Chapter 1
It was a very strange sight to see a group of Slytherins mixing with a group of Gryffindors. Moreso, Draco mused, a group of Slytherins and Gryffindors falling, one after the other, out of the Malfoy Manor floo. Draco smirked to himself; in reality, it was Granger, Weasley and Potter who had stumbled out. Theo, Blaise and Pansy had stepped from the hearth with all the grace and poise of people who had spent their youths being strictly instructed on the correct way to do such things. Blaise straightened his black jacket and adjusted his cuffs swiftly. "I told you he'd be here." He swanned off to flop artfully into a nearby armchair.
"But it's Saturday mate! Surely the boss can take a Saturday off!" Ron threw himself onto a chair next to Blaise, his Christmas jumper emphasising the red of his hair.
Harry somewhat reluctantly (to Draco's eye, at least) moved further into the room and curled his body into the corner of the couch. Hermione sat next to him and patted his shoulder, covered in his oversized jacket. Harry shot Draco a swift smile and said, "Malfoy works hard. Nothing wrong with that."
Draco stood from his comfortable chair and moved to rest against his desk. "Malfoy Industries doesn't sleep, Weasley. Being a tycoon takes work, no matter how effortless I make it look." He shot Ron a quick smirk. "But since you have all decided to unexpectedly interrupt those efforts, am I to assume that there is some kind of dire emergency?" He gazed at Pansy who was settling herself onto Blaise's lap.
"No, Draco darling," she drawled, not moving her gaze from Ron as she played with the hair on the nape of Blaise's neck. "Not an emergency per se."
"Wrong!" Theo butted in. "It is an emergency!" He remained standing, occasionally pacing in front of the ornate desk.
Hermione snickered quietly, unable to look at Theo or Harry in case it would exacerbate the giggling. "It's not exactly an emergency Theo. You're being dramatic!"
"Theo, dramatic? No!" Draco rolled his eyes. "Really, not that it's not delightful to see you all, but I declined your luncheon invitation because I was busy. I am even more delighted that you thought of me in the case of whatever emergency this is, but I have paperwork to do." He sighed dramatically.
"It's really, really," Harry muttered, avoiding eye contact with Draco, "not an emergency at all." He shot a dirty look at Theo.
"Alrighty then, Potter says it's not an emergency, goodbye." Draco gestured to the floo.
Blaise snickered, "of course Potter doesn't think it's an emergency, but that's because -"
Pansy took her eyes off Ron for a brief second to smack Blaise. "You promised, darling."
Blaise shrugged. "Maybe, but-" Pansy cut him off with a firm shake of her head and he fell silent. Draco felt, rather than saw, the long suffering sigh Blaise heaved.
Ron looked challengingly at Pansy and threw in a snarky comment about Slytherin's being unable to keep a secret and then it was on.
As the group bickered, Draco gazed over his childhood friends. They each looked happy and well. Since graduating Hogwarts the previous year they had all settled into life without the Dark Lord reigning terror over them. Blaise's mother was residing in Italy, leaving Blaise to begin training as MediWizard at the Emergency Department of St Mungo's. He often came to dinner with amusing stories of unfortunate accidents that befell the patients he observed. Pansy had a talent for flower arranging, which conveniently assisted her in finding immediate employment in Diagon Alley as an apprentice florist. This displeased her parents, but pleased her immensely. She and Blaise were in some kind of relationship, but watching the way Pansy flirted so outrageously with Ron made it impossible for Draco to figure them out.
Theo was working as an Unspeakable in the Department of Mysteries. No one was sure exactly what he did, but Theo was happy, and after his father was murdered in Azkaban, Draco thought that if the job made Theo happy, it was worth all the stories that began and ended with "but I can't tell you about it."
They were each affected by the war, of course, and each had lost family and friends, but they had come out on top, and Draco was very grateful.
