Chapter 10 – Impromptu Dates

Draco was late.

It was something Harry hadn't even considered possible. Draco Malfoy, arrogant prat and pureblood ponce, always so well put together and aware of the fact, was late. Harry's anxiety spiked as he leaned against his desk, imagining all the things which could have gone wrong or happened to his godson.

It was 5pm and most of his co-workers had already left for the day, the only one still moving around an intern whose name Harry couldn't remember. His desk was in disarray as usual, books and papers stacked haphazardly in piles that to an outsider would appear disorganised. Harry knew where everything was though, and his system of mess worked for him.

He was distracted by the sound of a very excited voice – and one he instantly recognised. Sagging just a little with relief, a small smirk appeared on the corner of his lip as he listened to Teddy and Scorpius in what appeared to be the middle of an argument.

"Miss Hannah is better!" Teddy sounded so indignant that Harry laughed to himself as he imagined the boy. His face would be bright red and his hair standing angrily on end whenever he took that tone. "She doesn't make me learn about pureblood nonsense!"

Harry laughed aloud. He doubted Teddy knew what nonsense meant – the words had been repeated after hearing Harry say the phrase himself on many occasions.

"Well Mrs Sullivan is nice and smart!" Scorpius yelled back. "She's proper educated at least!" Harry snorted to himself, aware that Scorpius was three years old. He had picked up those words (and probably got them wrong) from his father or grandmother, Harry had no doubt. He was surprised by his humour towards Scorpius' words – years ago, he would have extremely irate by the implication only a pureblood could teach. Now, it didn't seem so important.

"Enough, both of you." Draco's tone was mild, but Harry caught the steel beneath the words. Draco Malfoy was used to being obeyed much like his father before him, and Harry wasn't surprised to hear Scorpius immediately stop arguing.

Teddy, however, had been raised amongst Weasleys in his early years. He was boisterous and loud – a personality trait, Harry mused, rather than genuine rudeness – and was used to arguing until he either won or Harry gave him the side eye look that immediately silenced him.

"But Mister Malfoy, he's wrong," Teddy's voice argued back, and Harry smirked.

"Nobody is wrong," Malfoy stated. "I am sure both tutors are perfectly talented in their own right." Harry nodded sagely at the other man's words – he knew that the argument most likely centred around the day Teddy had spent with Scorpius' teachers.

As Malfoy and the children drew closer, Harry was able to hear his rough breath. He must have rushed to make it here, Harry thought.

"Ill-mannered child," Draco muttered under his breath as he herded the boys into the main foyer, loud enough for Harry to hear.

"That's my godson you're talking about," Harry responded, stepping out from where he lingered in the doorway.

Draco jumped slightly, a grimace crossing his handsome features which were flushed with exertion. His wide eyes narrowed as he covered his alarm. "It's true," he replied, looking straight at Harry as if daring him to contradict him.

Harry laughed. "I know," he said airily. "Takes after his Mother." He tried to regularly speak about Remus and Tonks in front of Teddy. He wanted his godson to be raised knowing that his parents were good people, unlike the way he himself had been taught to think as a child.

Malfoy arched an eyebrow at him but appeared satisfied that Harry didn't intend to argue with him. He ran a pale hand through his silvery hair and Harry's breath caught, hyper aware of the attraction he felt to the other man. He was going to need to do something about these ridiculous feelings, and soon. Harry was well aware that he was bisexual, but he had pushed his attraction to males aside for most of his adult life. Besides, he had loved his wife and hadn't been ready to explore feelings for others since her death.

However, he recognised sourly that his body was beginning to take that choice away from him whether he was willing or not.

Grimly, he stamped down his arousal. Malfoy was his former enemy, and a former death eater at that. Even if Harry felt feelings for him it wasn't something he should ever act on.

"You alright Potter?" Malfoy's grey eyes were staring at him, curiosity and perhaps a hint of concern shining through. Harry shook himself from his thoughts – he had been staring at Malfoy, he realised. "Yeah," he replied, hoping his voice was steady. "Just tired."

