This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Word Count: 3450

Title: Cappuccinos And Cocktails

Note: Slightly OOC, possibly vindictive Harry

Warnings:

Beta: MournfulSeverity, Aya Diefair

Hogwarts

Assignment 3: Floristry: Floral Design: Task #3 - Boutonniere: Write a fic with one of the following themes: Admiration

When Harry received the letter with a stamp in the corner, it was clear to him that it was probably someone he wasn't interested in seeing. He was right. When he opened the letter from Dudley asking if there was any way the two of them could make amends, Harry wasn't interested. He had enough of those people to last him a lifetime, why would he ever go back to Privet Drive?

"What's that, mate?" Ron asked, eyeing the curious envelope.

"A letter from Dudley," Harry said, attempting to set it on fire.

"Wait! Come on now, he was just a child, perhaps you should hear him out."

"Since when did you become the mature one?" Harry asked, raising his eyebrows.

"You told me the same thing about Malfoy," Ron said, shrugging.

"Oh come on, Draco is different," Harry insisted.

"Only because you're shagging him." Ron's retort made Harry blush. Despite the fact he was dating his former nemesis, he was still not very open about relationships, and Ron's blatant way of talking about it.

"What could Dudley possibly have to say to me? Sorry for making your life a living hell?"

"Probably something along those lines," Ron said.

"I don't want to hear it, Ron. There is nothing he can say to fix our relationship."

"Malfoy," Ron repeated, pretending to cough.

"Fine, are you coming with me, then?" Harry said, and Ron knew he was being dared to back out.

"Of course, mate," Ron said. "I kind of owe him an apology for Fred and George's prank that one time." Harry had no argument for this, and it was clear that Ron was being the more mature one in this aspect.

Harry laughed, but it was hollow.

"When are we going?" Ron asked.

"According to this," Harry said, pointing at the piece of paper. "There is a new little coffee shop just a block over from Privet Drive and we can meet him there tomorrow, around lunch time."

"Sounds good," Ron said sincerely. "Hermione has been getting me addicted to cappuccinos, do you think they will have them?"

Harry nodded. "Most coffee shops do."

"Awesome," Ron said, and got to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Harry asked curiously.

"To pick an outfit." Ron grinned. "I finally made decent money so Hermione took me shopping for some new Muggle clothes."

"You and Hermione are getting cosy," Harry suggested.

"Oh Merlin's beard, no." Ron shuddered. "I am too gay for that, mate. She has good taste in clothing though, once she matured a bit."

Harry laughed. Ron had told Harry he was gay, and since Harry had said he was bisexual, Ron had often wondered if there could have been something romantic between them, but he realised that even without Malfoy, the three of them were so much like siblings, it would have been weird if he and Harry ever dated.

So, Ron went to his room and started pulling out his new skinny blue jeans and button up striped shirt. Hermione had suggested he looked a bit like a cowboy, but he liked it, and that was what mattered, right? He stood in front of the mirror, checking his appearance, and then once he was pleased with the result, he carefully removed the clothes and put them on the chair to wear to the coffee shop the next day.

Ron woke up cheerful, he had no doubt that Harry and Dudley would be able to make peace, Harry was the most down-to-earth person he knew, despite the fame. He was sure blood would be thicker than water. So, just before lunch time, he returned to his room, changing into his chosen outfit, and brushing his hair one more time. He wanted to look decent, after all.

He met Harry at his apartment and the two of them Apparated straight outside the coffee shop.

"Mate, I know you're an Auror and all, but isn't this a bit risky?" he asked as they appeared outside the coffee shop in broad daylight.

"All the more reason to do it, imagine Dudders face," Harry said with a nasty look.

Ron sighed. Harry was behaving like a complete brat. His hopefulness for a nice, calm encounter with a good cappuccino was starting to feel less and less likely.

"Alright," Ron said, following his friend into the quaint little shop. "Kind of reminds me of Madam Paddifoot's," Ron added.

"Yeah, stuffy little spot," Harry said. Ron just rolled his eyes behind Harry's back. Personally, he quite enjoyed the ambiance of the place, he even had a nice date with Neville there once before Neville and Hannah got together. Ron had no bad feelings towards them, though, he suspected that Neville had just been exploring with him.

There was a jingling of wind chimes as the door opened and Harry closed it behind him. Ron looked around and saw a bunch of booths, an area where it seemed like he could get his own top ups, and Ron started feeling giddy. The sign advertised a hazelnut and peanut butter cappuccino, and he couldn't help it. He wanted to try it.

