Chapter 2
"What's with you lately?" Hermione asked from across the dinner table.
Harry and Ron looked at each other and then to Hermione.
"How do you mean?" Harry asked.
"Last week you seemed so distant and restless and this week you seem so… I don't know… cheery."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Harry denied which drew a snort from Ron.
"You're still a shit liar mate." Ron announced, chuckling.
"Hey!" Harry protested but as he lifted his head and looked across the table at the expectant and pointed looks on his best friends' faces he knew he stood no chance.
"Last week I received an owl from an old…" Harry grappled with a word to describe Malfoy. "Acquaintance. He wanted to meet up again after all these years but I was nervous because the last encounter between us didn't exactly work out because I was an ass." Harry flushed at the memory.
"It's Malfoy isn't it?" Ron said smugly as he took in another spoonful. Harry gaped for a millisecond which was more than enough for Hermione to zero in on him.
"It's.." He began to deny but thought better of it. "Yes." He said with a sigh.
"Harry, don't tell me you two are fighting again?" Hermione asked reproachfully.
"No, no, no it's nothing like that…" Harry trailed off. "In fact we… kind of hit it off… and it doesn't help that he was very charming and fit." He admitted sheepishly. Hermione was staring at him like he had two heads while Ron was merrily still focused on his plate.
Hermione was flabbergasted at the thought of Harry and Malfoy 'hitting it off' while Ron grinned like a Cheshire cat. "Harry's always been a little obsessed with the ferret, hasn't he?" He teased lightheartedly.
Harry and Hermione turned to stare at Ron, unbelieving of his nonchalance.
"What?" Ron asked. "He has and doesn't help that he always goes for blonde blokes as well don't you Harry? Besides it was only Malfoy that could ever really get under your skin, mate and from what I hear he's not such a bad bloke nowadays. Let bygones be bygones." Ron took a sip of his pumpkin juice, a drink that he never outgrew. He put his glass down and with a serious face stared directly at Harry for the first time that night. "There is one problem though."
"What?" Harry fought the urge to look away.
"You don't even know if the man is gay." Ron finished with a grin that was absolutely infectious. Harry found himself grinning as well and in a matter of seconds both men burst out laughing. All the tension and nervousness Harry felt melted away.
A/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing.