Title: The Well 18/?
Author: eidheann
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~1,000 (~13,800 total)
Summary: Where there is a wish...
Warnings: angst.
A/N: Many thanks for the comments and support. Also, I apparently failed at clarity in the last part, for which I apologize. Also apologies for going a bit mad with the language of flowers here.

The clerk at the shop frowned when he saw Draco enter, though Draco was pleased that the expression was earned by his own merits, or rather Pansy's indecisiveness. "Pardon, Mr. Potter. Yes, Mr. Malfoy? What does she want this time? Topiary erumpets?"

Draco laughed briefly in spite of himself. "I'll not tell her anything about that lest she think it an option. Just back to tulips again."

The clerk sighed and rolled his eyes, pulling out a scroll and waving his wand briefly. "Very well. But this is the last time, I simply won't have the opportunity to provide for her changes beyond this point."

Draco nodded, "Thank you. I'll tell her she's getting tulips or gathering her own flowers from the Forbidden Forest. Good day, sir, Potter. Sorry to interrupt."

"Draco, wait! Maybe you can help me..."

He glanced back from Potter, who was staring at him with that damned eager puppy expression, to the florist who looked quite annoyed.

Clearing his throat, the clerk spoke up. "I'm certain any questions you have can be answered-"

Harry simply flapped his hand, causing him to quiet with a frown. "Please?"

"What do you need?"

Harry's grin lit his face and he walked quickly over to Draco and dragged him back to the counter. "I need flowers that say 'I've been an ass and I'm sorry' with some 'please forgive me' and 'I love you so please let's try this again' thrown in for good measure."

The clerk's eyebrows were somewhere approaching his hairline, and Draco could see the Prophet headlines tomorrow after he'd owled this story off, so he swallowed his grimace and played dumb. "Well, carnations and roses tend to be the flowers used to express love, if that's what you're wanting... though the specifics change based on the color." Harry gave a nod so Draco sighed and continued. "Rue symbolizes regret, though sweet briar would be more an apology for causing a harm that has not yet healed." Harry bit his lip but said nothing. "Narcissus then, for the last. Please love me back."

Harry turned to the clerk. "Can you do that, then? Red roses, sweet briar and narcissus? Red roses mean love, right?"

"Yes..." The clerk nodded at Harry, his gaze predatory and his smile like a shark. "Now, how big a declaration are you wanting to make?"

Harry's eyes flickered briefly in Draco's direction as he replied "A large one. Very large."

"Excellent! I can have it ready for you this afternoon. Thanks to Miss Parkinson, I have a large number of red roses in stasis right now." Draco could see him mentally tallying the money he could make from Potter in addition to the fee he'd extract from the Prophet for selling this story.

"Brilliant!" Harry turned to Draco. "It was lucky we ran into each other. Want to go get an early lunch or something? My treat to say thank you for the help?"

Draco glanced uncomfortably between Harry and the clerk, but was confident he was not putting the pieces together. "I would like that, thank you."

The smile Harry turned on Draco this time was blinding and he led Draco through Diagon Alley and back to the Leaky.

"You know he's already sent an owl off to the Prophet with the big story of Harry Potter's Romance, don't you?" Draco kept his gaze on his half-eaten ploughman's and firmly off the man seated across from him. It was still early enough that the Leaky wasn't terribly crowded, though the customers were paying as much attention to their table as to their own mugs.

"Hmm? Oh you mean the florist? I don't care, I told you I'm tired of keeping secrets."

"The Prophet is going to be printing stories tomorrow about you getting back together with Weasley."

Harry's gaze pulled his attention upward. "I'd rather tell them the truth, but thought it might be a bit presumptuous without your say-so." He broke into a grin. "Besides, I can't be getting back with Charlie, he moved on long ago."

"The Weaselette, then." Draco looked back down at his plate, finally picking up a slice of cheese. "I doubt they're terribly picky."

Harry laughed. "And nothing says 'I've been an ass' like dumping you for your brother?"

"No, just dumping you."

Harry's laugh stopped abruptly. "Draco, I-"

"I know. I'm sorry to keep pushing it. What's done is done..." Draco put the cheese back on his plate uneaten.

"Have you thought at all? About what I said?"

"I'm sorry. Between Pansy's errands and my training, I barely know what day it is." Draco glanced back up at Harry. "And now she's started trying to set me up with some cousin of hers..."

"I just want a chance." Harry's jaw was tight and his shoulders tense. Draco suppressed a grin at striking a nerve.

"Yes, well. I suppose that will depend on how sorry the florist thinks you are, then." He grinned and ducked the grape Harry threw across the table at him.

It was nearly teatime when Draco made it back to Pansy. "Where have you been? I have been going mad here without you. Was there a problem with the florist?"

Draco smirked as he noted the teacup she likely was considering throwing at him. It felt good to get some of his own back. "No, no problem, I just met someone there who wanted to take me to lunch."

Pansy's voice was flat. "You found someone who took you to lunch. At the florist. You."

He frowned, "You needn't sound so surprised. You were just saying I needed to get out more. Oh, the florist says you're getting tulips. If you change your mind again, you're doing your own picking and arranging." He walked to the tray and began pouring himself some tea.

She leaned back into the chair with a huff. "Blasted man. Why does he have to be the best?" She turned her gaze to Draco and smirked. "So... lunch? Was your lunch attractive, at least? You don't look like you got up to anything interesting."

"It was just lunch," he returned quietly. "I don't know that I'm ready for more as yet."

"Oh Draco, I'm sorry." She set her cup down and walked over to where he was still standing. "I just worry for you. I'll tell you what, bring him as your plus-one and I'll say nothing more about it." She wrapped her arms around him and he leaned into her embrace.

"I might do that."