Chapter 7 Real Estate

Two blissful weeks had passed and Draco and I were still seeing each other. I had backed out of being Ginny's Maid of Honor, and it didn't seem to faze the red head. It did, however, seem to infuriate Harry who lectured me for an hour on "Following through with commitments" and "Where my loyalties lie." It was annoying, but I let him have his rant because we both knew what it was really about. I was more convinced in that moment that Harry truly loved me, and was marrying Ginny out of obligation, but I could not and would not attempt to change his mind any longer. Harry was a big boy now; he could make his own mistakes.

Draco and I had been on several dates during those first couple weeks, each one more special than the last as we got to know each other better. He was ever charming and gracious, but he also had a very dry sense of humor, which I found very compatible with my own. We went to plays and the opera and nice restaurants, and he was consistently a gentleman.

Every night when I came home, Harry would be waiting up, and every time he asked me, "Did you kiss him?" and every time I would say "No," and that would be the truth. I would hear his relief pour out as I made my way to my room, and never anything more.

--

I sat at my desk, going through monotonous paperwork when a bright pink note flew into my office and crammed itself into my hand.

There is a package for you at the front desk. – Hilda

Yay, a package. I found myself getting overly excited about the most mundane things lately. I had to stop it. I made my way to the front desk and noticed at once the sly grin that Hilda was wearing on her usually calm demeanor. "What?" I asked, suddenly afraid of what the small box she held out to me contained.

"It's from Mr. Malfoy," she said, grinning.

"Ah," I replied quickly as I snatched up the package and went right back to my office with it. As soon as I shut the door behind me, I began to tear into the package, and what I came away with was probably what I least expected.

Inside the carefully wrapped box was a small metallic green cell phone. I turned it over and over in my hand, then it suddenly chirped and I jumped. I almost dropped it, but quickly regained my composure and opened it.

"Hello?" I asked tentatively.

"I bet you are as confused as I suspected you would be," the voice on the other end called out.

"It's certainly a surprise. I never expected you, of all people, to even know what a cell phone was used for."

He laughed. "I make sure all my staff has them since we now work with muggles as well. It would be an awkward conversation, I think, trying to explain why we only contacted them via owl."

"Too true, so is this for me then? Am I part of your staff now?" I asked, laughing.

"Not that I would turn you down if you applied, but I think you're a tad over qualified for anything I have over here. I got it for you so we could talk more often. " He paused then, and I could almost see him gauging my reaction to that last statement.

"It's very sweet and I love it. You'll have to show me how to use it later."

"Gladly."

It was still a little odd to think of how comfortable pureblood Draco Malfoy was now with muggles and their customs. 

"Before you know it, you'll be emailing me." The other line grew quiet and I was beginning to think it had disconnected. "Hello?"

"I'm here. Did I already tell you I had a computer?"

I laughed then, "No. You don't really do you?"

"They are fascinating little objects. It keeps me very organized."

"Well, I've heard everything now. Draco Malfoy owns a computer and finds it useful." I could almost see him blushing on the other line.

"Are you available for lunch today?" he asked in a thinly veiled attempt to change the subject. One thing about Malfoy that still held firm is that he didn't take to being picked on for too long.

"Sure. Where should I meet you?"

"How about François's?"

"Too fancy for lunch," I replied. There was another pause. "Just because we are talking on the phone doesn't mean I can't tell when you're rolling your eyes at me."

He laughed then, "How about Miano's?"

"Sounds good. 12:30?"

"See you then, beautiful." And then the line went dead.

I looked at the small phone in my hand for a few moments, then slipped it into my purse. It was a thoughtful gesture, and even more so because o who it was from.

--

I arrived at our lunch destination a couple minutes early, but Draco was already waiting for me. It seemed no matter how early I got somewhere he had always arrived first. I asked him about it once and he said, "A gentleman never keeps his lady waiting." I thought it was a good answer.

