Chapter 3

Mercifully, today was Draco's day off. Apart from the natural relief this gave, he was especially thankful. Sugden was still giving him hell for not getting with that girl a few nights ago. This was not a good thing as he had had a guy on his mind all the while. He had spent the past 3 days thinking up an action plan for how he was going to deal with Harry, specifically how he would speak to him and not get stabbed in the eye. So far, he had nothing. He couldn't casually bump into him, as he had no idea what Harry did, apart from where he worked, and to bring something like this into his workplace was not going to earn him any brownie points. The only conclusion he had come too was to spend as much time in Cardiff as he could possibly afford, for the faint hope of bumping into him, no matter how unlikely that is. Today was a nice day, well for November, so he decided to spend the day wandering around Cardiff shops. It was a vague hope, but it was also his only one.

However, after five hours of joylessness, even Draco had to admit he was really scraping the barrel for ideas, and his muggle finances. Draco had never been able to walk away from something he liked in a shop, and he found muggle fashions so fascinating. He had especially fallen for a shop called "Topman", with three of his bags from there alone. But the cold drizzle was dampening his spirits, and his aching feet begged him to go home. He has scoured the town centre and found nothing. Eventually Draco warily spun on the spot and went home.

Later that evening, after a hot shower, he found himself hungry. Unwillingly he pulled himself away from the sleek white leather sofa to the kitchen and pulled down a saucepan, a knife and some vegetables. Once in while he enjoyed cooking the muggle way and cautiously began peeling some potatoes. Today had been a failure, but, Draco decided he would not allow it to depress him. It was only his first attempt after all.

/

Rain hurled itself against the glass of Draco's window. Occasionally the sky flashed yellow as thunder echoed around the tall buildings. A shrill beeping filled the still air, quickly silenced by the hand that shot out from under the thick quilt. Slowly a mass of blonde hair emerged from underneath it, and eventually a pair of grey eyes opened. Today was unfortunately an early start. Dai had wanted Draco in the office early to prepare for a meeting with Jake McCarthy, the Head of the Department of Games and Sports. There was a problem with some friendly match which meant people wanted new laws passed, or something like that. Draco didn't really care for sport anymore. It only served to remind him of what a prat he'd been in school. But a job's a job, and the minutes must be taken, unfortunately. Deciding his body preferred being vertical he stumbled to prepare himself for the day ahead.

/

"That is not my point Jake," Dai wearily sighed. "I cannot afford the people power to put through a law, which really should be under your ruling. Maken cheatin' in a sporting event a criminal offence is a daft idea!"

"But you've seen the reaction of your people! There's outcry! You really would make your position a lot safer if you were to react favourably to the situation."

"What're you tryin' to say McCarthy?" the tips of Dai's ears began to turn red. Draco smirked; it reminded him of the Weasley boy in his class. His eyes wandered off with his mind, the conversation having lost his attention a while ago. Once again he found himself thinking about Harry. He had not yet had chance to go searching for him again, and with every day that passed the gravitas that his visit would carry was waning. He sighed and subconsciously glanced across the table at the Sports Minister's assistant. She was a leggy, pretty red head, with a very short skirt and very large breasts. Obviously chosen for her aesthetics more than ability as she had failed to pick up a quill the whole session. She looked at Draco from under heavily lined eyelids and smiled rather like one imagines a spider to a fly. Draco gave a start, put his eyes to the ceiling and rested his head against the high backed seats of Conference room 3. Everything in this room was large, including the table, designed for much more peopled meetings. It seemed highly disproportioned and the mostly empty space allowed the voices of the two men to echo angrily.

"For the last time, I will NOT make Felix Felicis illegal! It is ent my problem if you can't properly police your department!"

And then the penny dropped on Draco like a tonne of bricks. Felix Felicis! It was so obvious! Sure it would be a pain to make, but wasn't it worth it? Draco grinned as he stowed his quill and paper into his bag and followed the Minister's speedy exit.

/

Draco was still grinning as he exited the Apothecary in Diagon Alley that evening. With one more errand to run he swiftly put up his umbrella to guard himself from the onslaught of rain and headed towards Gringotts. Many people were rushing into doorways to shelter themselves. He took a minute to look into their faces. Nobody paid him any attention, further elevating his mood. No one paid him attention, meaning no one was casting him suspicious or hateful looks. He smiled even as he trod in an especially deep puddle. He heard giggle and glanced up. A brown and curly haired girl was clutching at the handle of an umbrella, with one hand on her enlarged stomach, laughing at her partner; a red head who was making faces at having to carry all the shopping bags and having half of his side get soaked. It was a second or two until Draco identified them as Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Sorry, Hermione Weasley. He remembered seeing the banns in the Daily Prophet some time ago. It was as he digested the fact she was now pregnant that Hermione saw him and smiled. She glowed. Even Ron, when he followed her eye line, didn't scowl, but gave a funny half-smile half grimace in his direction. Draco sent one back with an awkward nod of the head. If they weren't hostile towards Draco anymore, then why was Harry? He furrowed his eyebrows as he walked. It seems unlikely that he had cut himself off from them, his best friends, but, Draco supposed, it wasn't entirely impossible. He had seemed more than a little concerned about keeping his whereabouts hidden from the wizarding world. Draco sighed as he reached the bank doorway and looked down at his shopping bag. He would find out soon enough.

/

Harry sat clutching a cappuccino as Cassie sprinkled almost glutinous amounts of chocolate on the top. The rain was hammering against the shutters of the shop, making them grateful for the heat of an oven that's been working all day. She sunk down into the blue velvet seat with a sigh, pulling at her hair tie. Harry half ran a hand through his tousled hair and lent on the table.

"Manic today wasn' it?" ventured Cassie with a smile. "I guess people like 'aving somewhere to escape th' rain." Harry sighed and looked at her

"Yeah... yeah I guess they do."

A few more seconds of silence passed before Cassie leaned in, gently touching Harry's arm.

"You know, I'm 'ent stupid. I know sommats been botherin' you. Ever since that blonde showed up you've been in your own lil' world." She leaned back. "Wha' is he to you?" Harry smiled as he ran a finger around the froth of his coffee. How can he possibly describe it? But when he looked at her he was touched by the concern in her large eyes and sighed.

"It's... complicated. He... was in my class at school and well, we didn' get on too well. He... Ah he just brings back memories of a past I was trying to forget." He smiled at her in an unconvincing its-fine-really kind of way.

"Don' gimme that! There's more to it than a playground tiff, I know it. Why did you... I've never seen you with such hate in your eyes." Her eyes drifted to the empty cake case behind him. " I didn' think you could hate tha' much. Harry hid his face from her as guilt and anger surged through his body. Why did he have to turn up like this? Cassie was playing with the hem of her lace top.

"I'm sorry. I know you're just concerned for me. But... I can't tell you why I reacted like I did. If I could, then I would do. But I don't think I can. Not right now." He knew he was fobbing her off, but how the hell could he tell her about what had happened? Unfortunately, so did Cassie. She looked at him and smiled sadly.

"Well, when you think you can tell me, I'll be 'ere for you, 'k?" and she got up and ruffled his hair on her way towards the stairs, leading to the flat her and Mamma Jean share.

"Oh here," she threw him the keys, "lock up when you're done. Just post 'em back through." And with an over the shoulder smile, she left.

Sighing, Harry took a gulp of coffee, poured it into a take-away cup and left, locking the door behind him.