"I can't believe you're really doing this!" Ron moaned as he flopped back on his bed, hands pressed over his eyes.
"Shut up, Ron." Hermione was perched on the edge of Harry's bed. "You're just going to make him nervous, and he really doesn't need that now. So if you have nothing good to say, why don't you leave?"
"Thanks, Hermione." Harry smiled at her in the mirror's reflection, then peered nervously at his own image. "...do you think this outfit is nice enough?"
Hermione slid easily off the bed and came over to stand beside Harry. "Turn around." He spun to face her so she could get a better look and she lifted his arms out slightly so that she could see the entire outfit. "Hmm...turn." Harry spun in a circle. "No, slowly, Harry." Chin cupped in one hand, she pondered. "What do you think, Ron?"
"I think this whole idea is utter bollocks."
"Ronald, shut UP!"
Harry sighed. "Really, Ron, you're being a pain in the ass."
"Seriously, Ronald, if you can't be helpful, either shut up or leave." Hermione ran her hands over Harry's shoulders and over his back, smoothing down the shirt. "Well, I think it looks very nice, Harry."
"Don't know why you want to dress up for Malfoy, anyway," Ron grumbled.
"I don't want to dress up for HIM," Harry repeated, for what he felt must have at least been the fifth time. "He said we're going to a nice club."
"Why is he taking you to a club, anyway? Why can't he just teach you here?"
Harry opened his mouth to retort (Ron was really getting on his nerves) and then paused with his mouth hanging open. He really had no answer for that one. Why was Draco taking him to a club? Ron actually had a perfectly good point this time. "...I don't know," he answered tiredly.
"HA! Sounds damn suspicious to me."
"Nobody cares," Hermione snapped. "As long as Professor McGonagall says its okay, then it'll be fine."
Harry glanced over his shoulder at his reflection in the mirror. He really didn't have many nice clothes here at school; he mostly kept casual clothes for class, so it had been difficult picking something out. Still, the green button down brought out the color of his eyes, and coupled with a gray t-shirt down worn underneath it, it looked very nice. Plus, the black jeans made his ass look good. Why do I care what my ass looks like? I'm going out with Malfoy! He berated himself for having such a thought.
"When are you supposed to meet him?"
Harry glanced at his watch. "Oh, shit. Now."
"Well, you'd better get going, then." Hermione gave Harry a quick, tight hug. "Good luck!"
"Thanks." He opened the door, pausing to look Ron's way. "...later, Ron."
Ron gave a grunt to show that he still disapproved of the whole endeavor. "G'd luck, Harry."
Harry smiled. "That was more than I was hoping for from you. Thanks." And shutting the door behind him, he made his way as fast as he could towards the Great Hall. Hopefully he hadn't kept Draco waiting.
Draco stood in the Great Hall, leaning against the doorway and getting slightly impatient. His talk that day with Professor McGonagall had been long and boring, and since then, he hadn't been in the best mood. She had been extremely pleased to see that he and Potter were "getting along" which, as far as he was aware, they really weren't. They had just come to an agreement. Did that constitute getting along? Draco wasn't sure. Still, she had okayed the club, and that was all that mattered.
He was nervous about the club as well, and that was putting him on edge. He had never taken anyone else there...never really taken anyone else out in general...and the fact that the first time would be Harry Potter...well, that made him a bit nervous. It just didn't feel right. True, Harry had been the one to do the actual asking, but Draco still felt as though he were taking Harry on a date, no matter how very much it was NOT a date, and it bothered him. Plus, this was his place...he had found it, he had made it his own, and though it was a good place for lessons, seeing as how it was (as far as he could tell) unknown to the wizarding world, he wasn't sure how he felt about the idea of someone else being introduced to it. He didn't think he liked it, though.
Harry came rushing into the room at top speed, and all of Draco's irritation vanished. He had never seen Harry dressed up but for at the Yule Ball, and he seemed to recall feeling similarly then. A strange tug deep in his stomach, pulling at something, some feeling he didn't recognize. Harry's hair was its usual mess, though he had obviously tried to calm it down, and the clothing...
Coming to a halt in front of Draco, Harry bent over, hands on his knees and tried to catch his breath. "Sorry...I'm late..."
Draco stared. "...it's okay..." he murmured. The green shirt perfectly accentuated Harry's eyes, and the boots he was wearing were sensible but stylish. The black jeans were nicely form-fitting. Extremely form-fitting.
…..oh yeah. Draco definitely approved.
Harry looked up and saw Draco staring. "...what," he asked nervously, hoping he looked alright.
"Slytherin colors, Mr. Potter?" Draco smiled. Harry reacted with surprise. "You can't tell me you didn't notice."
"No, I never realized..."
"Perhaps I should have chosen some red and gold...don't think it would have looked as good on me as that green does on you, though..."
Harry raised an eyebrow at Draco. "Um...thanks...?" He wasn't certain if Draco was teasing him or not.
"Don't mention it. It brings out your eyes. Maybe you should have been a Slytherin."
Harry laughed. "I think there's more to House choices than just fashion sense."
Draco smiled. "Touché. But there is that. We Slytherins do have amazing taste in clothing."
Harry couldn't argue with that statement, especially not with the way Draco was looking that evening. Gray dress slacks that looked so soft that Harry wanted very much to rub his cheek against them (a thought which made his stomach wobble uncomfortably), paired with a black v-neck shirt with sleeves so short they were practically non-existent.
"...aren't you going to be a little cold?" Harry asked.
"Concerned for me, Potter? How sweet. But I like the cold," Draco answered. "But never mind that...look at our clothes...black and gray...we almost match, Potter; we're like a couple! How adorable!"
Harry felt himself blush at the very idea. "If you say so, Draco."
Draco grinned at Harry's embarrassment. "Well, McGonagall said the club was okay, so we didn't get all fancied up for nothing...you ready?"
"How are we getting there?"
"Floo powder part way, then I hired a car."
Harry fumbled in his pockets. "I can give you some money for that..."
"Don't worry about it, Potter, its fine."
"No, really, I should pay for it, since you're doing me a favor..."
"Harry!" Draco's usage of his first name got Harry's attention; he froze in mid-motion. Draco gave that smile that Harry was still having trouble adjusting to seeing. "...forget about it. Honestly."
Harry sighed, shoving his money back in his pocket. "Okay...but I'm going to find a way to pay you back for this."
Draco's ears perked up at that. "Oh, I bet we could figure out a way for you to do that..." The words tumbled forth before he could stop them and he kicked himself. No flirting with Harry Potter, Draco sternly told himself.
Luckily, the words seemed to have gone completely over Harry's head, those green eyes looking at Draco in confusion. "Huh?"
"Nothing." Draco coughed to cover up his words. "So...shall we?"
~tbc~
