Another story I've written up for the Game of Drarry fest/competition on Discord. My prompt this time was: Write a Drarry fic of 1198-1670 words following this prompt: Kreacher and Harry constantly argue about who is better at cooking. They decide to host a competition to settle the matter once and for all.
Let's Do Lunch
It all started when Draco mentioned he didn't enjoy eating in the Ministry canteen for lunch. A passing comment about heartburn was all it took to create mayhem.
How was he supposed to know it would happen? It wasn't like he knew the bloody house-elf, or that he could expect that his Auror partner, of all people, would take the information to heart. No, it was just an innocent comment while working on a case in Potter's home study and a request for Antacid Potion, with which the house-elf quickly returned.
Potter. Who'd have thought that he'd partner well with Harry Potter? But they did, and hours spent together—every day, in fact—brought them closer to being friends instead of driving them both to insanity.
Actually, maybe this was insanity, now that he thought about it. What else would convince Potter to bring him lunch to the office, leftover roast beef on thick, freshly-baked bread? And that was just the first day. The second, Potter's house-elf beat him to it, and a basket of fresh cheeses and fruits appeared on Draco's desk. The old elf barely had time for a bow before he popped away, leaving Draco speechless.
"Was that Kreacher?" Potter asked, and Draco nodded dumbly. "What's in there?"
Draco looked up from where he was inspecting the contents. "Brie, Camembert, and, it appears—Draco sniffed it—Comté."
"Huh?"
"Cheese, Potter. Lovely French cheese." He held up a baguette and bowl of grapes and berries. "This is wonderful. How'd you know my favourite cheeses?"
Potter's brow furrowed. "I didn't. Kreacher did that on his own."
"Uh, would you like some?" Draco asked, trying to mask the awkwardness of someone's elf bringing him an unsolicited gift.
Potter shook his head. "I can't eat cheese like that. Kreacher knows I'm lactose intolerant."
"So he brought it just for me?"
"It appears so," Potter answered, looking put out and avoiding Draco's eyes. "I guess I'll just go down to the canteen and get some soup."
Draco put everything back into the basket, his stomach twisting at Potter's expression. They usually ate lunch together, and as much as he wanted to try the delightful basket of food, he didn't like how it made him feel. "Wait!"
Potter turned.
"I'll eat this tonight. I think soup sounds wonderful."
Potter's eyes brightened, but he looked back at the basket. "Are you sure?"
"Completely. Too much cheese early in the day doesn't sit well with me. Makes me sweat. Come on."
The following day, a large picnic hamper was sitting on Potter's desk when Draco entered the Aurors' offices. Potter looked up with a grin.
"I brought us lunch again," he said as Draco sat down.
"Us?"
"Well, yeah, us. How's your stomach from yesterday? Did the canteen's soup bother you too much?"
Draco stopped moving the papers on his desk and looked up. "A little, I guess." Then suddenly it dawned on him. "Is that why you're bringing me lunch?"
Potter's face pinkened and he shrugged. "I like to cook, so making a little extra seemed reasonable."
Draco stared, incredulous. "You made it yourself?"
"Well, yeah. I mean, Kreacher doesn't cook for me or anything. He cleans and all, but he doesn't really cook."
"But yesterday…"
"Yeah, yesterday." Potter looked perplexed but determined. "So, it's supposed to be really nice today. I thought maybe we could sit in the park and eat." He pointed to the basket.
"And what's for lunch today?" Draco asked, and he felt his lips twitch. He would not smile. He would not smile.
"Cornish pasties. Will that work?"
Draco's stomach growled loudly enough for them both to hear it. His face heated.
"Guess so. There are some apples and pears on top if you're hungry now." He looked back at the files on his desk. "Anyway, I think we need to question the neighbour again."
Draco let himself be drawn back into work, but his mind kept returning to Potter. To Harry. Harry made him lunch and they were going to have a picnic.
What did it mean?
