Author's note: I've written several versions of this chapter but I can't seem to find the perfect fit but this was the one I liked best so, here it is. .
*
Harry walked into the posh and very exclusive restaurant his lover had chosen. It was unlike the reclusive blonde to set a dinner date for them outside the walls of their home but seeing the elegance and refinement of the interior and sensing the tight security and privacy measures within the establishment, he understood why Draco had chosen such a place.
The waitress recognized Harry immediately and led him to a private room deep within the restaurant. As the door opened, he immediately saw his lover sitting, facing the door. Draco smiled at him and beckoned for him to come and sit beside him. What Harry couldn't figure out was why there were two other suspiciously familiar people in the room.
The door closed behind Harry as he walked over to sit beside his lover. As he sat down his suspicion was quickly confirmed. His left hand went to Draco's right thigh and squeezed it gently, a secret gesture that they used when one was unsure of what the other was thinking.
Draco smiled at Harry's tense expression. His grey eyes sparkled as it traced the contour of his masculine jaw that was tightly pursed.
"Harry love, don't be rude and greet our guests." Draco smiled charmingly at him.
Green eyes searched grey ones but Harry chose to give in. "Ronald. Hermione." He nodded to them formally.
The married couple sat in front of the two men, their hands interlaced on the tabletop. Hermione looked as though she was on the verge of tears and Ron looked flustered, distraught but proud all at the same time.
"Harry I'm sorry. We're sorry!" Hermione burst out. "We thought back then that we were doing the right thing. We were blinded by the past."
Harry's expression softened as he looked at Hermione's teary eyes.
"We would also like to apologize to Mal—Draco. We see now that he makes you happy." Ron said stiffly. "I would also like to apologize for ever accusing him of enchanting you Harry."
Ron and Hermione were unsurprisingly shocked and repulsed when they first found out that Harry Potter was dating Draco Malfoy. Harry had broken the news to them before Draco moved into the old black mansion. Harry expected them to rant and nag him about the situation what he was unprepared for was the fact that his two best friends accused his lover of enchanting him. Ron was about to file an official complaint that would have publicized their relationship and the entire debacle when luckily Neville snitched and Harry was able to intercept their plan.
Draco worked as a potions master from his home brewing and analyzing potions from home and Neville was the go-between, between him and the Ministry. In that time Neville inevitably found out about Harry and Draco's relationship. He vowed to keep it a secret because he found that Draco was no longer that git he was back in Hogwarts and was secretly rooting for their relationship to work.
During that time Harry was beyond furious. He went to Ron and Hermione's home, almost breaking the door down. They argued. Ron and Hermione claiming that Harry was no longer in the right mind to see things objectively. Harry laughed at them telling them how he was the one that pursued Draco in the first place. He told them how disappointed he was that they could not see that Draco was a changed man and that he was the one for Harry.
Ron held the complaint form in his hand and told Harry that they had no choice but to file it and if Draco were innocent then it wouldn't matter.
"They will crucify him! Just like what you are doing! All they will be able to see is his Death Eater father and his mistakes during the war. I don't want to put him through that. He is a good man and he deserves better than this." Harry raged. "If you can't make space in your lives to even just tolerate him then don't bother making space for me too." The sheet of paper in Ron's hand burst into flames and Harry swiftly exited their flat.
The heated encounter happened over a year ago and the golden trio had never spoken since.
"I understand that both of you were just concerned for Harry. That's why I invited you here today." Draco said calmly. "Our past together is not something we can all easily ignore. My darkest moments and worst mistakes gravely affected your lives and I hope that you can also forgive me in due time. However, I also invited you here today because I want you to understand that even though we may not like each other we all have one thing in common and that is our love for Harry. It pains me to see that he has to choose between us when he clearly deserves to have both and more." Draco glanced at Harry tenderly. "You can give him love and support that is different from what I can give and as Minister of Magic and as Harry Potter he needs as much of that as he can get."
"Draco." Harry said softly.
"Thank you." Hermione sobbed, no longer controlling her tears as she stood and reached across the table to forcibly pull Draco into a big hug. "We didn't know how to repair the damage we had done but we've realized for some time now that we were wrong about you."
Ron nodded towards Harry, who smiled at him. "He's a good man." Ron confessed.
"He is." Harry positively bristled with happiness and pride as he watched his lover being manhandled by his very emotional friend. He breathed a deep sigh of relief. He knew that one day they would eventually repair their friendship but he never imaged that it would be Draco that would initiate the whole process.