Before Malfoy could reply, Teddy was tugging at Harry's hand. Harry smiled and kneeled to look into the eyes of his godson, currently a bright blue. "Uncle Harry, can I show Scorpius your swinging chair?" Harry's lip quirked – Teddy had loved his office chair ever since Harry had first started working here a year ago.

"Just be careful," he told Teddy, his eyes stern with warning. Teddy nodded – he knew by now not to touch the antiquated papers on his godfather's desk. Smiling, Teddy reached back and grabbed Scorpius' hand, dragging him happily past Harry into the room.

Harry laughed. How easy it was for children to forgive and forget. If only that ability remained with age. He stood and saw that Malfoy's mouth was slightly curved also, the only hint that he had found the exchange amusing as well. Harry cleared his throat, causing the wizard to turn his attention back to Harry.

"Thanks for bringing him back," Harry said with feeling. "I was expecting you a bit earlier though?" He phrased the words as a question, allowing Malfoy to explain if he wanted.

"Caught up with a client," Malfoy muttered. "And then those two rat children," his lip curled but Harry knew he wasn't serious "decided it would be a great time to go for a swim in the pond outside the manor. Well, I suppose it was my son's idea if I'm being honest." Malfoy looked so disgusted that Harry laughed aloud, ignoring the glare that followed. He knew his godson could be challenging, but he wouldn't have expected any differently from a young boy.

"Boys will be boys" Harry responded lightly, letting Malfoy know he wasn't angry. It was getting rather late however, and he couldn't help the rumble of his stomach letting him know it was nigh on dinner time. Malfoy's lip actually twitched at the noise, and Harry looked at him sheepishly.

"Sorry," he said to Malfoy. "Hungry, I suppose."

The sound of laughter from Harry's office could be heard as Draco looked at Harry as if wanting to say something. His eyes flickered to the doorway, but he made no move to check on the children. Finally, his eyes met Harry's once more.

"I come to London often for business," he started, "and I know a great restaurant nearby. Muggle, you won't be recognised" he snorted when Harry's mouth opened in protest. Harry closed his mouth with an audible snap. "It's getting late and I'm sure our two terrors are hungry. Will you join us for dinner?"

Harry ignored the way his body warmed at the words our two terrors, and instead fought the immediate instinct to decline the invitation. He and Teddy rarely left the house and Neville's words floated back to him – he had secluded himself for too long. Besides, with Scorpius and Teddy in tow there was no way this could possibly be construed as anything other than dinner between friends.

Friends. Were he and Draco friends? Harry wasn't sure – he hadn't made a new friend in a long time. But he thought perhaps they could try to get to know one another now, and not as the boys they had been years ago.

Harry nodded before he lost his nerve. "We'd love to," he said firmly, and felt himself smile despite himself. "Am I dressed for your restaurant though?"

Malfoy's eyes boldly raked Harry's body, lingering on his torso. Harry felt himself flush with heat. He had dressed in black business pants and a dark green shirt, which he had been told countless times brought out the colour of his eyes.

"You look dashing, Potter." Malfoy's words were bold, but soft.

Harry was suddenly glad that his co-workers had left for the day as he blushed bright red.

"Lord, Potter, don't do that." Malfoy's voice was sardonic. "It makes your face look like a Weasley and I'd rather not have that imagine in my head if you don't mind." Harry laughed; the spell broken. He turned to grab the boys, conscious of Malfoy close behind him.

Harry sat across from Teddy at the muggle restaurant and felt his shoulders clench with tension. Malfoy sat to his left as Teddy and Scorpius had wanted to sit next to each other, and Harry took a deep breath to steady himself. His good mood has turned to irritability when Malfoy had taken one look at his office and called it a "shithole" and was further exacerbated by Teddy and Scorpius' ongoing snarking.

The restaurant itself was nice – vaulted ceilings, brick walls and a fireplace always made Harry feel comfortable. However, the noise from the other patrons did little to dispel his sudden headache, and he reached up to press two fingers into the bridge of his nose in frustration.

Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea.

"Uncle Harry, can I have the cheeseburger?" Teddy had been raised on muggle food and knew exactly what he wanted, whilst Scorpius appeared to light up at Teddy's suggestion, most likely having never eaten something as greasy as a cheeseburger before. Harry nodded with his eyes closed, still rubbing at the area between his eyes.