"If he says one nasty word, I'm leaving," Harry insisted, but Ron was only half listening, he was seeing the little flyers on the tables with all their specials.

"Yeah, totally," Ron muttered. "He is over there." Ron tried to point Dudley out, but caused some of the other visitors of the shop to eye them curiously.

"Let's get this over with, then," Harry said. The two of them walked towards the booth, and Dudley was smiling as he saw them.

"Dudders," Harry greeted, but remained standing, so Ron decided fuck it and slid in next to Dudley, and only then did Harry reluctantly take a seat as well.

"Hey cousin," Dudley said. "I was worried you wouldn't reply to this letter either, it's been a long time."

"Either?" Ron asked, looking between them. Of course, it wasn't the first time Dudley tried to make amends, and Ron wanted to smack his friend for being so dense.

"Yeah, I've sent Harry about ten letters in total. Right, cousin?" Dudley asked, looking to Harry with a small smile.

"Harry didn't tell me that," Ron replied, as it seemed Harry had swallowed his tongue.

"I've been busy," Harry said finally.

"Of course, thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to see me," Dudley replied earnestly.

"No need to be condescending," Harry replied. Ron almost face-palmed. His best friend was going to ruin his experience of this tiny treasure of a shop.

"I—" Dudley started, but stopped. "You're right, I'm sorry," he added, slightly pink.

"Of course, you won't think our kind can have real jobs, do you Dudders?" Harry asked.

"Harry, please, hasn't this gone on long enough?" Dudley asked.

"So, where is the waiter?" Ron interrupted, spotting a lady with an apron.

"Lesley," Dudley said, calling her over.

"Yes, Dudley, what can I get for you and your friends?" she asked, smiling politely.

Ron was sure Harry was biting his tongue, but Ron ignored that. He was having his cappuccino if it killed him.

"Of course, my regular, and…" Dudley trailed off.

"Can I get the hazelnut peanut butter cappuccino?" Ron asked with a grin.

"Of course," Lesley replied. "So it's two of your regulars, and for you, sir?" She asked Harry.

"Espresso," he said.

"You have had it before? What's it like?" Ron asked Dudley eagerly.

"It's my favourite," Dudley replied. "I have been through all the specials, the marshmallow one is good as well."

"That did sound good, too." Ron nodded. "I was actually not sure which to get."

"What if you get the marshmallow, and you can taste mine as well?" Dudley offered and Ron thought he'd just died and went to Cappuccino heaven.

"Brilliant," Ron said, and the waitress smiled at them and changed the order. She disappeared into the kitchens soon after. "So, I thought I would take it on behalf of the twins to apologize for the sweets."

Dudley's face went pale.

"We were all prats when we were younger, and Fred and George did that to everyone," Ron explained. "It was nothing against you, personally, although, you did make Harry's life hell…"

"I know, I really am sorry about all of it, cousin," Dudley said, turning to Harry again, but his appeal fell on deaf ears. Harry had made up his mind and Ron suspected he wasn't going to change his mind.

"He understands, don't you, mate?" Ron attempted, prompting his friend to speak.

"No, I don't understand," Harry said. "I mean, you were a big bully to me, you beat me up, made me the outcast of the entire school, and you were supposed to be my family."

"Harry, I—" Dudley attempted again, going paler.

"I don't even care," Harry said. "I only agreed to this because Ron asked me to give you a chance, but nothing changed."

Harry got to his feet quickly, and Ron felt his dreams of having a nice afternoon crushed. Harry almost knocked into the waitress as he left, but at least had the decency to mutter an apology to her. As Harry didn't appear to notice Ron wasn't with him, Ron shrugged and remained seated. He wanted his cappuccino.

Ron eyed his cappuccino with delight as Lesley placed it in front of him. "I'll pay for that, but that's way too bitter for me," Ron added, nodding at the espresso. She laughed in good nature.

"Don't worry about it, Lesley, you are welcome to have it," Dudley added.

"Guys that can't handle strong coffee," she joked. Then knocked back the espresso. Ron winced, and to his surprise, so did Dudley.

Ron laughed, his first laugh that didn't feel forced. "Seems like we like our coffee sweet," Ron said.

"Yeah, like you like your men I bet," Lesley said, winking at them before leaving the two of them alone.

"How do people always know?" Ron asked, blushing furiously.

"She was just teasing you," Dudley said. "But maybe she thinks we are on a date or something, sorry."

