"Oh, and Malfoy? Draco, I mean."
"So we're on a first name basis now, eh?"
"Yes. Come to think of it, we always were, except we choose to be immature and failed to realise that, among many other things—"
"I have a feeling you're stalling. Scared Potter?"
"Hah! You wish, Malfoy."
"Haha, so what was it you wanted to say, Harry?"
"When this is over—"
"Yes, get on with it, man!"
"I would if you'd stop interfering! Anyway, when this is over, paint me a cigarette, would you mate?"
"Excuse me…?"
"A cigarette, Draco."
"Yeah," a pause, "Yeah, sure I will."
Epilogue
-or-
Well What Do You Know?
"Would you like more tea, Mr Malfoy?"
Draco Malfoy shook his head, both at the waiter and at himself. Perhaps thinking of the past wasn't as awful as it first seemed. He now realised that it was all a matter of finding the right sort of memories; those short and momentary ones that were neither too sweet nor too bitter were the best ones to think of. Leaving a galleon on the table as he finished off the remaining drops of his late afternoon tea, he stood up and stepped out unto the sidewalk. A stroll would be perfect at this time of day. But of course, he had to hurry. He had, after all, a painting to start working on. Laughing to himself, he took out a ten-year old cigarette, lit it, and revelled in the wonders of its well-preserved taste.
"Well what do you know?"
It was just exactly as he had preferred: orange-flavoured, and with a hint of mint, mind you.
Fin.
Author's gratitude: Goes to everyone who bothered to read this; even to those who just took a glance at the summary and found this to be not of their interest. To the ones who reviewed (and even to those who haven't… yet (I'm still hoping more people would stumble upon this, that or a reader would spread word) :wink, wink: ), a thousand thank you's. To my muse—my fiancé, the Harry Potter of my life—I LOVE YOU, I'll see you downstairs after I post this (sorry to keep you waiting, I hope the maids gave you something to drink). Now off I go before I become too mushy. I hate being so.