It occurred to me that the last time I had lunch here had been with Harry. Miano's was a delicious Italian café across from the Ministry of Magic, and he and I had frequented it back before things got so complicated. They had the best four-cheese manicotti I had ever tasted.

My eyes were drawn to our usual booth and I spotted Harry right off. He was there alone, twisting his spaghetti around his fork over and over but never lifting it to his mouth. He looked up then, and our eyes locked for a moment until it obviously dawned on him what was going on. He looked hurt, and I felt bad, even though deep down I knew he had no right to be so hurt. I watched as he dropped his fork, placed a wad of muggle money on the table and left.

When I sat down I realized that Draco had watched the entire exchange. "Looks like things haven't gotten any easier yet," he mentioned, shooting for casual, but coming off worried.

"Yeah," I replied. "Things are still incredibly tense, especially at the house. Now that Ron's away most of the time with the team, it's just the two of us, and we spend most of our time avoiding one another. Things are so messed up I've been thinking about moving."

"Really?" He quirked his eyebrow. "Feel free to say no, but I might have an option for you."

"What option?" I asked hesitantly.



He took a few minutes to answer, and I could practically see him rewording it over and over in his head. "I have this apartment. I had been using it for extra income, but the renters gave notice and it will be free in a week. I could give you first dibs if you like?"

I thought it was nice of him to offer, but for some reason I was slightly uncomfortable with the idea. Maybe I was just worried about leaving number twelve, or maybe I was still hung up on the idea of living with Harry. I think part of me still wanted to see him every day, even if it just for a moment. I really needed to move on. "That sounds promising. Can I see it?"

Draco's face let up and I felt like I was making the right choice. "Sure. We can go tonight. I will arrange it with the tenants."

The rest of our meal went well, and we made plans to meet at the street entrance to the apartment at six that evening.

--

It was going to rain. I left Number twelve and apparated to the closest point outside the building, which was in an alley a couple blocks east of the apartment. It was a beautiful little street, classic London architecture in the form of row homes and walk-ups. The sidewalk was dotted with cherry trees and the building was located just inside Kensington. It was a lovely building, and true to form, Draco was sitting on the bottom step awaiting my arrival.

He escorted me upstairs to the third and top floor and opened to door to the flat. It was immaculate. Ten-foot ceilings with crown molding, white marble floor, spacious windows and a very modern kitchen. "Draco, there is no way I can afford this place, its beautiful!"

Draco smiled, clearly proud of the place. "This was my first flat, I renovated it myself. I'm glad you approve."

"Approve?" I asked as I made my way around inspecting all the finer details, "It's amazing really. I seriously doubt it's within my budget though." A quick view of the bedroom and lavatory showed that the fantastic design didn't stop in the main room.

Draco placed his hands on my hips and snuggled in behind me. It was the closest he had gotten to me since the night we danced and it was odd to think that as many times as we had gone out over the past few weeks that the most touching we had done was to hold hands. I laid my head back into the crease of his neck and I could hear the ruffle of his breath on my hair He exhaled and sounded content. "I can make sure it fits your budget, Mione. I would love for you to live here."

"I don't know what to say to that, Draco. It's most generous of you."

I looked up into his stormy gray eyes and was met with a loving gaze. Wait, loving? Did he love me? He couldn't. It had only been a few weeks.

He twirled me around and I felt like a princess as he clutched my hand and pulled me through the flat to the back of the corridor. "I haven't shown you the best part yet."

As we approached, he flicked his wand and a small ladder slid down through the ceiling. After climbing it, we emerged on a gorgeous rooftop terrace. It had little potted plants and trees decorating it and a table and chairs in the center, decked out with food. "Is this for us?"

Draco nodded and escorted me to the table. It was a delicious meal made of various meats, cheeses, fruits and breads. It was compiled of my favorite things to eat. We were almost done when the first raindrops fell. They were fat raindrops, and they fell quickly, soaking up in minutes. We laughed as we made a run for the ladder, flicking our wands behind us to clean up the food.

