Chapter Three: Give Him a Chance

"Welcome home, dear," the aroma of dragon steak wafted from the kitchen as Draco set down his briefcase. Astoria appeared in the archway and scuttled over to him, planting a kiss on his lips. "How was work?"

"I had a great deal of paperwork."

"Always. How did that situation with that Harpies player turn out?"

"She was asked to resign from the team and to try out again next season, if she so chooses."

"Poor girl."

"Hardly, she hexed that referee into the infirmary. He still has to wear a neck brace."

"Poor man."

Draco sighed, but tried not to seem too tired. He let Astoria settle him into his chair at the table as she served supper. "I got a letter from Scorpius today," she said as she sat beside him. "He said that he is doing fine, but that he still doesn't much care for Divination. I wrote back and told him that he's lucky he didn't have to take it in our day." She laughed, then touched her stomach with a slight "oh."

"Are you well?" he asked, after swallowing a bite of his steak. It was delicious, as always.

"Oh yes, little Scarlett just kicked a bit is all."

Astoria was five, nearly six months pregnant and Draco wasn't unhappy for it. He was glad to be having another child, but at the same time the idea of his mundane life seeped his energy.

Scorpius took after his grandfather, Lucius, which Draco was loath to learn as he grew older. He had tried to stop his parents from coming over as often as they did in the summer, but his father was especially interested in getting to know his grandson.

Draco had shown Scorpius his dark mark and explained the evils of it and how it was not something he was proud to have. Lucius, on the other hand, spoke with reverence on how the Malfoys had been admired in those dark times. Draco found it very hypocritical, since his father had been nearly as afraid of Voldemort as Draco himself. Plus, he had been the first to deny his allegiance when the Dark Lord fell, both times!

He swore that Lucius would not reach his daughter in the way he had touched Scorpius. He was still working out a plan to stop Scorpius from becoming a sniveling fool.

"Darling, are you well?" Astoria touched his hand, which he had unknowingly placed over his dark mark.

He swallowed and nodded, "yes, sorry. I was thinking of…unpleasant things." He took a large bite of food, "I'm glad Scorpius is doing well. If he doesn't like Divination, he shouldn't take it next year. He should try something else that he will like more, so that he has some idea what he would like to do with his life."

"He's only a fourth year."

"That means he only has two years to decide what he wants."

"Two years is a long time."

"You think so, but it flies."

Monday came too soon. Draco remembered about his plans to have lunch with Harry only as he was taking the elevator up above the Ministry. He wondered if he should wait for Harry outside the elevator or just save him a seat at the café.

He didn't have to decide because as he stepped out of the elevator into the atrium, Harry and Ron stepped out of another. "Afternoon, Harry," he greeted, "Ron."

The red-haired man blinked, clearly surprised. "What?"

"Oh, I nearly forgot. I'm sorry, Draco. It's a good thing you're here."

"Harry, what are you talking about?"

"Draco and I made plans to have lunch today at the coffee shop. We ran into each other and Friday and we were sort of forced to talk."

"It was nice," Draco admitted, "if not a bit late."

"You expect me to have lunch with Malfoy, Harry? All the sudden he's not just a guy we used to know, but someone we have lunch with?"

"Ron, he's not a bad guy."

"And he's standing right here," Draco frowned. "Are you really going to act like a child about having coffee and a pastry with me?"

Harry gave him a look that said he wasn't helping. Draco shrugged, as if to say it was too late to take it back. "Ron, be reasonable. At least give him a chance."

Ron crossed his arms and said nothing. Harry sighed, "I'll take that as an okay."

He threw Draco an apologetic look, which was received with a smile that showed he wasn't all that fazed. They apparated into the alley and walked to Le café d'enchantement. Ron lagged behind, still grumpy.

When they took their seats, Ron finally said something, even though Draco and Harry had spoken about their weekends while in line. "So, Draco, you like coffee?" Both he and Harry had gotten tea, but, just as he had on Friday, Draco had ordered coffee.

"I do. I drink tea at home. Astoria brews it quite often. So I like to buy coffee when I'm here, for something different. Do you like coffee?"

Harry was impressed with the kind tone Draco maintained. He was vaguely reminded of the saying killing someone with kindness. He wondered if Ron could continue to be rude if Draco kept this up. Draco glanced at him and smirked just the slightest bit. It made Harry think back to the Draco he'd once known, but those grey eyes were no longer cruel and the smirk became charming instead of being a sneer. Harry felt something in his stomach that he hadn't felt in so long, he could hardly place it. It was a strange moment, and when Draco looked away to listen to Ron's answer, it faded only a little. Harry felt a little warm all of the sudden, so he too looked at Ron and tried to ignore what had just transpired.

"It's alright, I suppose," Ron said, his face clearly expressing his confusion on Draco's demeanor. "Hermione's family drinks it all the time. They've got this little machine that brews it for them, since they're muggles and all." It was obvious he was trying to make Draco say something rude about Hermione's heritage.

"Oh, yes. I've heard of those. They're very cleverly named coffee makers." Harry chortled as Draco's smirk returned.

Ron grimaced, but could think of nothing to say in return.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Harry asked as the elevator began to move down again after Draco got out.

"I suppose he isn't as awful as he used to be."

Harry laughed and patted Ron on the back. "Why are you so against him being our friend?"

"His family is awful. He was awful!"

"Was."

"Do you not listen to the kids when they talk about Scorpius? He's awful, just like Draco was in school."

Harry frowned. He did recall only hearing bad things about Draco's son. There could be other reasons for it, besides Draco's parenting. He knew that sounded like an excuse, though, so he didn't say so to Ron.

They got out of the elevator and went back to work. Harry found it difficult to focus, because he kept thinking about Draco. What was it about the blonde-haired man that intrigued Harry so much? He was funny, nice, and handsome. He slapped himself, trying to knock that from his mind. What was wrong with him, thinking about the attractiveness of another man?

Now that he'd thought of it, though, he couldn't get it out of his head. It was a new feeling for him; he'd thought about other women before—just because he was married didn't make him blind to pretty ladies—but men had always escaped his interest. Maybe it was just Draco's dramatic change over the years that made him interesting to Harry.

He sighed and packed up early. He might as well go home, nothing was going to happen in his office for the rest of the afternoon, he knew.

As he stepped into the elevator to go up to the atrium, he noticed Draco stepping into one at the other end, looking very preoccupied indeed. He wondered what had caused him to be unable to work.