"Sure," Harry muttered. Teddy didn't notice his mood as he turned to Scorpius to chatter excitedly, but the man to Harry's left certainly did.

"You alright Potter?" Malfoy asked, his voice for once not snarky or sarcastic.

"For fuck sake, call me Harry." Harry lowered his hand to look at Malfoy. He appeared astonished, whether by the comment or the swearing Harry didn't know and didn't really care. "Every time you call me Potter it reminds me of Snape," he admitted. "Like I'm back in school being told off or something."

Malfoy lifted an eyebrow in his favourite expression but didn't laugh. "You certainly deserved it most of the time," he responded, and Harry grunted. So, back to sarcasm. "But if you wish, Harry it is. On one condition."

Harry sighed. "What?"

"Call me Draco." He shuddered delicately. "Malfoy reminds me of McGonagall with her 'Mister Malfoy's across the room all the time."

Harry laughed, some of the tension in his shoulders dispelling slightly. "Fair trade, Draco." The name rolled awkwardly off his lips, but felt therapeutic somehow, as if by calling the man by his name he was taking a step away from the past. His headache didn't lessen, but he felt some of his irritation seep away.

They ordered quietly, the boys both opting for cheeseburgers whilst Harry ordered a steak and Draco something with fish. As Teddy and Scorpius excitedly chattered back and forth discussing everything from other guests to Teddy's hippogriff bedcover (causing Draco to roll his eyes), Harry mused that it had been months, if not years, since he had enjoyed a night out with someone other than Teddy or Neville. Having a friend was novel to him.

Harry angrily pushed down the part of him that told him he wanted more than friendship.

"So, Harry," Draco began as they waited for their meals to arrive. He stuttered ever so slightly over Harry's name but recovered quickly, long fingers toying with his glass of wine. "What happened to your magic?"

Harry snorted. "You mean why can't I control it anymore?" His tone was slightly bitter.

"You could say that," Draco replied carefully after a moment. "I can feel it now you know. It's hard to ignore." His silver eyes met Harry's green, and the tension between the two men for a moment was palpable. Harry lowered his eyes.

"I don't really know." Harry was being truthful. "After Ginny's death and the Weasleys," Harry paused, unwilling to share that story, "I suppose something just snapped in me. I saw healers you know," he rushed out. "Mind healers, the whole lot. All that they could tell me was it was linked to my emotions, but nobody could tell me how to fix it."

"Hmm." Draco was still playing with his glass and Harry watched him with disinterest, unwilling to meet Draco's eyes. "I assume the feeling of losing the only family you had ever known was probably enough to cause a mental break, to be honest."

Harry ignored the second part of the sentence and raised his eyes to stare hard at the other man. "How did you know." It wasn't a question, but a demand.

"Honestly Potter, it wasn't hard to figure out." Draco snorted inelegantly, causing Scorpius and Teddy to halt their conversation and burst into laughter. Draco ignored them. "You three were inseparable, running around saving the world and all." He swiped his hand gracefully in the air as if brushing away his words. "I can't imagine that Granger would have willingly gone along with it though." He wisely refrained from mentioning his recent run in with the woman.

"She did nothing." Malfoy froze at the extreme bitterness in Harry's tone. In all his years at Hogwarts antagonising the wizard, he had never heard him use that voice. "She sat there and did nothing, let him beat the living shit out of me for something that I didn't even, that I couldn't even- "Harry paused, breathing heavily. Before he could continue, a small hand reached across the table for his own.

"You said a bad word, Uncle Harry." Teddy Lupin's small voice was solemn as he squeezed his godfather's hand. "You only say bad words when you are sad."

Draco watched the scene unfold, moved by the way Harry visibly calmed at his godson's touch. What was becoming clear to him was that Harry had very few friends or people to turn to in his life, and likely had raised the boy without much help for the past few years.

"I am sad Teddy," Harry told him gravely, surprising Draco with his truthfulness with the boy. Scorpius was watching closely, and Draco frowned – he better not expect similar, it simply wasn't how a Malfoy worked.

