary: Draco and Harry split up and Harry ran. Now he is back and living in a muggle neighborhood, with Seamus and selling his paintings at a local cafe. HPDM SLASH. With mentions of HGRW.
Cold spring rain pounded down, soaking the inhabitants of Pennington Street. A thin man in his mid twenties stepped out of his flat, slamming a green door shut behind him. He quickly set off down the narrow street, hugging a black jumper closer to his petite frame and head bent against the wind. A dark green shoulder bag hung loosely at his side, occasionally bumping into him as he walked.
He quickened his pace and then turned left when he hit Essex Road. The street was brimming with midday shoppers and people looking for a suitable eatery. One of his slender hands automatically went down to pull his bag closer to his body so as not to let it bump into anyone, while he fought the onslaught of pedestrians. He cut sideways through the crowd and carefully opened the door to the Blue Moon. The cafe was warm and well lit. The peach walls giving it a cozy feel. The smell of fresh ground coffee hung in the air and the sound of some new band played under the chatter of customers. It was big enough, with a few couches along the walls and tables in the middle. Pillars were placed randomly throughout the room and were adorned by paintings and sketches.
The man closed the door behind blocking out the wind and the rain. He shivered slightly and shook his head like a dog, smiling slighting as dark wavy locks flew in front of his eyes spraying water everywhere.
"Oi! Jamie! Want a towel mate? Or could you stop spraying my customers?" The man behind the counter called, his voice kind and filled with friendly amusement. He looked about thirty, with short curly brown hair and a defined face. He wore tan trousers from which a dishtowel hung and a yellow t-shirt with a lion on it. His face was creased with smile lines and his teeth looked nice.
"Opps. Sorry David! It's raining!" He said laughing, his face bright with childlike excitement. His hand reaching up to remove his glasses and rub them dry on the shirt under his jumper.
"No really? I never would have guessed. But thank you for bringing it in here." David said turning around to add some cream to drink he was making, swirling it slightly. "Oh! I almost forgot! Taylor called this morning. Says your painting should be done by Monday. He also said that he wants to show some of them in the festival next week!"
The man looked pleased by this news, but didn't reply. He stepped farther into the cafe and took his bag of his shoulder. He was glad it wasn't to busy today, there was usually a lull on Wednesday afternoons. He walked casually to the dark blue couch in corner, politely nodding to the regulars he knew and smiling to those he didn't. He dropped his bag on the couch marking it as his and then went back to the counter.
"So the usual then?" David asked smiling. Without waiting for a reply he grabbed a big red cup and started filling it up. David knew him so well, it didn't hurt that he had been ordering the same low fat mocha in the red cup since he had started coming there two years prior. In those two years a playful sarcastic friendship had bloomed, and he now regarded David as a brother.
"Of course. Although I may have to start ordering something else just to switch it up on you." He said handing David a fiver. "Oh David, what would I do without you and your wonderful mochas."
"Honestly I have no idea... You might die! Nah.. probably find some other coffeehouse to haunt and some other hardworking soul to torment." David ended dramatically with a sigh and hand over his brow.
"Hah! Right.. Hardworking! I'll give you a tip for the performance though. Nice reference to death and spirits." He said cheekily, tossing a few a few quid into David's tip jar. It featured a picture of David sleeping on a couch, the glare of the tele on his face and empty bottle of Guinness sat on the coffee table. Somebody had written on the corner in messy lettering: College?
"It's what pays the bills." David said smiling and spreading Jam onto a piece of toast and putting on plate, he quickly gave it to a man in brown trousers and a black pullover. "Yours will be done in a sec Jamie."
"Okay thanks!" He said eyeing the red cup eagerly. "So how is Mairea? She coming in today?"
"Yeah maybe later. She has to finish up a bit of work at home though. She has the day off." David said adding a bit of whip cream to the mocha. He liked Mairea, she had wavy brown hair that she kept tied in a bun and wore interesting clothes. She was sweet, funny and very intelligent. However she worked as a solicitor and was usually tired when he saw her. She was also a vegan and had slowly turned David into one as well.
"Here's you coffee. My break is in about ten minutes. Don't be a stranger." David said handing over the now hot red cup.
"Yeah okay. Oh man you're getting a queue! I'll see you later." He said balancing the cup and sidestepping a young woman carrying a sticky looking toddler.
He slowly walked back to his couch and took a long sip up his mocha before setting his cup on the table in front of him. It was small and square with rainbow splotches of paint covering its surface. He liked the little table. He had painted it the previous summer when he had gotten tired of David complaining that its peeling white paint was ugly.
After getting his cup situated he plopped himself down casually and into a sitting position, his legs spread out in front of him and his back to the counter. He picked up his cup and took another large gulp, savoring the way the delicious liquid warmed his throat. He replaced the cup on the table and unzipped his bag and pulled out a sketch book. It was adorned with drops of paint, black and white photos and news paper clippings. He dug deeper into his bag and retrieved a pack of fags and some matches. He took one of each and carefully struck that match.