After their delightful lunch in the park, during which time Harry called him Draco four times—four!—Draco began to make plans to return the favour. He didn't cook, but perhaps he could take Po— er, Harry, out to lunch at that new pub on the corner.
Unfortunately, he never got that far. He was returning from a meeting, just about ready to suggest his plans to Harry, when he heard shouting coming from their shared office.
"Kreacher!" Harry yelled at his decrepit house-elf. "Enough is enough."
"Kreacher lives to serve the House of Black," the old elf croaked. "Master Malfoy cannot eat inferior foods. Kreacher knows how to take care of a good pure-blood like Master Malfoy."
"His name is Draco, and he doesn't need your food. I brought him food."
"Harry brought him stew," Kreacher hissed, saying Harry's name like a curse word. "Kreacher brought him proper food. Roasted salmon and asparagus with a lemon-dill sauce."
"For lunch?" Harry asked, his voice breathless and questioning.
"For luncheon," Kreacher agreed.
Draco peeked around the door and could see Harry staring at the bag he'd set on his chair, his shoulders sagging. He withdrew a container of something Draco couldn't see, then tucked the rest of the bag under his desk.
"Fine. I'll make sure he gets it when he comes back."
"Kreacher will make sure he gets it," the elf said, suspicion in his voice.
"No need," Draco said, finally deciding to enter. "I'm right here. What's this, Kreacher?"
Kreacher snapped his fingers and laid out Draco's lunch on delicate porcelain plates, the salmon looking absolutely delicious.
"This looks wonderful. Where's Harry's?"
Kreacher scowled. "Harry doesn't want Kreacher cooking for him. I only made food for Master Draco."
"Nonsense," Draco said, trying not to look at Harry and see his reaction. "It's rude for me to eat this without also offering some to my friend. Harry," he started, finally turning and finding Harry staring like Draco was a purple Hippogriff, "would you like to share this?"
Harry's eyes crinkled. "As your friend, I'd love to share, thank you, Draco."
Kreacher grumbled but divided the food between them, silver forks and knives and cloth napkins appearing next to each man.
When he was gone, Harry shook his head. "You didn't have to do that. He made this for you."
Draco shrugged. "What did you make me?"
"Me?"
Draco just raised an eyebrow.
"Beef stew today. I used fresh vegetables from Molly's garden."
Draco smiled. "Can I tell you a secret?"
Harry nodded.
"I like stew better on the second day. It tastes better after it's had time to sit."
Harry looked down at the bag under his desk and then back at Draco. "Good point. And Draco?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
"For what? You're the one cooking for me. Thank you. And I'll be honest, I like yours better. This is way too heavy for lunch while at work."
Harry blushed and mumbled something.
Draco leaned forwards, straining to hear. "What was that?"
"Maybe I can take you to dinner, too?"
Draco froze. That was new and… unexpected. "Like, as friends getting drinks after work?" He needed to clarify, to put those little pixies dancing in his stomach to rest.
Harry shrugged. "If you like. Or, maybe as a date if you'd like that instead."
The pixies went wild. "A date sounds good. Like, really good."
"Yeah?" Harry's eyes were wide and excited.
"But I'm buying. I don't cook, and it's my turn to feed you."
Harry grinned. "Okay." He seemed to dance a little in his chair.
"So this thing with Kreacher..." Draco began, taking a bite of his fish. It was delicious, but it just didn't have that extra something that Harry's food had.
"Tries to outdo me at everything. He used to leave the house a mess until I started to clean, then it was all, 'I'm entrusted to clean the Noble House of Black.' It's like it's a freaking competition."
"And I was the latest battle?"
"Evidently."
Draco nibbled on the asparagus and grinned. "I guess I win, then. Awesome food and a date."
Harry dropped his eyes, but Draco could see his smile. "So, what else do you like to eat for lunch?"
You, Draco thought but kept that to himself. Maybe soon.
