Title: I Should Have Come Out Earlier... Nine

Characters: Harry/Draco

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Characters are property of JK Rowling and no copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: The dinner date.

"I'm used to people staring at me, Draco," said Harry, as he cut into his chicken parmigiana, "but I'm not used to people staring at us."

"Well, as far as most of Wizarding society knows, we hate each other. We've just shocked a few people is all, maybe given a few codgers a heart attack," he said, after swallowing some of his pasta.

"I reckon we have," Harry said. "I just don't appreciate the looks, the glares and the ogling. Particularly the ogling."

"Just ignore them," he said, brushing his fingers over his boyfriend's hand. "We're a couple, we're going to be seen together in public and they need to get used to it or realise it's none of their business. Besides, we're worth the ogling. Mmm, this pasta is exquisite."

Harry chuckled, most likely at the sudden change in topic. "The food is good isn't it? You did mention being a food enthusiast so I reckon you'll know a good restaurant when you find one."

"Here," he said, twining his fork in his spoon and coiling the linguine before offering it to Harry, "try this."

"Draco..." Harry said, flustered. The man glanced around them, no doubt concerned about who might be watching. Well, Draco knew how to deal with that.

"Embarrassed are we? Where's your Gryffindor courage?" he teased.

Harry narrowed his eyes before leaning forwards and closing his mouth around Draco's fork. "Mmm," he hummed, as he chewed.

"That wasn't too difficult was it?" he asked, as he swiped some sauce off of Harry's face. Distasteful as it was, he licked it from his finger with a swirl of his tongue and watched as Harry followed the movement with his eyes.

"If we were at one of our flats I could just jump you right now," Harry muttered, carving away at his chicken.

"You can give me a kiss if you'd like," he said, as he took a sip of his wine.

"I could. But you and I both know that it would take far too much effort for me to stop once I've started," Harry said.

"Deviant," he murmured, knowing that Harry was probably right.

"You love that about me," Harry laughed, as Draco felt a foot glide along his leg. Harry had taken his shoes off at some point.

He raised a brow and Harry shrugged as he continued to eat his dinner. The foot was moving dangerously close to his thigh. If Harry took this any further Draco was sure they would wind up leaving early, or making a scene. He cleared his throat and gave the man a stern look. "Harry, love."

"Draco, darling," he said, with a wicked smile as he withdrew his foot.

The two chortled in tandem as a young waitress bustled past them mumbling "Good Godric, it is a date."

Somehow they had managed to get through dinner without molesting one another and were now waiting for their dessert. They had opted to share a serving of tiramisu. As they waited Harry toyed with Draco's palm and recited a tale about some bloke at the Auror Department who had made a right fool of himself. It ended with the man falling face first into the fountain and the two laughed together in a comfort they would not have had a few months prior.

The tiramisu was delectable. Harry had a habit of sticking to desserts that were simpler than this but Merlin what a mistake he had made. Twice now Draco had blocked Harry's fork with his own because he threatened to finish it all on his own. They had a short tussle with their forks before Draco glared at him.

"Potter, don't test me when it comes to dessert," the blonde warned. It might have worked if a smile had not been tugging at his lips though.

"Then don't order something so decadent," he retorted, as he managed to swipe a piece.

He ate it and watched as Draco stared at him with a You-did-not-just-do-that sort of expression. Harry chuckled and sliced off another piece with his fork, Draco's eyes narrowing all the while as he waited to see if Harry really had the gall to do that again. He leaned forwards and guided the fork to his boyfriend's mouth though. He was teasing, not stupid.

He rolled his eyes as Draco glanced at the fork indignantly. The man eventually ate it though, muttering something that sounded like, "Too bloody handsome," or something of the sort.

"Harry?" he heard someone call as they exited the restaurant, arms around one another's waist.

When he looked towards the voice he was met with one Oliver Wood and one Charlie Weasley, looking a lot like a couple rather than old friends.

"I told you they were a pair," Charlie said smugly. Oliver sighed and rolled his eyes.

"All right, you win," Oliver said, without as much disappointment as he tried to show.

"Charlie, Oliver, are you two?" he asked, as he glanced between them.

"Of course they are," Draco drawled.

"I don't actually think I've met you before, Malfoy," Charlie said, smiling, as he extended a hand. "Charlie Weasley."

"Draco Malfoy," his boyfriend said, as he took Charlie's hand. Harry was glad Charlie had always been the most amicable of the Weasleys.

Suddenly there was a flash and a click that was quickly followed by a squeal of delight. Harry turned around to see one Rita Skeeter bustling over to them. He gave a nod to the other couple before he and Draco apparated away. He reckoned they did the same.