It was almost time for Lucius to leave. Draco hugged his father before stepping back to make room for Harry, who gave him a kiss on the cheek as he hugged him. Harry had left his potion to come say goodbye, but he had to rush back to it. There was less than a minute left, so Draco shook his father's hand.
"Don't worry about anything here," Draco said.
"I won't. I know you'll take good care of the garden and Harry," Lucius replied. Draco felt there was more than one meaning in his words. He didn't get a chance to respond since the portkey chose that moment to take Lucius away.
Draco walked through the manor. It was lunchtime, but Harry had been working on his potion all morning. He could have the house elves make something themselves, but he thought it best to get out of the house. He wandered to the laboratory set up in the cellar. He found Harry turning off the flame underneath his cauldron.
"How about we go out and get something eat instead of having something here?" Draco asked.
Harry whirled around, startled. He bit his lip. "I'm not sure, Draco. We've never gone out to eat by ourselves. It feels a little weird."
"Why? We're friends. Friends go out to eat together all the time. You wouldn't hesitate to go out to eat with Hermione without Ron, would you?"
Harry sighed. "No, I wouldn't. Just let me get the potion away from the heat so it can cool down and I'll be ready."
Draco headed back upstairs and waited for Harry. They took the Floo to Diagon Alley before walking to Harry's favorite restaurant. They were quickly seated, where Draco held out Harry's chair for him. The waiter took their order. After he left, the owner came over to see them. Seamus had quite a head for business. He had started his restaurant almost immediately after leaving Hogwarts, and he had the most successful business in Diagon Alley. Harry had helped him with money to get started and never had to wait for service.
"Harry, Draco. It's great to see you again. I heard Lucius was leaving today. He's getting a stallion, right?"
"Listening to gossip again, Seamus? Word certainly travels," Draco drawled.
"I heard it from Dean, who heard it from Neville, who heard it from Ginny, who heard it from Ron, who heard it from Harry."
Draco rolled his eyes. "Gryffindors."
Seamus laughed. "So, is it true about the stallion?"
"Yes. He's going to Ireland and bringing it back the muggle way," Harry said.
"You'll have to invite me over after Lucius gets back. I would love to see hi-I mean, it," Seamus said, with a cough.
Harry's head cocked to the side in confusion. Seamus was always a little odd when they talked about Lucius. "Of course, Seamus. You're always welcome at the manor. Just come by after he gets back, and I'll take you out to see it."
"That would be great. I gotta get going. I have to check on the kitchen." Seamus walked off, leaving Harry staring after him.
"That was a bit odd, even for Seamus," Harry mused.
Draco laughed. "Are you that oblivious?"
Harry frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Draco looked at him incredulously. "You really are. He has a thing for my father."
Harry burst into laughter. "What? No, he doesn't. He would have said something long ago. Seamus doesn't do subtlety."
"He never said anything, because he thinks you're in love. He doesn't know the real reason you married my father. Don't you remember how he used to come see you all the time and then suddenly stopped?"
"His business was picking up. He didn't have as much free time."
"Merlin, help me. He used to have all those conversations with my father. He ended up falling in love with him, so he stopped coming around. He didn't want to cause any problems in your marriage. He hit on me once at a club just because I look like my father. He was drunk and admitted it."
Harry was speechless. Mostly because of one of his friends being in love with his husband. Maybe a little bit that Seamus had hit on Draco. He wondered if Draco had taken him up on the offer. He felt a little jealous and sick at the thought. "He really hit on you because you look like Lucius?"
"Yes. Nothing happened, of course. I don't take someone to bed when they're fantasizing about someone else, especially my father. I like to know that my partner is only thinking of me."
Harry felt relieved that Draco hadn't slept with Seamus. He immediately scolded himself for it. Draco wasn't his. He should have these feelings about his husband, not his husband's son.
Draco saw confusion on Harry's face and misinterpreted it. "You don't have to worry that Seamus will do something or that my father would leave you."
"I know that. Seamus is too good of a friend to do something like that to me and Lucius takes his vows seriously. It's just his way."
"I know all about his ways, even the ones that I do not condone." Draco looked at Harry pointedly.
"I don't condone some of them, either."
