Disclaimer: Harry Potter and its characters are copyrighted to J. K. Rowling. I do not own the characters in this story.
CHAPTER SIX
The next week past quickly, and Harry felt things had gone relatively smoothly with both him and Malfoy on their best behavior as they tried to adjust to the new living situation. The worst part of the arrangement, Harry thought, was the irritating camaraderie developing between Ronny and Malfoy. Second worst was Malfoy's annoying ability to be such a perky morning person. Both of these aggravations were coming into play right now.
"-and then Harry fell flat on his face in the mud!" Malfoy was exclaiming gleefully to Ronny. Harry's houseguest was regaling Ronny with semi-true stories of their school days while Harry bustled to set up the cafe for the day.
"That's not how it happened, Drake," Harry snapped. "You pushed me." Well, that wasn't strictly true either, but he couldn't tell Ronny that Malfoy had cast a tripping spell so this tweaked version of the story would have to suffice.
"Maybe I did," Malfoy conceded, "but there was a time when you acted like an idiot all on your own."
As Malfoy related yet another exaggerated story, Harry headed into his office to look over some invoices from the day before.
"Who the hell ordered all these jumbo straws? And fountain pens?" he muttered as he reached a particular unusual purchase order.
The answer to his question popped threw the door. "Guess what?"
"Malfoy! Did you fill out this order form for 50 fountain pens?" Harry demanded angrily.
"I thought they were reasonably priced. And I really want to see one."
"What? Why? It's just a pen."
"No it's not. It's a fountain pen. I wonder how the muggles do it."
"Do what?" Harry asked warily.
"Put the fountain in the pen. Come on, that's got to involve magic somehow."
"Malfoy! There are no fountains in fountain pens. In fact, there's no water involved at all."
The blond's cheerful face became immediately crestfallen. "They aren't pens with little fountains in them?"
"No."
"Oh."
"And did you order all these jumbo straws?"
"Those actually are really big straws, right?" Malfoy asked suspiciously.
"Yes. But we have no use for them."
"Don't be ridiculous, I'm sure you'll come up with something," Malfoy commented airily. He missed the nasty look Harry shot at him.
Malfoy plopped down on Harry's desk and folded his legs up under himself.
"You're sitting on my purchase orders," Harry growled.
"The jumbo straws can wait, Potter. I have something to say."
"Why do I think I'm not going to like this?" Harry asked guardedly.
"Don't worry. It's nothing bad. Ronny's just going to staying at our place for a couple days."
Harry threw back his chair and stood up so that he towered above the blond perched on his desk. "You invited him to spend the night without asking me first?" he demanded furiously.
"Actually, several nights. And I didn't invite him, he asked. And it's not like I didn't ask you first because I'm telling you now and he doesn't move in until tonight."
"Tonight!"
"His apartment's being renovated. He was supposed to stay with his cousin but she bailed on him at the last minute so I offered our place."
"You offered our place?"
"He asked if he could stay with us, and so I offered. After he asked," Malfoy stated smoothly. Harry didn't believe him for a second.
Malfoy tipped his head back and stared defiantly into Harry's emerald eyes. The brunette reluctantly sat back down.
"That's better," Malfoy said calmly. "Now tell me why it matters. He's your friend, too. I didn't think you'd care."
"Malfoy," Harry began slowly. "Where's he going to sleep?"
The Slytherin shrugged nonchalantly. "The couch?" he offered.
"Why not the guest bedroom?" Harry asked innocently.
Malfoy snorted. "I'm not interested in him like that. He's not shacking up with me."
"But he thinks you're shacking up with me! Which means Ronny's in the guest room and you can sleep with me."
Malfoy smirked at the potential for misinterpretation in those words. Harry noticed the snide expression.
"On the floor," he added. "You're sleeping on the floor."
"Malfoy's do not sleep on the floor. It's bad for the back."
"Tough. This is your own fault. So you'll sleep on the floor."
But Malfoy continued to smirk at him deviously.
"What am I missing?" Harry asked reluctantly.
"Well, remember how the lock on your door is broken?"
Harry glared distrustfully. "No. The locks not broken."
"About that. I guess I forgot to mention it. Potter, I accidentally broke your lock."
This was getting to be too much for Harry. "Malfoy, how the hell do you break a lock?"
"With a muggle hairpin?" the blond offered with all appearances of contriteness.
"Why was there a hairpin in my bedroom lock?"
Malfoy had the good grace to look apologetic. "I saw it in a movie on the muggle television thing you have. Someone opened a lock with a girl's hairpin, and I wanted to try it so I bought a few hairpins and tried to jimmy your lock."
Harry was not pleased. "Why didn't you use your own lock?"
"Well there's really no point for me to be able to break into my own room, now is there?"
The brunette gave an exasperated sigh. "Fine. We'll talk about this when we get home. Just tell me what this has to do with Ronny."
Grey eyes immediately regained their cheerful gleam. "You can't make me sleep on the floor because you don't have a lock on the door. What if Ronny sees me there? That'll look suspicious."
"Malfoy, the door still closes."
"He could walk in anyway."
"He won't."
"But he could? Are you one hundred percent sure that he wouldn't?"
Harry had to admit to himself that there was some small possibility this second houseguest might walk into the bedroom unannounced. In which case, he and Malfoy had better be keeping up appearances of going out.
"We could say we were fighting," Harry finally offered.
"And you made me sleep on the floor? How inconsiderate of you. Besides, Ronny knows us well enough to know you'd never push your boyfriend out of bed and I'd never agree to suffer all night on your wooden floor."
"Fine," Harry said dejectedly. "We'll sleep in the bed together. But I swear, if you don't stay on your half..."
"What? No cuddles from my Munchy Bunchy cuddly wuddly?"
"No!"
Draco shrugged and sauntered calmly from the room. Harry let his head fall against the desk and he heaved a tremendous sigh. It was going to be a long night.