First night in Toronto

Draco had scheduled his flight out of London on Wednesday, the 9th of February. His conference was scheduled to start on the 11th and Draco wanted to make sure that he had enough time to spend meeting up with Potter before he would be obligated to attend the sessions at the conference. His manager at work and his co-workers had given him loads of work to read for the conference to make sure Draco gets the most out of attending it. The ten days after he'd made the decision to go to Toronto had been quite exciting. Draco looked forward to surprising Potter but he was also, in fact, truly getting interested in the research work.

His parents hadn't taken the news well about his break up. His mother told him that she wanted to call Theo and ask him to change his mind. When Draco informed her that the break up was mostly of his doing, it was as though someone had broken ties with her. She was devastated. He wanted to tell her the reason why he broke it off with Theo but feared his father would probably call it an irrational decision and lecture him.

After work since he had so much free time now, no boyfriend, and no Potter, Draco went house hunting. He also realised that it was perhaps time to leave his parents' home. Even though he had always been happy with the freedom he'd received in general, he wanted to embark on something new, hopefully with Potter.

Finally, the day arrived and Pansy took Draco to the airport.

"Don't you think this is all moving a bit too fast?" Pansy asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you've known the man less than eight weeks and now you're going to another country to profess your love to him!"

"I know, but, I can't stop the way I feel. I don't want to lose him just because I am scared that it's going too fast. What is the right amount of time I should wait? I can't continue being his friend and watch him date someone else. I need to tell him how I feel, maybe we'll continue being friends after that. But he needs to know, and I need to do it as soon as possible!"

"I suppose you're right. He'd be a git to not jump into your arms right away!" Pansy answered, causing Draco to grin.

"I have been so drawn to him since the day we met. I wanted to make him jealous, isn't that weird? When we first met at his parents' house, his house, I knew I couldn't be with him but I still wanted to see how he'd react to know I was unattainable. He's got this magnetic energy, and his eyes, oh my God Pans, his eyes!" Draco threw his arms up in the air then grabbed his heart, expressing a gesture indicating that no words could ever articulate how he felt about Potter's eyes. Pansy laughed at Draco's reaction.

"Okay, okay, Draco. I understand, he's got captivating eyes. I've met him you know?"

"Yeah, and what did you think of him when you met him?" Draco asked. They had talked earlier about Pansy's thoughts on Potter's virtuous personality but not his looks or demeanours.

"You remember when we drove to the castle for New Years?" Pansy asked as Draco nodded. "The two of you fell asleep resting on each other?" Draco nodded again. "I was so jealous. I think all of us were jealous. You looked so peaceful with him, since day one, you two were just so fitted as one. There were times when I thought you were so incredibly different from each other, none of us could believe that you were friends but then we'd see the two of you together and it just clicked."

"Then why have you been so against this? This trip, my grand gesture, if I even confess that is?" Draco asked.

"I just don't want you to get hurt. You tend to rush into things and what if he's not sure, what if he feels hard-pressed, and ends up damaging you instead? I just worry, is all," Pansy answered.

"I know, and I love you for it," Draco said. "But, sometimes you just need a little bit of faith." Draco grinned at Pansy with his positivity.

"You're doing it again," Pansy remarked.

"Doing what?" Draco asked.

"Grinning like Potter," she replied as she smiled at Draco sweetly and paused for a moment before she spoke. "They say that when you fall in love with someone, you become like them, and they like you."

"I can't help it, he's addicting," Draco responded.

Shortly after they had reached the airport. Pansy walked in to the terminal with Draco as he checked him and kept him company up until the security checkpoint. Then, it was time for him to leave. They hugged for a long time, as they broke apart she whispered, "He'd be a fool to not reciprocate."

"Maybe I am the fool," Draco answered. Now, he was nervous, and self-doubting. "What if I am making a mistake? There is still time. He'll be back in a few short weeks maybe I should just stay?"

