Determination


"You're a piece of work Draco," Pansy told Draco when he'd confessed to her the events of the past few days.

"You bought a ring, you waited on it, you went to meet a hopeful with no intention of marrying him. You become super best mates with the bloke, you propose to your boyfriend, and now you realise you're in love with Potter?"

"I know, I am damaged," Draco answered.

"When was the last time you spoke to Potter?" Pansy asked.

"About a week ago when I picked him up from the airport. After the engagement, Theodore's been spending almost every night over at my flat and I've been avoiding Potter. Well physically, he's still haunting me every time I close my eyes."

"This is completely mental!" Pansy exclaimed.

"Tell me something I don't know," Draco replied. As Draco replied his mobile buzzed and he received a message from Potter.

Draco, I've got to go to Canada in a few days for a month! My proposal was accepted and the company wants me to deliver the proposal to their North American branch. Do you have time for lunch?

"He's going to Canada," Draco informed Pansy, his tone insipid.

"Maybe that'll give you time to think this all over," Pansy answered. "Maybe it'll give you time to smooth things over with Theo or end them completely."

Potter, that's great news. I can meet you for late lunch tomorrow, do you want to go to Salvatore's?


The next day Draco prepared himself for lunch with Potter. He wasn't sure what he was going to say, he wasn't sure about anything. Draco arrived at Salvatore's at 2:30, he had had a work meeting earlier that day so he was dressed up, dotting a grey suit with a black silk tie. When he saw Potter he was stunned, he had seen him dressed up before, the one time at his house when he was off to see Cedric but that was nothing compared to how he looked at that moment. Is that Hugo Boss? Draco wondered. Immediately Draco realised that he'd never actually met Potter during the day before so he'd never known how he dresses for work. They're usually meeting at a pub and the formality had always been lacking.

"Potter, you stump me again with your dressing sense," Draco expressed.

"Thanks Draco, you're looking sharp as well. People would definitely think that we're having a very formal business lunch or are on a very momentous date!"

"We do look like quite the powerful couple, don't we?" Draco grinned, one can always dream.

The waitress stopped by their table and took their drinks and food order. She smiled at Draco and said that she recognised him from his picture in the paper, Draco hadn't realised that the engagement announcement had already been published in the society news. Draco was utterly embarrassed; he should have predicted that his mother would do something like this.

"Yeah, I saw the announcement too. I was shocked," Potter commented.

"You were?" Draco asked.

"Yeah, I mean I'm extremely happy for you both but I thought you'd at least tell me when it happened. I haven't heard from you in a week, I thought maybe I offended you or overstepped my bounds!" Harry answered.

"No, of course not. I am still wrapping my head around it, it all happened so unexpectedly, yet it was planned. I can't explain it!" Draco was frazzled. "You really think it's a good idea?"

"Sure I do, why wouldn't I? You've been seeing Theo for years and you love him so it's the next best step," Harry answered. Draco noticed a bit of difference in his tone, something was wrong. He stared at Potter, watching his moves until their eyes locked again and Draco raised an eyebrow. "Cedric and I broke it off," Potter confessed.

"What? Why didn't you say anything? When?" Draco all but shrieked at the news.

"About two days ago. I was going to message you but I saw the engagement announcement and didn't wish to rain on your parade, also I am going to Canada for a month so I just wanted to you know hang out and talk. I don't really wish to discuss my mundane breakup."

"But what happened?" Draco asked.

"He met someone when he was in Ireland, they had a fling. He told me that he felt obligated to return to me, so I let him go. I don't wish to be with someone who thinks of me as an obligation," Harry answered. The waitress had returned and placed their food in front of them.

"I am sorry Potter, I wish I could do something," Draco said. "But, I wish you'd told me earlier. I wouldn't care if I am happy or whatever, you matter to me!" Draco meant it, feelings or no feelings; he always put friends before everything else.

"It's not a big deal; besides, I am going away so maybe I'll have a fling or two of my own in another country! I could get used some real men, lumberjacks and moose hunters," Potter joked. "I hear they're really good with their hands." Draco laughed at Potter's jokes but peculiarly felt jealous. He knew that Potter isn't the type to shag his emotions out of a break up but the thought of him kissing other men in another country was bothering him.

"I'll still be here waiting for you, when you return," Draco responded. "Just don't forget about me in your sea of one offs." He laughed as he spoke his comment attempting to seem nonchalant. They ate the rest of their lunch having casual conversation. Potter informed Draco that he ran into Blaise the day before and promised Potter to have dinner with him when he returns from his trip. Draco shook his head at Blaise's constant attempt to bed Potter, but, Potter ensured him that Blaise wasn't really "his type."

"Why what's your type?" Draco asked. They had had many conversations about past relationships and sexual encounters but they never actually discussed their types.

"Blaise seems too much of a bottom for me; I reckon he'd want me to take charge. I want someone I think could be a challenge, someone who would make me desire to please them not someone who'd do as I command," Potter answered.

"You like being commanded?" Draco asked, gulping silently and completely ignoring the electric jolt in his pants.

"Yes and no, I want someone who isn't just like hey, I like you, let me write you poetry. I want someone who says hey, I like you and let's go back to my place and show me what your tongue can do, and if you say no, then you're making a huge mistake. And then, write me poetry." Harry grinned.

"Is that how you felt about Cedric?" Draco asked.

"Well, he never wrote me poetry, so I suppose he wasn't the complete package," Potter answered.

