QLFC Season 9 Round 5
Title: Colin's Birthday
Team: Holyhead Harpies
Position: Beater 2 Unfairness
Prompt: (object) wine bottle; (restriction) no female characters
WC: 1086
Beta: Ash Juillet
Dennis wasn't sure what he wanted to achieve with this meeting. He was angry; he knew he deserved this, and it seemed like this was the only way he would get the answers he wanted.
The restaurant was quite fancy and empty (just like he had booked it to be). The room was decorated in shades of red and gold, without the homey charm of the Gryffindor Common Room. Dennis picked out a bottle of wine and his eyes kept darting to the door.
Harry walked in, his hair haphazard as usual, and an easy smile on his lips. Dennis felt himself melt a little. Were his emotions just misplaced? He shook his head. Dennis knew he wasn't doing this for himself. But, it still made him angry that he had to do this, that he had to make an appointment to demand answers from Harry.
"You're late," Dennis hissed.
An annoyed expression crossed Harry's face.
"God, I haven't even sat down yet and it wasn't like you missed my company," Harry said, pointing to the bottle of wine.
Dennis narrowed his eyes. That was a low-blow, and Dennis knew Harry was not here to be kind to him.
"I don't think asking your spouse to be on time for an anniversary dinner is hard," Dennis argued, pouring himself another glass of wine.
Harry rolled his eyes and tipped his glass gently. Dennis poured him a glass, his hands steady, not betraying the raging fury he felt to the outside world.
A waiter brought out the first course. Dennis and Harry were both creatures of habit when it came to food. For Harry, it stemmed out of not having enough, something Dennis could relate to. That was how they got into this relationship: they needed each other. They were an easy fit. Dennis with his hero-worshipping and Harry who had just wanted to feel valued.
It was an unsteady foundation on which to start a relationship. But, back then, to Dennis, it had felt like the start of something beautiful. He had hoped that they could build something together after the war. Now, Dennis realised that his naive seventeen year-old-self should have known better. Maybe then he wouldn't feel like his marriage was on the verge of imploding on itself at twenty-five.
Harry reached over to hold Dennis' hand.
"I'm sorry, I know today has been hard on you," Harry said, keeping his voice soft.
Dennis sighed; it was an annoyed sigh. One that held the weight of the entire world in its breath.
"Where were you?" Dennis asked, ignoring the platitude that Harry had offered.
Harry let go of Dennis' hand, reached out for his glass, drained it, and then poured himself another. Dennis raised his hands up in the air, and the waiter brought to their table another bottle of wine.
Dennis really liked that about this place. It was upper class enough to be discreet and not comment about the fact that Harry Potter was on his second bottle of wine.
"I don't understand why you think this isn't hard for me," Harry said, leaning back.
They had finished their first course. The food, as usual, tasted excellent, but the excellent food wasn't why they came here. This was where they came to forget and, all the Gryffindor colours was just making Dennis remember. He and Colin had worked in the kitchen of this establishment since they had turned thirteen. It was their summer job. The brothers had washed dishes to have money for all the fun extras at Hogwarts. To be able to afford robes, books, and replenish potion ingredients.
Before Dennis could reply, the second course came around. The couple ate, for a moment, in relative silence. Dennis reached for the cork that came with the wine bottle and played with it on the table, letting the textured surface of it rub against his fingers. Colin had had a whole collection of wine bottles and corks for his photography.
"It isn't hard for you," Dennis said. "Your previous statement, I mean. Today isn't hard on you because it is not your dead brother's birthday. It is mine." Dennis' voice was cold, dead and devoid of the usual life that oozed from his voice during his WWN news segments.
"That's not fair," Harry said, trying to hold Dennis's hand.
Dennis bit down on his lips in an effort to not howl with laughter.
"Of course it isn't fair. You're here and he is not!"
Harry blinked quickly at that statement. His cheeks reddened and Harry looked like he had been slapped. The wine bottle seemed to vibrate in the cooler. Dennis didn't know whether it was reacting to his magic or Harry's.
Dennis knew he probably shouldn't have said anything. It never paid to be that cruel. But this wasn't the first time they had had this conversation, and Dennis wished that Harry wouldn't try to make himself out to be some sort of compassionate hero.
Dennis breathed deeply. His hands resting around his glass, warming the wine within it.
"He stayed in that battle for you. I stayed and fought for you. But don't pretend that you cared. You only started caring for him when he was dead and gone." Dennis' voice sounded choked with emotion. His throat felt rough and hoarse like it needed a lozenge to soothe it.
Harry cleared his throat. "What is your problem? Our marriage is fine, every other day of the year, but this one. When today comes around, like clockwork, you put everything on me. You put Colin's death on me like it is the only one I should be carrying around. It is as if you think I forced you to stay, rather than admitting you stayed because you wanted to because you dared to dream of a better future."
Dennis noticed Harry's hands were balled into fists. A moment later, the wine bottle exploded. Having anticipated it, Dennis cast a shield around their table before repairing the bottle.
"I know, but I'm so bitter about it. I know it's unfair to you. I wish I could think about it differently. But today, I think of the world that could've been had my brother not loved you," Dennis whispered. "I will never regret loving you Harry, but I can't lie and say that my brother's love for you saved him. Not when it led to his death."
Harry nodded. They slept in separate beds that night. The way they always did on Colin's birthday.