CHAPTER 4

"This must be important for you to be using the boy-who-lived card." The floating head in Harry's fireplace teased.

Harry's face warmed and he squirmed uncomfortably. "I-sort-of-have-a-date-but-not-really-officially-a-date." He rambled.

Ginny laughed. "I figured as much. Alright, I'll get you the tickets but you have to introduce this bloke to me after the game and fill me in on the juicy details once things get going." She said with a leer.

"Ginny!" Harry exclaimed and then cleared his throat. He touched the back of his nape with his right hand and looked sideways. "Anyway there won't be any juicy details any time soon. We're only going to the match as friends."

Ginny quirked an eyebrow. "My my… you really like this bloke don't you. You're usually more aggressive than this Harry. What's with the school boy hesitation on this?"

"Ah.. well it's kind of complicated between him and me and I'm not even sure if he's at all interested."

"Don't be silly. Of course he will be interested in you! The only blokes who aren't, are either straight or stupid!"

Harry couldn't help but make a weird choked sound which made Ginny's eyes widen. "He's straight?"

"No… I mean… I don't know! I'm not sure." Harry admitted. "That's why I'm taking things slowly."

Ginny eyed him carefully. "Just promise me that you won't allow yourself to be a straight bloke's experiment okay?"

"I promise."

"Alright then. I'll send the tickets via owl later." She grinned toothily at him. "Bye Harry!"

Harry was surprised to find out that the free tickets turned out to be an entire stand. Merlin! He hoped to high heavens that Draco wouldn't think he was showing off, but it did give him the advantage of getting the blonde man all to himself.

Harry really loved quidditch and he couldn't help but be a little bit over enthusiastic when he watched the matches. From time to time he would glance sideways to see Draco quietly watching the game as well, his face relaxed and content. This caused a warm feeling to spread in Harry's chest.

The game was over faster than Harry had anticipated because of Ginny's superb performance and soon they found themselves on their way down to where the players were, to where Ginny stood expecting to meet Harry's "date."

"Harry!" Ginny greeted as she ran up to hug him.

"Congratulations Gin! You were fantastic."

"I was wasn't I?"

"And still humble I see." Harry said with a laugh.

Ginny released him from the hug and stepped back. She glanced sideways and her face was that of mild surprise. "Oh. Hi Malfoy. I'm sorry, I got too excited I didn't see you there right away."

"It's okay. Congratulations, it was a wonderful game." Draco said quietly, his smile charming and polite.

Ginny looked at Harry and then back to Draco. Harry fought the urge to shuffle his feet under the weight of Ginny's knowing gaze.

Just then Valmai Morgan came running up behind Ginny. "Hey Captain! What's taking so long out there! The party can't start without you!"

"Be right there!" Ginerva called out.

"Harry James Potter, we'll talk about this later." She said and Harry knew there was no way to escape.

She then turned to Draco and smiled at him, gave him a brief and awkward hug and then trotted off to the direction of their team lockers with Valmai in tow.

"What was that about?" Draco asked Harry. Harry laughed nervously, he didn't know how to explain to Draco that Ginny had basically just given him the blessing to date Harry without sounding too presumptuous. "It was-"

Harry never got to finish his statement as a voice bellowed from behind them. "Draco? Is that you?" They turned to see who it was.

The man jogged down to where they stood. "Oliver?" Draco said. His eyes widened ever so slightly. "I didn't know you still played for Puddlemere United. I didn't see you in the game."

There was an air of familiarity between the two men that unsettled Harry.

"I wasn't. I've been on the reserve team ever since I dislocated my shoulder from a nasty bludger hit. Hasn't quite fully healed yet." Oliver said with a grin. "Hullo Harry, it's been ages."

Harry's chest monster began to stir. "Yeah. I didn't know you two were friends."

"We weren't." Oliver said.

"Then how—"

"We dated." The Keeper answered.

"You're gay?" Harry asked, surprised that Draco was not only gay but that he had dated a Gryffindor upperclassman.

"You're gay?" He repeated but this time facing Draco.

Oliver laughed. "Yeah." Draco stayed silent.

Oliver positively leered at Draco. "Listen, I have to get going but please send me an owl or floo me whenever you're free. I would love to… catch up." They watched the retreating form of the keeper in silence.

"So Oliver huh?" Harry said breaking the silence as he tried to reign in the irrational possessiveness that he felt for the blonde man who stood beside him.

"It was a long time ago." Draco suddenly explained sounding shy and unsure. "It was nothing serious." He added softly.

Harry heaved a sigh of relief, releasing the breath he didn't even know he had been holding. Harry couldn't help but feel more hopeful that he had a chance at making this work. Time to up his game.

Thank you for reading! :)