"But his tongue sufficed?" Draco was walking a dangerous line, and he knew it. Potter didn't reply, he simply turned red and took a sip of his wine. Draco chose not to push the subject any longer. "Alright Potter, I have a confession to make," Draco announced. He noticed that Harry's eyes lit up and he looked intently at Draco. "It's about my proposal to Theodore," he said. Harry nodded, Draco thought perhaps it was his imagination but he thought that Potter's eyes glistened less. Maybe he expected a more scandal story. He continued, "I had bought a ring for Theo in October, for his birthday. I was thinking of proposing then but I didn't because just before his birthday we had gotten into a huge fight and the timing didn't feel right. Then, the ring just burned a hole in my pocket for several weeks until I placed it in one of my drawers in my cupboard and sort of forgot about it."

"Okay," Harry replied.

"So, I didn't tell anyone that I had an engagement ring for him, nor did I ever propose. It was also partly because I couldn't think of the right thing to say or find the right moment or sign," Draco paused. He noted he was talking too fast and he needed to slow down. Why am I nervous? "In any case, when my parents met him they sort of threw the whole 'get engaged right this moment' notion on me and I couldn't resist and I showed him the ring that I had bought." He paused again. "Okay so I kind of maybe used your method of proposing on Theo," Draco blurted out the rest of the words hurriedly.

"You did what?" Potter asked.

Draco slowed his pace and spoke again, "I kind of used your idea when I proposed to him. It wasn't genuine and I feel horrible, because if he finds out he'll be wounded and I didn't want you to hear it from anyone that I am so dull that I couldn't even think of an original idea."

"What did you say, what did you do?" Potter asked.

"I took his hand and I placed it on my heart, then I slid the ring on his finger and said just say yes." Draco was holding his head in his hands due to utter humiliation. "I am sorry Potter, I couldn't think of anything else and I always think of you when I am stuck somewhere. You're like my better half that I didn't know I missed until you arrived. Everything in my head, every voice, every emotion, it's always associated with you and I just panicked and it was the first thing I thought of!"

"It's okay Draco, that's a really sweet story," Potter spoke with a smile at Draco's confession. "If it ever gets back to me, I'll act genuinely surprised for your sake and for Theodore's sake." Harry smiled and spoke again, "And besides, it's not like I will be proposing to anyone anytime soon."

"You shouldn't have to. You deserve to be proposed to. You deserve the flowers and the surprise and the traditional one knee on the ground honourable ritual," Draco replied.

"Potter," Draco spoke again, "what is this…between us?"

"Draco," Harry closed his eyes, "don't ask me that, I don't know the answer to that."

"So you don't deny that there's something between us?" Draco asked.

"It's just familiarity, our parents are very close, they're very connected. So we feel connected. It's just an odd form of friendship, almost a sort of brotherhood," Potter replied.

"It can't be that simple, I thought what I had with Theo, that's love. But then, if that's love, then what is this?" Draco asked another questions.

"If things had been different, maybe in a different life time Draco but not now, not like this. You're with Theodore, you're engaged to Theodore, you had bought a ring three months ago-"

"Yeah but that was before I met you," Draco interjected.

"And I am just getting over Cedric. I can't do the same thing to you what someone has done to me. I can't steal you or cloud your judgement for my own benefit. Theo is nice, I really like him, and he doesn't deserve this. I don't deserve this."

"What if I don't love him?" Draco asked.

"Draco, if you're having cold feet, I am not going to use myself as bait. You only thought of this now, when I've told you that I am no longer with Cedric? You would have happily continued your relationship if I had told you otherwise. What if I had told you I was getting engaged to Cedric? Then you would have married Theo? Because you don't have a back up?"

"You are not my back up plan Potter," Draco announced.

"I wish I could believe that," Harry retorted. "I have to return to the office." Harry flagged the waitress and gave him his credit card. "I am leaving tomorrow evening for Toronto; we'll talk when I get back. I hope you can figure out what you want Draco, and don't consider me in the equation of the complexity of your chaotic theory." As the waitress returned with the bill Harry signed it, nodded at Draco and left.

Draco was stunned silent not because he had just been snubbed by Potter, well there was that, but he was stunned because Potter had just made a reference to his latest article he'd published in the Chemical Physics Letters. Draco had briefly mentioned it to Potter during their trip at the Berks; he didn't remember saying anything much but that he'd published his first main article on molecular science and discrete chaotic systems. It was a purely physics and mathematical article that only a handful of people would have ever read. Potter looked it up.

As Draco watched Potter walk away, his mobile buzzed.

Draco, some of my friends want to go out tonight to Rain for Jake's birthday, do you want to come? Invite Harry and others!

If nothing else, Theodore always had perfect timing. Draco needed to truly find out for once, how he felt about Potter in Theodore's presence and he wanted to witness Potter's reaction to Theodore and Draco together. Potter didn't reject him because he didn't wish to be with him, he rejected him on principle. Well his parents have taught him well. Draco was taught to use any mean to achieve the end, he was his father's son.

Draco determined to execute his plan messaged many inviting them to the gay club his boyf- fiancé was organising a party at. If Draco knew anything about Potter, he knew that Potter liked to dance.

- Potter, I am sorry about my behaviour. Do you want to come out tonight with Theo and his friends for dancing?

- Pansy, I need your help. Come by my flat at 7:30.

Draco knew that he wasn't being noble. He was using people for his own selfish reasons but he was determined. He needed to know if he was engaged to the wrong bloke, and if he was he didn't wish to waste anyone's time anymore. He was once again, as Viola Parkinson has so eloquently stated, going to remove his head from his own arse.


(A/N): Quick entry for a new chapter, I was in the mood for some fun. What do you think? Thoughts on the mischievousness? Review Please!