"Oh, I didn't mean, I am gay, I just, didn't think I was that stereotypical, you know?"

Dudley laughed. "I think so."

"Wait, did you say on a date? Are you gay too?" Ron asked, then he lifted up his cappuccino, and moaned as he took a mouthful of the sweet hot liquid.

"I mean, I think so," Dudley admitted, blushing.

"Talk to me," Ron said, feeling warm and fuzzy being filled with the blessed nectar.

"So, I actually thought I would be able to talk to Harry, but…" Dudley broke off, and his eyes flickered towards the closed door.

"Can I still taste yours?" Ron asked. Dudley looked puzzled for a second before he clearly remembered he had offered to let Ron taste his coffee.

"Sure," Dudley said with a small smile and handed it to Ron.

Ron sipped it, and moaned again, even louder, and the tables next to them looked over at them as if they were doing something obscene.

"Well, I see I found another fan," Dudley said.

"Merlin yes," Ron said with a beaming grin. Dudley blushed. "Sorry, Hermione says I am like a slut around these things."

"It's fine," Dudley insisted, and as he took his own mug back, their hands brushed ever so lightly.

"We were talking about you," Ron reminded him.

"Oh, yeah." Dudley ran a hand through his hair. "I'm not sure how to start."

"When did you begin to think that you're gay?" Ron asked, trying to be encouraging. He knew how hard this had been for him, when he had come out and said it.

"Well, there was high school of course, when all the boys started to talk about how pretty this girl was, and how nice her, um, legs, were," Dudley said. Ron was sure he meant tits, but probably didn't feel the need to be so crass. Ron nodded in encouragement.

"So, I started realising I was more interested in checking them out, but of course, I couldn't just come out. You know what people are like."

Ron nodded again. He totally knew what people were like, both wizards and Muggles. "People are just assholes, sometimes," Ron said.

"Yeah," Dudley said. "Thanks, by the way, I know this wasn't how you expected the day to go, listening to me complain."

"It's nothing," Ron said. "I have great coffee."

"Cappuccino slut, huh?" Dudley asked. Ron felt his ears go red.

"I mean, the company isn't too bad," Ron added, pretending like it was an afterthought. Could he possibly be enjoying the company of his best friend's childhood bully? Was finding Dudley cute considered a breach of the guy code?

"That's sweet of you to say," Dudley said, and Ron noticed he was blushing too.

"Hey, know of any good bars around here?" Ron asked. Dudley seemed confused by the change of conversation.

"Not really."

"I thought we could go dancing, if you wanted," Ron explained.

"Oh, I don't think I know of anywhere," Dudley repeated.

"Hey, I know a cool place," Ron said, and then stopped himself. He didn't think about it too much, but then thought it might be odd taking a Muggle to a wizarding bar.

"Yeah?" Dudley asked, smiling. Ron didn't have the heart to take it back.

The night came, and Ron was nervous. He was taking a Muggle to a Wizarding gay bar, was he crazy?

He just hoped he could have some fun with Dudley, do some dancing, and that the two of them wouldn't be attracting too much attention, he was only Ron Weasley, after all, not the famous Harry Potter. It wasn't too hard to get overlooked next to him. Ron was used to it, though, it wasn't like he could blame his best friend for what happened. Harry never chose that life for himself.

Ron Apparated to Privet Drive and walked down to number four with a fleeting thought of how Dumbledore might have felt dropping Harry off in this strange suburban town. Ron was dressed in his black skinny jeans and a black t-shirt, but even without his robes, he felt out of place here.

Ron rang the doorbell, and when Dudley opened the door with a large smile, he didn't feel quite as out of place as before. Dudley had lost a lot of weight since their childhood, and despite still being quite large, he was now a lot more toned and muscular. Ron gulped as he noticed what Dudley was wearing. Dudley was wearing a simple white t-shirt an unbuttoned checkered shirt over it, and black trousers, and damn he looked hot.

"Hi," Dudley greeted him. Probably noticing Ron's reaction, he added. "Do I look okay?"

Ron gulped again, attempting not to make a fool of himself already. "Yeah, you look, um, good."

Dudley's smile made Ron's heart jolt. "Cool, I've not really been out to many bars."

"I've been to this place a couple of times," Ron admitted. "But have never taken someone with me."

"Um, is it a place for—" Dudley floundered, and Ron thought he knew why. He didn't know how to ask if it was a wizarding bar, or so Ron thought.

"It's a wizarding bar," Ron said.

