Chapter Three – Godfathers and dates.
Harry nearly walked in to Draco, as he stopped suddenly in front of him just inside the door to the Potions class room.
'Draco are you ok?' Harry was concerned, as the other boy was clearly tense.
Harry's question was met with silence. Somewhat hesitantly, Harry reached out and put a hand on Draco's shoulder. 'Draco?'
He heard the boy swallow loudly, as if trying to clear something out of his throat.
'It's nothing, it's just…' Draco trailed off struggling to get the words out.
Feeling more concerned, Harry stepped around Draco so he could see the other boys face. Draco looked at him briefly, allowing Harry to see that he was struggling to contain tears, before he tried to look anywhere else in the room. Harry realised that it was probably the first time Draco had been in here, since Severus Snape had been killed by Voldemort's snake, just 3 days ago. Harry still had his hand on Draco's shoulder, without thinking he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Draco.
'It's ok' Harry said quietly. Having contained his emotions for three days, Draco simply couldn't anymore and began to sob on to Harry's shoulder. Harry tightened his arms slightly as he found himself tearing up as well. Severus deserved better from life, it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that Draco had lost someone, that Harry had never really got to know his mother's, or that he had even been his mother's friend, until after the man had died. Draco quietened and began to sniff. Harry loosened his arms, allowing Draco to step back and rub at his face.
Harry noticed Draco was looking embarrassed and awkward about breaking down in front of him. 'Draco, I'm sorry you lost him.'
Draco relaxed slightly, realised Harry wasn't going to ridicule him. 'He was my Godfather', Draco said by way of explanation. 'Sometimes…most of the time, he was more of a father to me….' Draco trailed off again, clearly struggling.
'We've both lost too much Draco, it's just not fair. Parents, God Parents, friends…do you ever wonder how we just pick up and keep going?' Harry looked at Draco, feeling at that moment utterly lost and despairing.
'We remember them and what they did, and we keep going for their sake, because they can't.' Draco began to move across the room slowly, as if he was remembering times he had spent in here, discussions he had had with his Godfather and former Potions Professor.
'Did he ever tell you he was friends with my mum before they started here at Hogwarts?' asked Harry.
Draco spun around at Harry looking somewhat shocked there was more to his Godfather's life he hadn't known about. 'No, I never knew…will you tell me?' As they started to pull out ingredients and equipment they'd need for the potion, Harry haltingly began to share Severus' memories the man had left to him as he lay dying in the Shrieking Shack.
'I don't think he hated me but it was just too much me looking like my father who he did hate, but reminding him of my mother, him feeling responsible for their deaths…I just wish…it could have been different, that I had got to know him.'
'No wonder he was so bitter' sighed Draco. 'Don't get me wrong, I loved him but he'd had a hard life, harder than I knew.'
'At least he had you.' Harry stated simply. There was silence for a moment before Draco replied.
'Thank you. I think…no I know, I want to get my potions mastery, to honour him by following in his footsteps. Who knows, maybe one day I'll be teaching in this class room?' He turned to Harry smiling slightly.
'Well you're already teaching in this class room. So, how do we make a hangover cure?' Draco kept himself and Harry busy for the rest of the afternoon, preparing the ingredients and brewing the potion, before bottling it up in to small doses to hand out to the other 7th year students. After they had cleaned up the lab, they realised they'd allowed just enough time for them to change before needing to leave for Hogsmeade.
Draco was already edging out the door in hurry I'll meet you at the main entrance in an hour. Harry just grinned to himself realised Draco wanted to spend more time working on his appearance before they had to leave. At which point Harry began to feel slightly nervous. Even without the press it was the first time he'd been out in public for months, and he was worried about embarrassing himself. Being self-critical he demanded just who he was trying to impress anyway, and Draco's face came to mind, all this whilst he was rushing towards his rooms wondering if he had anything suitable to wear.
Harry continued trying not to panic as he had a hurried shower. Hermione had kindly left him the magically expanded bag, which he had yet to sort through and unpack. Crossing his fingers for luck Harry opened the bag before holding out his wand and summoning his clothes. What looked like the entire contents of three wardrobes quickly piled on to the bed. It seems Hermione had taken it upon herself to expand his wardrobe, he could kiss that girl!
In a hurry, he began to sort through the pile looking for something that wasn't too dressy but was respectable just in case the press did surprise him. And you want to impress a certain blonde his subconscious intervened with a certain amount of snark. Harry stilled for a moment. Did he really want to impress Draco….and why? He sighed at himself somewhat frustrated, as he didn't have time to psycho analyse himself at the moment. He quickly got changed in to what he imagined Hermione would deem "smart casual" before racing out of his room to the main entrance.