"Draco Malfoy, don't you dare!" Pansy replied. "You've made it this far, you are not going to quit! You are going to your conference and you are conveniently picking yourself up a boyfriend. You've got a plan, and what is it that your father always says to you?"

"We are Malfoys, we always have a plan," Draco answered.

"Exactly! Now stop wasting my time and all this money you've spent buying your airfare and your company's money that's funding your attendance at the seminar. You're going to get on this plane and get your man!" Pansy encouraged Draco, she was loud enough for some people at the airport to hear her and they cheered. Draco stared at them wide-eyed, random strangers had heard Pansy's speech and were applauding.

"Alright, I am going, you're so pushy!" They hugged once again and Draco went through security to his gate. A new and interesting experience waited for him on the other side.

An exhausting eight hour flight later, the British Airways flight number 506 arrived at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Draco went through Canadian immigration services being held up for another twenty minutes. He eventually hailed a taxi to The Marriott in downtown Toronto. He came across slight rush hour traffic but forty minutes later the taxi dropped him off in front of the hotel Potter was staying at, and where he supposedly had made reservations for two nights.

Draco arrived at the Hotel around 7 pm local time. He wasn't sure what Potter's schedule was; all he knew was his room number. Draco walked in carefully and slowly, he thought of delaying his presence in the lobby before 'checking in' just in case Potter would be around, returning from a business meeting or perhaps a dinner.

Pansy had helped him book his flight since there were several options. They had decided that it didn't make sense for Draco to arrive during the afternoon because then he'd miss Potter for sure and ruin the element of surprise. If arrived in the early evening, they had calculated the immigration stretch and the taxi ride, it truly would be the best time. Even if he didn't run into Potter straightaway, he could linger around in the lobby waiting for him.

The porter opened the main door to the Hotel and Draco gently smiled at him. He was more nervous than he realised. Draco slowly walked in with his rolling suitcase and his laptop bag, taking in the bright lights of the lobby and noticed a line at the concierge desk. He was relieved. The longer he waited in the lobby, the better.

Draco wasn't a spiritual man, but it was as though the Gods favoured him. He placed his bag on the floor and placed his hand in his pocket to grab his mobile to text Pansy, when he heard his name, a voice he recognised.

"Draco?"

Draco turned to look at the man that called out his name. He smiled, brightly and genuinely as his eyes widened. He wasn't surprised to see Potter, but he was astonished at his luck.

"Harry," Draco said. He was slightly caught off guard and acknowledged Potter by his first name.

"What are you doing here?" Potter asked, his expression staggered.

Draco saw Potter was with someone and he turned to look at the other man. It was Caleb Williams, the bloke from the club a few weeks ago, Potter's co-worker. The line to the 'check in' desk was thinning out. Draco moved out of the line and turned to the lady standing behind him. "Go ahead," he said. He turned to face Potter and Caleb and spoke again, "I am here for a conference. I just arrived from the airport and I am staying here for a few days, until I find another hotel."

"Wait, what conference? Why are you switching hotels?" Harry asked, stumbling on his words, still in shock.

"I am here for the 'Challenges in Chemical Biology' conference at the Convention Centre. When I arranged for my accommodation for the conference, I was quite late. All the major hotels nearby are reserved for the weekend so I thought of coming a few days early so I could find something for the rest of my stay," Draco answered. It was partially the truth. It was factual that the Marriott was all booked up for the weekend starting Friday and Draco had made reservations for only Wednesday and Thursday night. What Draco failed to mention was that there was a room available at the Hotel inside the Convention Centre but he chose not to reserve that since Potter was staying at the Marriott.

"Oh – you … Erm…" Potter was still quite loss at words. Draco grinned; he'd gotten the exact reaction he'd hoped for. A content but flabbergasted Potter. Draco turned to glance at Caleb, who did not look amused.

"Potter, why don't we sit," Draco pointed at the sofa in the lobby, "I am a little bit tired."