He pondered the Gryffindors, too. Hermione worked as an Unspeakable with Theo, which was how this strange little group had come together. Theo and Hermione were as stubborn as each other, and since becoming friendly, had spearheaded awkward lunches and dinners until their friends had been worn down into bearing each other's company. It wasn't until Draco and Ron had gotten drunk and played chess that they had all settled in and considered themselves friends, which led to this collection of people interrupting Draco's very well planned day of work.
Ron had, as predicted, entered Auror training and was, by all accounts, doing very well; his strategic mind impressing his superiors and fast tracking his progress. He would be completing the program an entire year early.
In a shock move, Harry had refused all offers from the Ministry to work for them in any capacity - they had offered him carte blanche with choice of careers - opting instead to complete his schooling with the rest of them. He was currently Apprenticed to Professor McGonagall at Hogwarts.
Draco wondered why Harry was so uncomfortable today. He'd never seen the man so tense. Well, not recently at any rate. His body was curled into the corner of the couch and he genuinely looked like he'd rather be anywhere but where he was.
Noticing Draco's wandering attention, Hermione cleared her throat and the banter wore down. She made eye contact with Theo and flicked her eyes in Draco's direction.
"We're off to get Potter new clothes," Theo advised Draco. "And it is a truth universally acknowledged that you do, if nothing else, have an eye for style." He gestured vaguely at Draco's current outfit; a soft, grey, cashmere sweater, and his fitted trousers (with bespoke Italian shoes, of course).
"Mhmm," agreed Hermione.
"Whose side are you on, Hermione?" Harry muttered.
Hermione gently patted his hand. "Yours, that's why we're here."
Harry breathed a quiet sigh, rubbing at his temples, as though warding off a headache, all the while gazing into the fire.
Draco mused at the ease in which the three Gryffindors had become Harry, Hermione and Ron in his head. He would never, of course, acknowledge this aloud - it might set a precedent or indicate friendship, and that would never do.
Draco had often wondered about Harry's wardrobe; it seemed to consist only of clothes that were entirely too big for him, and things that didn't suit him at all. He seemed to have a small rotation of oversized jeans, T-shirts and old school robes. Perhaps the jumpers Molly Weasley kept knitting him were the closest thing that he had to suitable attire, and considering how outlandish the colours continued to get every year, that was saying something.
Draco echoed Harry's sigh. "Alright, so I've been designated the… what? Shopping assistant?" He absently waved his wand and his files organised themselves into his grandfather's antique cabinet.
"Nah mate," Ron had found a sweet in his pocket and was munching on it. He shot a cheeky grin at Draco." Not the assistant, much more important than that. You get to be in charge."
"Draco, you must do this, Potter needs your expertise." Pansy stood and ran her hands over her gown. Her outfit was very different to Hermione's - Draco had noticed that Muggle-borns and Half-Bloods were often more relaxed in their clothing choices, preferring jeans and jumpers, over the more formal attire chosen by Pure-Bloods, where all the witches wore dresses and the men leaned towards suits and dress shoes. Ron's eyes tracked the movements of her hands.
"As a gay man isn't it your duty to save the world from terrible fashion choices? And perhaps the rest of us could return to our lunch plans? They hardly need a pack of us following them around." Blaise finished her thought out loud.
Harry adjusted his glasses. "I hardly need any of you to do anything. It's fine." He wrapped his arms tighter around his knees. For someone who had faced so many dark wizards, Harry seemed so childlike at times. It tugged at Draco's heartstrings, although he would never admit it. Something about this situation wasn't right, and Draco had to get down to why. He wasn't into torturing people without good cause, and whatever was happening here didn't look like it would get the right snarky reaction from Harry at all.
"Alright," he sighed. "If, and only if, you give me five minutes to discuss your proposition with Potter without the peanut gallery, I'll consider taking him shopping." He shot a pointed look at Pansy and Theo.
Ron jumped up. "Sounds like it's a go. I'm going for lunch. Who's coming?" He was practically bouncing on his toes in his eagerness to get to food.