In the warm, dry safety of the flat we stopped to catch our breath. "We can apparate to my flat from here. Would you like to change?"



Oh, no, his flat? I didn't know if I was ready for that step. "Um…"

"Say no more." He said as he held up a hand. "If you're uncomfortable…"

He never got anything else out, though, because I kissed him. It took a moment for him to react, but when he did it felt like my belly had filled with fire. It was gentle as first and then it grew into a hungry passion as we practically ate each other down. It had been so long since I had enjoyed the carnal benefits of a relationship. I was by no means a floozy, or even remotely easy to catch, and most of my dating before Draco had lasted three dates or less.

We pulled away gasping for breath and Draco looked at me, both happy and confused. "What was that for?"

I blushed. "Well, I wanted to thank you for helping me move on. Plus I realized we have barely touched each other since we started dating. I think it was about time we had our first kiss."

"I agree," he replied, still slightly out of breath. "Want me to apparate you home?"

I nodded and linked my arm through him, and in a blink we were standing on my doorstep. I looked up and he kissed me first on the forehead, and then on the tip of my nose, and then he kissed my mouth. This kiss was delicate, and more of an exploring of mouths than the first had been. I enjoyed him both ways.

We said good night and he was gone. I walked through the door and braced myself for the next part of my evening. Part of me had been dreading this since lunchtime, and now I had gone and made it worse. Harry's silhouette loomed in the darkness.

I waited.

There was so much silence I thought maybe I was imagining that Harry was sitting in the dark living room after all. But then it came: "Did you kiss him?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but didn't know what it would be. I knew I wouldn't lie to him, but part of me wanted to say I was sorry, instead of a simple yes. That was the part of me I had to get out of this house before I ruined things with Draco.

"You don't have to answer. I can see it in your eyes." He sounded so broken that I almost went to him.

"I'm moving out." There, I said it, might as well get it all out in the open. He stood then, and he walked slowly into the light from my wand.

"Please, don't." No explanation, no reasoning. Just, please.

"I have to, Harry. It kills me a little each day to see you. To know what I lost."

"You don't think I feel the same? Seeing you with…him?" He spat the last word, nearly shouting now. "I miss you, Mione! I miss you every minute."

"I can't do this with you, Harry. You and I both know you have no intentions of leaving Ginny, and I think I could be happy with Draco. I don't want to risk things with him while I'm waiting for you to change your mind, because you won't."

Harry collapsed onto his knees at my feet. "What if I left her?" he asked, his bright green eyes welling up with tears.

That was the question, wasn't it? Was it too far gone between Harry and me? I was bitter, for sure, but too bitter to see past what had happened between us? Could I leave Draco now? Did I want to? "I don't know, Harry. It might be too late."

"If you tell me you would be mine, I would leave her in a moment."



"I can tell you that if you feel that way, you should leave her regardless of whether or not you can have me."

Harry blinked back the tears that threatened to leak down his face and nodded. "I don't want you to move out. Why can't we just go back to the way things were? Why can't we at least be friends?" It sounded as if the words were difficult to form, but he continued. I thought it was brave, and he was breaking my heart a little bit with each word. "You're my best mate, Mione. I need you in my life; you make me a better person."

I was going to lose the fight with my tears any minute now, and they were going to come streaming down my cheeks with sobbing force soon. I wasn't ready for that to happen, so I took a deep breath and I looked at the floor beside Harry as I spoke. "I think one day we can be friends again, Harry. But right now it's too hard for me to be around you. I put my heart out for you to take care of, and you turned away. I don't know how long it will take me to move past that and go back to being chummy because, quite frankly, I have wanted to be more than just your friend for years now."

Harry didn't speak, and I could no longer fight back the sobs that made my chest tight, so I went upstairs and wondered for the first time in weeks if I had made a mistake.

--