"Oh, okay," Potter answered and he turned to walk towards the sofa. Before he sat down he turned towards his co-worker, "Caleb, why don't you go ahead. No need to hang around with us. I'll see you later at nine."

"Are you sure?" Caleb asked, annoying Draco. For a brief moment Draco had forgotten that Potter had told him about Caleb's crush.

"Please, don't let me hold you up," Draco interjected. "Just old friends catching up, I am sure I'll be seeing you." Draco smiled at Caleb and took a seat next to Harry, undoubtedly, asserting his domain. Draco also knew that Potter was usually clueless about these things and wouldn't even have noticed anything odd.

Caleb nodded and walked away.

"Is he staying with you?" Draco asked turned his attention towards Potter.

"No, a floor below," Harry answered. "I still can't believe you're here. I thought, I'd never – I mean, I wouldn't be seeing you for months!" Harry smiled genuinely as he pulled Draco in for a hug. Draco's heart sank; he hugged Potter back with as much warmth as he could. He missed these arms, and he didn't even know it.

"Wait," Potter spoke again. "Tell me what's going on with your conference and your accommodation situation?"

"Okay, so I originally wanted to stay here for the duration of my trip, because it is only seven minutes from the Convention Centre. But, they don't have any rooms available from Friday through Sunday so I will need to find a new hotel to stay at. I figured once I get here, I could use some sort of a local connection to find lodging."

"How long is your conference, how long is your trip?" Potter asked.

"The conference itself is Friday through Sunday, but I planned on staying here until the eighteenth," Draco answered.

"When were you going to tell me?" Harry asked, his voice was a mix of hurt and anger.

"I was going to email you once I got all settled in. I wasn't sure how busy you'd be with the new project launch and I didn't wish to worry you with my troubles," Draco answered innocuously.

"You are so stupid Draco!" accused Harry. "I wish you'd told me you were coming, why didn't you tell me about the conference when I told you about my trip?"

"I didn't even find out about it after you left," Draco answered. "Everything happened so fast and I, I just didn't want to bother you. I sort of wanted to surprise you after I arrived."

"Now, I am so glad they fibbed in my hotel reservation," Potter said.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked.

"My secretary had booked the hotel rooms for us and instead of giving me a regular room with one bed they reserved this giant suite and when we arrived they didn't have any normal rooms for me, so I have been staying at this huge suite. I had the option of staying with Caleb and I didn't think that would be a good idea. I am sure we'd get on each other's nerves if we stayed together for a month so I opted to stay in the suite for thirty dollars extra a night, and now you're here so you can stay with me!"

"Are you sure? I don't want to impose," Draco said.

"Don't be silly. The company is going to reimburse me for the stay regardless so I am really only paying ten pounds extra a night and I don't mind. We've stayed together before at the castle so it'll just be like that," Harry replied, pausing for a moment. "Unless, you think Theodore is going to have a problem with it."

"We broke up," Draco responded simply.

"Oh Draco!" Harry pulled Draco in a hug again, "do you want to talk about it?"

"In the hotel lobby?" Draco asked laughingly.

"Oh of course not. Let's go up to the reservation desk and we'll cancel your reservation and I'll get you a card key," Harry said. Harry stood up and grabbed Draco's laptop bag. Draco obediently followed behind him with his rolling suitcase.

Draco approached one of the agents and informed her about his reservation and his desire to cancel it. She notified him that he had to pay a fee of half the price for the first night and he'd be reimbursed for the second night. Draco agreed. He later approached Potter who was talking to another agent who handed him an extra card key.

Harry turned to Draco and handed him the card, "we are staying at room 731. You're ready?" Draco nodded in response. "Let's go!" Draco obediently followed him to the lifts.

"Draco?"

"Yeah?"

"I am supposed to go out for drinks with Caleb in a few hours; do you want to come with?"

"I'd love to, Potter."

"Excellent."

(A/N): Thanks to everyone who have been waiting patiently for an update. I hope you liked the chapter! I smiled the entire time I wrote it. LOL.

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