"But it's okay to be sad sometimes. I was telling Draco about Ron and Hermione," he explained to the boy. Teddy nodded solemnly, his hair now a light, boring brown. Draco glanced around furtively before relaxing when he realised no muggles had noticed the change – that must be very difficult for Harry to manage, as he had learnt the boy's hair was quite often linked to his emotions in his young age.

"I hate Uncle Ron and Aunty Hermione," Teddy growled, a grumpy frown marring his chubby face. Draco raised his eyebrows at that comment and Scorpius looked over at him, as if expecting him to interject about bad manners. Draco did no such thing – he was too interested in watching this unfold.

"We don't hate people Teddy," Harry responded. Draco coughed lightly – that was a lie if he had ever heard one.

"But they was mean to you," Teddy responded petulantly, ignoring Draco. "I don't like people who are mean to you." Harry smiled, reaching out to ruffle his godson's hair much to his chagrin.

"Good thing I have you to look after me," Harry replied lightly, before gently rubbing the back of the boy's hand. Before anything else could be said the waitress arrived with the food, and Draco cursed her poor timing.

Nonetheless, the exchange had been interesting. Granger had implied a falling out of course, but from Potter's reaction as well as Teddy's Draco knew there was more to the story than he was being told.

Nonetheless, he let the matter go as the party of four tucked into their food and conversation turned to lighter, happier topics. All in good time, he told himself. If there was one thing Malfoy's knew the value of, it was patience in pursuit of achieving the outcome they wanted.

It was much later when he and Harry left the restaurant. Draco had been amazed by how much he had enjoyed the company of the other man, unencumbered with the presence of his mother or the history of the manor between them. He and Harry had discussed all matter of things, from the boy's education to their respective friends (Potter had choked on his drink when he heard that Blaise Zabini was running an escort service for witches) and he quite enjoyed the gentle banter between them. Of course, there were still soft spots – he knew not to touch on Potter's family for example – but as long as they stayed on safe topics the two wizards strangely had a lot in common.

Draco was carrying his son, who had begun nodding off into his pudding as the night grew later. The men had decided to call it a night at that point as Harry noted Teddy wasn't far behind. It was with slight awkwardness that they stared at each other under the eave, Draco watching as Potter's scars flickered in the faint light from the window. The scars warped Potter's face, but Draco reflected not for the first time that it gave the man an edge of danger.

Draco was unsure what to say as his companion. He scolded himself mentally – what was it about Potter that caused him to resemble a tongue-tied teenager? "Tonight, was pleasant," he finally settled on, cursing himself as he saw Harry's face fall slightly. "Much more pleasant than I had planned," he amended. Green eyes met his and Harry smiled slightly with that odd lopsided grin of his.

"I enjoyed myself too Draco," Harry told him warmly, his magic a gentle heat around him. "It's been a long time since Teddy and I actually left the house." His smile turned sardonic. "Perhaps I've become something of a hermit."

"You were always a hermit Potter," Draco responded without thinking, pleased when Harry laughed slightly.

"Perhaps," he conceded. "Nonetheless, thank you."

Draco was shocked when a look of mischief entered Potter's eyes and he pulled Draco into a one-armed hug careful not to wake Scorpius, ignoring the look of utter horror on his face. Draco fought to keep the abject disgust on his face as Harry's strong body pressed against his, the warmth of his body touching Draco.

"I'll owl you," he added, pulling away. The smirk remained on his face as he grabbed a very tired Teddy by the hand and hailed a taxi, not once looking at Draco as he remained rooted to the spot, fighting the stupid, sudden urge to pull the Harry back. Green eyes met grey as Harry ushered Teddy into the back of the cab and met Draco's eyes through the glass, and friction flew between the two before the car pulled away.

Draco hugged Scorpius closer, allowing his familiar smell to calm him as he remained standing on the London sidewalk staring after Potter. He couldn't explain the sudden loneliness he felt and shook his head to rid himself of the feeling. Malfoys' did not feel loneliness – Draco had survived a loveless marriage for years – and for all he knew Potter was completely heterosexual.

Still, as he walked slowly to the nearest apparition point to apparate back to the manor, he allowed himself a single second to wonder how good Harry Potter would feel next to him.