Draco leaned a little closer to lower his voice. "Harry, we keep avoiding the subject. No matter how many times we decide not to. Can't we just forget what my father said?"
Harry smiled sadly. "It's not easy to forget."
They got their food and ate in silence for several minutes. Draco finally broke the silence. "If we can't even make it through one meal, how are we going to get through several days?"
Harry froze with his fork halfway to his mouth. He sat it back down. "I don't know, Draco. I think maybe we should leave now."
Draco nodded as he signaled the waiter. He paid the bill, and they stood up to leave.
HPDM
They didn't go their separate ways when they got home. They decided to take a walk through the garden, even though it wasn't completely done.
"You are so lucky that you grew up here," Harry said. "Some days I feel like I've lived here forever, like this has always been my home."
"Don't you ever miss seeing your friends every day?" Draco asked, curious.
"Well, yeah, sometimes. We're all grown up, though. Moving on with our lives. There would never be enough time to see each other every day."
"It was really different when I went to the Continent. They always make time for visiting."
"Did you make friends over there?"
"Um, not exactly."
"What do you mean?"
"They were more acquaintances. No one that I missed once I came back," Draco mused, as he remembered loose women and eager men.
"Did you use that famous Malfoy charm on them?" Harry asked, chuckling.
Draco smirked at him. "What does it matter?"
Harry just shrugged. His stance changed to that of a snooty aristrocrat. "I bet you did. I bet you offered your arm to escort them around, and they said," Harry adopted a high pitched feminine voice, "Why, Draco Malfoy, wherever did you learn such fine chivalry."
Draco bit back a laugh as he offered his arm to Harry. "Why, Wiltshire, of course," Draco drawled. "I didn't think you noticed."
"Don't be foolish, Mr. Malfoy," Harry said, in his feminine voice. "I am no different than any other lady. I love it."
Draco started laughing. "Okay, that is quite enough out of you. You sound like a dying cat when you speak like that."
"Hey!" Harry said, acting offended even as he laughed. He let go of Draco's arm as they continued their walk.
"Pardon my manners for the moment, but I really must say that there is no comparing people from the Continent with the ones here. People here win hands down every time."
"I wasn't trying to compare the two, and your manners are perfectly fine. A person couldn't ask for more where they're concerned."
"Were you thinking that last Saturday night?"
Harry paled slightly at the mention of that night. "I was talking about today, not that night. I just meant that it's nice to have someone offer their arm to me and hold out my chair. Husbands start to forget little things like that."
Draco couldn't stop himself from persisting. "Okay, I'm chivalrous. Was I chivalrous then, too?"
Harry's heart started beating faster. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean, Draco."
"Yes, you do, Harry. Was I being chivalrous when I held my father's husband's hand as if I had the right?"
"The potion…" Harry trailed off.
"Merlin's bloody balls! The potion had nothing to do with it. You can't blame the potion for later on that night."
"You were practically forced to dance with me, Draco."
"Stop fooling yourself, Harry! I wanted you then, even though I knew it was wrong, and you know it."
"We didn't do anything, Draco. We did nothing wrong. If you insist on placing blame on yourself, then place it on me, too. I could have refused the dance. I think we're both just feeling guilty after what your father suggested, nothing more." Harry could feel Draco's arm brush against his own and closed his eyes. Why hadn't he stopped Lucius from leaving?
"We should have stopped my father from leaving." Harry startled when he heard Draco voice his exact thoughts. "I tried not to think about you after that night." Draco wondered what was wrong with him. Why did he keep saying things he shouldn't?
Harry took a deep breath. "You really should stop talking, Draco."
"I really should," Draco said, miserably. "I don't think it would be fair to you if I did, though. Is it really so bad for me to tell you how gorgeous I thought you looked in your dress robes?"
"Not if I say 'thank you', and that's the end of it," Harry said.
"All right. It's ended." Draco prayed it really was the end.
They continued their walk in silence. The fresh air and sunlight did wonders to improve their moods. They smiled at each other as their eyes met. After the initial glance, it was as if they couldn't look away. They both took their time looking over the other. From the top of their heads down to their shoes. Harry wondered if he knew Lucius's face as well as Draco's. He couldn't ever remember studying Lucius's face as he had Draco's over the years. They finally ended their walk. Harry went into the house while Draco double checked what needed to be done in the garden.