Draco refused to rush himself. He took his time showering and finding something suitable to wear with slightly less panic than Harry. He also took his time leaving his room and making his way to the main entrance, he looked at his watch and somewhat guiltily wondered if being fashionably late was still acceptable? He sped up, realising he was had probably kept Harry waiting.
As Draco approached the main entrance, he couldn't spot Harry and for a moment was worried Harry have given up waiting and had either gone back to his rooms or gone ahead without him, until he spotted a familiar head of black hair just outside the main entrance.
Harry was sitting on the front steps, twirling his wand and trying not to fidget out of nerves and mentally kicking himself for feeling nervous in the first place. He heard foot steps behind him and stood up quickly, presuming it would be Draco.
Draco just stopped suddenly. Harry's attire was simple but striking, black pants and a green long-sleeved shirt that matched his eyes. Draco noticed somewhat bemused that Harry had already rolled up the sleeves and undone the top few buttons, as if to say he didn't do formal. Realising he was staring he tried to remove the awkwardness. 'You scrub up alright Potter' He noticed Harry's cheeks redden slightly, and to his horror realised his face was heating up as well.
'Well you know there's a certain standard Hogwarts' most eligible bachelors need to maintain for Witch Weekly's most avid readers.' stated Harry seriously. Draco laughed outright and ran a hand through his hair relieved he hadn't managed to make the encounter too awkward.
Harry realised that, for the first time Draco hadn't used product in his hair to sleek in all back. The result was more natural, and made Draco's overall appearance seem softer, more relaxed. Especially when he laughed. He caught himself wondering just how soft Draco's hair would be, before he realised Draco had said something to him and he'd missed it. He felt his face heating up again.
Draco raised an eyebrow and tried not to smirk too much before repeating himself. 'Are you ready to head off?'
'Yeah sure' Harry mumbled, as he mentally lectured himself for being so bloody socially awkward.
As they walked in silence out the main gate they both spotted the other senior students walking further ahead of them.
'You know' began Draco with a smirk, 'I do believe Turpin was trying to ask you out for a drink before and you ruined it for her.'
'What do you mean' Harry just looked confused and oblivious. 'She asked us and we said yes?'
'No, I mean she was asking you specifically and you foiled it by asking me in turn.'
Harry stumble before going red faced 'You mean she was asking me out of like a date or something?'
Draco just laughed. 'You are so clueless Potter, it's adorable.'
Harry continued to trudge along, red faced. Did Draco just say he was adorable?
'Does that mean this is a date?' asked Harry hesitantly.
'No, I think you missed the boat with Turpin' replied Draco as he could see her in the distance standing rather close to another student from Ravenclaw.
'No, I meant this…us.' Harry said quickly going red faced, again.
Draco stopped suddenly, trying to cover his surprise. Going for directness he questioned Harry. 'Do you want this to be a date?'
Harry thought if his face got any warmer in would melt off. 'I….I…..'
Draco just grinned and shook his head slightly before walking ahead. Over his shoulder he said 'Don't worry Potter. Buy me enough shots of fire whiskey and you can call this whatever you like.' Draco began to wonder if a few drinks would make Harry more forthcoming. It was getting harder to ignore that there was something there between them, but Draco didn't want to be the one the make the first move and ruin their friendship if Harry wasn't interested.
They caught up to the others just outside of The Three Broomsticks, Harry still red faced. As they pushed open the door, Draco eagerly made his way to the bar decidedly needing a drink, before announcing to the others that the first round was on Harry. Harry just grinned and shook his head before dropping coins on the bar and taking the barstool next to Draco.
'You heard the man, I'm buying apparently.' Harry declared. The others grinned and Harry received a few grateful pats on the back and they moved towards the bar to order their drinks. Harry ordered two shots of fire whiskey for himself and Draco. When Madame Rosmerta deposited their drinks with a wink, Harry held his out to Draco and clinked glasses.
'Cheers' Harry said before downing his glass in one go.
Draco raised an eyebrow at Harry before sipping at his somewhat delicately.
Harry snorted 'What happened to "I can go drink to drink with you any day"' Harry mimicked making quotation marks in the air.
'If that's how you want to play it you're on, I was just going easy on you' declared Draco before downing his drink and gesturing for another round of drinks.
Madame Rosmerta came back over with another two shots and a wink. 'Why do I get the feeling someone will be carrying your boys out of here at some point?'
Harry grinned at her ear to ear 'Because it is just that kind of night' before saluting her with his glass and downing it.
He noticed Draco was looking at him somewhat bemused, his glass still full. 'What happened to "staggering back to the Castle at some ridiculous hour drunk"' Draco mimicked Harry's air quotation mark gesture. 'At this rate, we'll be carting you off by 8pm'
'My dear Draco, that sounds like quitting talk to me.' Harry looked at him challengingly but also grinned.