Pansy gave a long suffering sigh. "It wasn't a yes. The key word was consideration and that is not a guarantee. However, I am hungry and I am going to ignore the ambiguity for the sake of your stomach. Come, Blaise." She swept towards the fireplace, Blaise rising to trail behind her.
"To the Lucky Beaker," she gave a pointed look at Ron. "Will you make it there?"
He snorted and nodded. "Yes Princess," he sketched a mocking bow. "Lead the way."
"Go ahead," Theo drawled, "I just need to have a word to Granger and Draco. I'll owl you tomorrow." He nodded at Blaise, who returned the gesture and continued after Pansy in the floo.
"I'll drop by tonight, Ron," Hermione grinned at the redhead, and waved as he called, "The Lucky Beaker!" and disappeared into the flames.
"Finally," muttered Harry, clearly relieved to watch them go, and stretching his arms above his head he sighed, "The pressure!" He straightened up a bit - he was still crammed into the corner of the couch, but he looked a little less dejected than he had before. "Sorry we crashed," he halfheartedly smiled at Draco. "I know you have better things to do today. You don't really need to take me shopping. I'm a big boy, I know where Madam Malkin's is."
"Right," Draco said firmly. First thing you're going to do Potter, is perk up. I'm not spending an afternoon with a pathetic shade of the prat I'm used to." Draco called for a house elf to send some tea up. "Second, Theo, what did you want?"
Theo shot Draco a smirk. "Not a damn thing, I was just tired of watching Pansy fondle Blaise and flirt with Weasley. There's only so much I can take and I was at my bloody limit. That woman is shameless!"
"I don't know, Theo," Hermione moved to stand next to him, "Blaise didn't look like he minded. Perhaps," she shot a smirk at Theo, "Pansy takes two men to keep her occupied."
"Then Blaise isn't doing his job properly." He shook his head. "Pathetic."
"And I'm sure you could do it better?" Hermione looked up at Theo from under her lashes, a slight blush staining her cheeks.
"My woman wouldn't need two men," Theo smiled down at Hermione from his lofty height.
Draco was a little disturbed by the flirty look Theo was giving the curly haired woman, and coughed to break the moment. "Right, well… go and occupy yourselves then. Shoo."
Hermione's blush became a bright red and she ducked her head. "I do have work to do," she stated.
Harry rose to give her a hug and whisper in her ear. Draco couldn't hear what was said, but he did hear the returning "just tell him, he'll understand," from Hermione, followed by a dirty look from Harry.
Theo tugged Draco to the side as the two friends whispered harshly to each other.
He muttered lowly, "there is more context to this whole shopping trip, but it's really not for me to tell you, but according to Herm- Granger, Potter has never had clothes that fit. He was given," here he took a disgusted breath, "second hand clothes!"
Draco gasped. "That's disgusting! No wonder he's a wreck of a human being."
"Mhmm," Theo agreed. "And it was He - Granger's idea we come to you. You're the most likely to not make a big deal about it. The others don't know that part. Granger knew you'd do the right thing with that information, yes?" He arched a perfect brow.
"Yes, yes," Draco murmured impatiently. "Is that the reason for whatever's happening with him today, or is there something else? I don't think he's looked this depressed since the war."
"I wouldn't know." Theo blinked and his face became a blank slate. "Granger, are you interested in a trip to the Leaky? I'm peckish, and I refuse to go anywhere near Horizont Alley while that lack of decorum is happening."
A light blush returned to Hermione's face. "Oh, well, if you'd like the company, I suppose I can spare some time."
Draco and Harry watched the two wave and leave via the floo, just as a house-elf appeared with a tray of tea. "On the balcony please, Pipsy," Draco directed. "If you will, Potter?" He gestured towards the chair and table now laid out ready for them to partake.
Harry smiled the first genuine smile Draco had seen so far and moved to sit carefully down.