"Oh, um, no that's not what I meant," Dudley blushed. "Is it a gay bar?"

Ron laughed. "Sorry, yeah, of course, I thought you would be worried about being the only Muggle there."

According to the look on his face, the thought only just occurred to Dudley. "You won't let anything happen to me, will you?"

"Of course not," Ron insisted. "I'll keep you safe, if you trust me."

'Oh Merlin, I'm already flirting with him,' Ron added to himself.

"I trust you," Dudley replied, and walked out of the house, closing the door behind him.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but why did you come back here?" Ron asked, gesturing to the driveways of identical houses.

"I don't really know," Dudley admitted. "Ever since my parents passed away, and I found out they never sold the place. I suppose I just wanted it to feel like home. Although, it never really has been the same since…"

"I mean, I know I never liked your parents, but still, I was sorry to hear you lost them both so suddenly."

It had been a strange series of events that happened the night Petunia and Vernon had died, and some in the Magical community wondered if it hadn't been a strange fan of Harry's that did it. Some of the more radicals even went as far as to say that Harry finally got his revenge for all the years of abuse and malnutrition. The papers didn't seem to care that they were still people.

Dudley nodded sombrely. "Coroner said it was heart attacks, but it's unusual, it makes me wonder if it was just an accident sometimes, you know?"

"It was really just an accident," Ron said softly. "They called me to check on them, and it wasn't magic."

"You're just saying that," Dudley insisted. Ron's hand reached out and touched Dudley's arm.

"I won't lie to you," Ron said, and he felt it was true as he spoke. It felt strange to know he was sharing this heart to heart with someone he never thought he would care for.

"Nobody k-killed them?" Dudley stuttered a little. Ron shook his head, and suddenly, he felt himself being pulled into a hug, feeling Dudley's arms wrap around him, and it felt like sparks were flying everywhere their bodies were touching.

"I never thought it was Harry," Dudley said into his embrace. "But, someone else, maybe…"

Ron felt his cheeks flush. For a second, just a second Ron had believed it was Harry, and the thought would always haunt him. 'How could I have believed my best friend would murder two people?' Ron thought to himself. The two men stood hugging on the porch, and then Dudley cleared his throat and stepped back a bit.

"Should we, um, get going then?"

"Right, going, yes," Ron stammered a little, trying to regain his composure.

It was about twenty minutes before they arrived at the bar. Ron hadn't considered not Apparating to the bar, and so he needed to talk Dudley into side-along. Then, once they arrived at the Apparation point, Dudley had needed to sit down so badly he sunk down against the nearest wall.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked nervously.

"Yeah," Dudley said. "I'm fine now."

"Come on then, the first cocktail is on me," Ron said. He held out a hand, pulling the larger man to his feet.

"Deal," Dudley insisted. Ron pulled Dudley into the bar by the hand, and the two moved through the dark bar, covered in disco lights, mostly unnoticed. As the night went on, the two danced and had Pina Coladas. As the booze started to flow, Ron felt himself becoming more and more confident, and flirtatious. Of course, they couldn't hear each other over the beat of the music pulsing through the bar, but Ron's hands did the flirting for him. He would caress Dudley's bicep, or push the hair out of his face with a gentle caress.

He saw Dudley's lips moving, and he could make out that Dudley wanted to talk to him, so he took Dudley's hand again, boldly, and led him to the entrance.

"Having a good time?" Ron asked as soon as the music wasn't deafening anymore.

"Yeah," Dudley said, face flushed from dancing, and Ron felt the chill of the night air across his arms, giving him goosebumps. "There is only one more thing."

"What's that?" Ron asked, slurring a little. Dudley pulled Ron towards him, arms wrapping around him again, but this felt different, hot. Then Dudley titled his mouth down, and his lips met Ron's in a fiery hot kiss. They pulled apart, both breathless.

"Been wanting to do that for about an hour," Dudley grinned.

"Wow," Ron said.

Dudley laughed. "Want to go dance some more, or want to call it a night?"

Ron's mouth moved before his brain could catch up. "You can come over to my place."

"You serious?" Dudley asked, raising his eyebrows as he observed Ron in the darkness.

"I mean, we don't have to, you know, we can just, um," Ron stuttered.

"Make out some more?" Dudley asked teasingly.

"Yeah."

"Sounds good," Dudley said, taking hold of Ron's arm. "You good to take us, or?"

"Oh yeah, totally," Ron said, despite needing to concentrate extra hard on where he was going. He didn't want to freak Dudley out completely.