"You know those will kill you, right?" whispered a smooth voice next to his ear. His heart stopped suddenly and his eyes closed shut. He suddenly felt incredibly exposed and panicky. He had been avoiding that voice for three years and it had finally found him in a small, not to mention muggle, coffee shop in Islington. He slowly lifted his head to look into striking silver eyes.
"Hello Draco." He said curtly, snapping his neck back to focus on his dwindling match. He quickly brought it to the end of his cigarette and inhaled. "Thanks for that. I'd forgotten."
"Well glad I could help. Do you mind if I sit down?" Draco asked after moving forwards towards the couch, putting him in direct view of the man sitting on the couch. Draco looked good. His hair was longer and styled with the current trend. His jeans were obviously expensive and fit nicely without being too tight or too loose. He wore a white shirt with a flashy silver dragon under a dark fitted blazer. He looked cool.
"Yes, in fact I do. There is a large selection of other tables in this establishment and I'm quite certain you could sit at one of those." The brunette said icily, stretching out his legs further.
Draco pretended not to have heard him and kept walking. He quickly grabbed a near by chair and placed it down behind the coffee table.
"So are you always this much of an ice queen? Or am I just special?" Draco asked taking a seat gracefully in his new chair and staring at the now irate man across from him.
"You're just special." He said through pursed lips and glaring at Draco. He took a long drag from his fag and deliberately blew the smoke at the blonde. Draco didn't even blink, he just wrinkled his nose in distaste.
"Hey mate. Here is your vanilla mocha, without whip cream but with a small shot of Irish rum." David said coming over and placing a small purple cup in front of Draco and beaming. "Finally bringing
"Er, no Dave. He's just an old acquaintance from school.. that just happened to be here at the same time." He said his face bright and voice suddenly cheery with the appearance of David.
"Oh I see, yeah… okay! Well just wave if you need anything." David said giving Draco an odd look before returning to his post from behind the counter.
"First, who the hell is that? You shagging the barista? And second, Jamie? What the fuck?" Draco asked looking caught in between bewilderment and anger.
"First, not that it is any of you business, but David and I are just friends. He also happens to be straight as a ruler!" The brunette said through a forced calm whisper. He dropped his gaze to his sketchbook and was flipping through his sketchbook violently. He was clearly becoming extremely irritated.
"And the name? Jamie? Why Jamie?" Draco countered, his voice raising trying to get the man's attention.
"Well!" He began angrily and then paused. "It started out as James, you know my middle name, then people just shortened it. I'm not completely sure… just a sort of new life new identity thing. I needed a change. Only my friends call me Harry." He said becoming absorbed in finding a blank page again. "What are you here Draco?"
" To escape the rain and buy a warm beverage.." Draco trailed off looking innocent and amused.
"I'm serious. How the hell did you find me? And I don't believe your little story. Why this café? Why today? What do you want! I have nothing to say to you and I doubt that there is anything you can say that will interest me!" He finished looking exasperated.
"Well.. I mean.. I missed you, okay! I've missed talking to you and doing things with you. Just messing about and all that… Anyway why does me turning up have to be such a bad thing, Harry?" Draco said drawing out the last word and causing Harry to flinch at the sound of his name. It had been so long since he had heard it from that mouth. He didn't feel like that man anymore. He didn't feel as exuberant or full of life or… or happy. Sure it appeared as if he was happy on the outside but that was a façade. Anger suddenly bubbled beneath the surface.
"I don't care Draco! I don't care that you miss me or you missed talking to me! I don't bloody care!" He said in his forced whisper again. "And you made it a bad thing! Now please just leave. Please."
Draco's face lost the cocky smirk it always held, but it was reanimated in a matter of seconds that Harry wondered if it had even happened. Only his eyes held the impact of Harry's words. He looked tired and regretful. He sighed quietly and then quickly drained his cup. He stood up and gave Harry a final quick once over before walking to towards the door. He turned once he reached it and gave David a little wave of thanks and then disappeared into the ever-moving crowd outside.
Harry watched after him, a sinking feeling in his heart. He had imagined seeing Draco again in his mind so many times, but he had never thought he would so heart broken or so guilty. Draco wasn't supposed to be weak like that. He was supposed to take it in stride when Harry yelled at him. He sighed looking back down at his sketchbook. He no longer had any desire to draw. He carefully stowed the book back in his bag. He picked up his fag and took another long drag before putting it out in the ashtray. He looked sadly at his half empty coffee, it was cold now.
"Hey Jamie my breaks just started." David said walking over and taking Draco's vacated chair. He deposited a new cup, but black cup on the table. "Figured with a face like that you could do with a new drink. This one's on me mate."
Harry sighed and took a big sip of the hot drink. He didn't find as much pleasure in it this time. He muttered a quiet thanks before becoming silent again.
"So who was that then? And I mean really. You wouldn't get a look like that from a random mate from school." David said studying Harry's melancholy face.
"Just and ex-boyfriend." Harry whispered taking another sip from his coffee.
"Just and ex-boyfriend." He repeated to himself.