"I'm sure I don't say it often enough, Malfoy, but I do love what you've done to the manor." Harry smiled up at Draco as he sat down.
"I like it too. And now that I'm the only one living here, I only have to please myself. Mother and Father would never have liked what I've done to the place." Draco shot a smirk at Harry. "Now, milk and two sugars, yes?" Draco's hands were already moving through the practiced motions of pouring Harry's tea.
"Mhmm," Harry looked closely at Draco, surprised. "How did you know that?"
"I pay attention, Potter. Knowing how someone takes their tea tells you a lot about a person," Draco said pretentiously, placing the cup gently in front of Harry. "Anyway, that's not important. What has made you so uncomfortable today? I can't believe that the idea of going shopping for clothes is what has made you go all… whatever you are."
Harry took a sip of his drink and sighed. "I'm not anything. I objected to the imposition on your time. And their reasoning for my new wardrobe."
"And their reasoning was…?" Draco prompted.
Harry cracked his neck. "Partly because Pansy simply doesn't like anything I wear. She says it's all too big. Which is a fair point, most of it used to belong to Dudley. You know, my cousin?"
He placed his hands atop his head and stared at the ceiling. "But they worked out I haven't dated in... I don't know how long. A while." He sighed. "And it's not that big a deal, really, but you know Ron. He made it into a huge deal so then Pansy and Blaise jumped on the bandwagon, and I think Theo was just mocking them all, but it's kinda hard to tell with him, you know?"
Draco nodded thoughtfully. "He is hard to read. Not that Granger seems to have a problem with that." He shot a cheeky smirk at Harry.
Harry chuckled. "Oh, you see it too?"
Draco allowed a small smile.
Harry sighed - this time, not as emotionally as before. "Look, I'd love it if you could help me replace all my clothes. But only if you have time."
"You're not that hard up are you Potter, surely?" Draco drawled."I've seen both witches and wizards literally throw their underwear at you. I'm sure that you could just owl any of them for a date."
Harry took a fortifying sip of tea. "Yes, I'm sure I could. But… those people all want -" He switched into the deep voice of Severus Snape (as close as he could get, anyway), " -famous Harry Potter." He shrugged. "They all expect things of me, and you and I both know I have no idea what I'm doing on a good day, let alone on a date with a stranger. So I don't date. They all want the fame and the reporters and the story. I want… reading in the library, quiet dinners and to fade into the background. I don't know how to find that, but that's what I want."
"And," Draco intoned, "there is also the fact that you're a raging homosexual."
Harry snorted at Draco's offhand comment. "I didn't know you knew that. He shook his head. "How raging can I be? I haven't dated since Ginny. And she was very definitely female. And my last kiss was Seamus, as a dare, at the beginning of eighth year. So… raging, I think not."
Draco let a small smile escape. "Perhaps not." Turning serious for a moment, he said, "I don't know if a new wardrobe will solve all your problems, but it will at least make you feel good. And," he put his teacup down decisively. "It will save me from wanting to scratch out my eyes every time I look at you."
"Look at me often, do you?" Harry laughed and put his cup down. "Alright. Now or another time?"
"I've already filed my parchment, Potter. Now or never." Draco was pleased. He'd never been the one responsible for cheering Harry up and he found he didn't mind the feeling of accomplishment that accompanied it.
"Now, I guess." Harry stood up and leaned over to adjust the cuffs of his overlong jeans. "Where to? Diagon Alley?"
Draco snorted. "I don't think so, Potter. We will floo to a place called 'Sloane Boulevard.' Can you repeat that please? I don't want you ending up somewhere dangerous." He gave Harry a mocking smile.
"It happened once, Malfoy." Harry objected. "Once! And I was twelve at the time." He took a handful of floo powder and muttered, "I can't believe Ron told you that. SLOANE BOULEVARD!"
And he was gone.
Draco allowed himself to crack into a grin. "That's better." He double checked to make sure he had his wand and wallet and followed Harry with a whoosh!