HPDM
Harry was making dinner when Draco came in. He had gotten everything in place for the work tomorrow. He lazily used his wand to get the plates, utensils, and trays they would be using. Harry felt warm at the thought of Draco helping him. He watched the flex of Draco's shoulders as he waved his wand.
"What are you cooking?" Harry jumped at the question. He felt silly being caught staring and turned to face the stove again.
"Roast duck, coconut rice, and garlic mashed potatoes."
Draco looked stunned. "Those are all my favorites."
Harry blushed. "I know. I also know that we rarely have them since Lucius doesn't like them."
"He calls it peasant food."
"I figured since he was gone, this would be the perfect time to make it since I like it, too."
"That's really nice of you, Harry."
"Don't mention it. You might want to wash up. I can see dirt on your neck."
It was Draco's turn to blush. He hadn't meant to get dirty. He had moved some of the dirt around a rosebush that had been stirred up. Most likely from an animal. He must have touched his neck before he washed his hands. He headed to the bathroom, where he saw in the mirror that the dirt trailed down under his shirt. He took his shirt off and started splashing water on his neck and chest. After he was done, he put his shirt back on without buttoning it up. He headed to the dining room and sat in his chair just as Harry was bringing in the food. Draco rolled his eyes fondly and waved his wand to take the food and place it on the table.
Harry mumbled a 'thank you' while he tried not to stare at Draco's chest. They ate in silence before Harry said he was full. Draco said the same, so Harry got a bottle of firewhiskey and poured a glass for Draco and himself.
"Why the firewhiskey?" He knew the answer. He just wanted to hear Harry say it.
"It's your favorite after dinner drink."
Draco took a sip before looking at Harry. "You know a lot about me."
Harry looked confused. "What do you mean?"
"You know my favorite foods, my favorite drink, stuff like that."
Harry shifted uncomfortably as he took a large gulp from his glass. "We've lived in the same house for seven years. It would be weird if I didn't know a lot about you."
"You seem to know more about me than I do about you, even though we're friends now. It's like you know what I need before I do."
"It's my job. I take care of things like that around here. I take care of you and your father."
"So, you're perfectly happy taking care of us?"
"Well, the two of you were, and still are, perfectly content to just rattle around the manor every day. You two need someone to take care of you. I'm happy to do that, and I'm proud to be a part of this family."
Draco watched him with an unreadable expression. "Marriage is meant to be more than pride. What about love?"
"It may not be the traditional kind of love, but…"
Draco waited to hear what else he would say, but Harry never finished. "You and my father are different from any other couple I've seen. Don't get me wrong. Most pureblood marriages are not for the sake of love. They are usually good matches where the spouses respect each other and are friends. I can see that you and my father respect each other, but if you weren't married, I doubt you would spend time together as friends."
"You don't have to be friends to be married."
"No, but it makes it more fun."
"Fun? I had no option when it came to choosing who I would spend my life with. I was told who I would marry. We may not exactly be friends or have fun in our marriage, but he gives me the most important thing I need: security. My parents were killed when I was a baby, my aunt and uncle didn't love me at all, and I wasn't even sure if I had a future. We may not be in love, but your father makes me feel like I never have to worry about anything. He gives me anything he even thinks I want. He allows me my little quirks, even though I know they drive him crazy. I've never thought of a spouse as a friend."
"No, because you have me for that."
Harry looked away from Draco's intense gaze. "You're right," he said, softly.
"And now, my father has put a stop to that," Draco said, flatly.
Harry's immediately turned his eyes back to Draco's. "I hope not."
"Oh, Harry," Draco sighed. He reached over to lay his fingertips on the back of Harry's hand. He closed his eyes as he spoke his confession. "It's getting harder and harder every minute to just be your friend."
Harry stared at their hands in amazement. He looked up as Draco stood up from his chair.
"Let's do the dishes. I'll help you," Draco said, with a sad smile.
To Harry's surprise, Draco actually helped him with the dishes. He didn't use his wand once.
