CHAPTER 11
Harry went shopping the next morning. He got up early instead of sleeping in and after drinking some coffee, he went to pick up ingredients for his lunch date with Draco. He didn't know what to cook for him. Finally, he decided to make some spaghetti and garlic bread served with some wine. It was simple yet slightly elegant. Hopefully, Draco shouldn't find much to complain about the food.
Once he finished shopping for his ingredients (he went in disguise so no reporter caught him buying wine and other fancy-ish ingredients) he went back to Grimmauld place and took all the ingredients to the kitchen and started preparing the meal. Draco was supposed to arrive at half past twelve, and it was half past eleven when Harry finished cooking. He did use Kreacher's help at times, mainly to make the whisking process easier and faster. While Kreacher whisked, Harry would concentrate on some other aspect of the dish. While he cooked, he was thinking about Hermione and thanking her mentally. After she gave Kreacher Regulus's locket, Kreacher became more responsive and acknowledged Harry as master of the house and his cooking skills improved drastically. Harry wouldn't admit it to anyone, except Ron and Hermione, that it was Kreacher (along with cook books) who helped him become the culinary expert he now was.
He put the garlic bread in the oven and told Kreacher to set the dining table and remove the bread once it had baked. Then, he went to his room to get ready for his date.
Harry contemplated how lunch would go. He thought nice thoughts, Draco getting sauce on his face and Harry licking it clean, and one thing leads to another which eventually leads to the bedroom. And the anti scene, where Draco punches or hexes or curses him and leaves. He chooses casual jeans and a bright orange Chudley Cannons jersey. That jersey always calmed him down. He went to the dining room and looked at the set up. Kreacher had done a wonderful job. The dining table looked like a table for two in a restaurant, but somehow looked more homely. He checked the dishes. They looked and smelt wonderful. He cast a Charm on them so that they didn't lose their warmth. The spaghetti, the garlic bread and the win was there. Harry also made his signature mushroom soup as an appetizer, but something was missing and Harry couldn't place a finger on what it was.
The bell rang at that exact moment. Whatever is missing, will have to be missing. I really hope it isn't something important, Harry thought nervously as he went to attend the door.
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Draco fumbled with his wardrobe. Harry didn't want to embarrass him. he just forgot to mention the time and place. Draco's heart was turning cartwheels when he received the apologetic letter with the time and place. He didn't have many clothes nowadays. He had more Muggle clothes because they were super comfortable. I will be going to Harry's house, nowhere else. I might as well go comfortably dressed, he thought. He chose his favourite pair of jeans and a somewhat new polo shirt and then started fumbling with his hair. He had just washed it and he was contemplating whether he should gel it or leave it lose. The straight platinum blond hair fell in tresses around his face. He applied a bit of gel to his hair so that it didn't frizz up by the end of the day. Draco may have given up a lot of things in life, but his hair was his crowning glory and he gave it utmost care.
Giving himself a final look in the small mirror, he Apparated. He appeared directly on the door step of no. 12 Grimmauld place. He rang the bell. Within a moment, the door opened, and Harry was standing there. Draco's mind stopped working. Harry was wearing a bright orange Quidditch jersey and his hair was looking like a black forest as usual. "Hey Draco. Come on in." he greeted with a smile. "Harry." He acknowledged the other man with a nod. "I just finished cooking lunch. Would you like to it now or later?" Harry asked. "You cook?" Draco asked, completely stunned. He had never expected Harry Potter to have the ability to cook. "Yeah, I did. And by the look you're giving me, I'd say you don't believe me. So lunch it is." He replied with a cheeky smile. "Well, at least I'll have time to puke if needed." He replied wryly before following Harry into the dining room.
Harry gestured to a chair and Draco sat down. The ambience was really pleasant and he relaxed. He placed the napkin that was near his plate on his lap. It had been so long since he had used a napkin. "Umm, the appetizer is mushroom soup. My friends say that it is my specialty, but I guess that they say that 'cause they're my friends. You should be the perfect critic for my cooking." Harry said shyly as he placed a bowl of creamy steaming soup in front of Draco. He picked up a spoon and took a bit of the soup. It was delicious' so delicious that he moaned. "Harry, I can't believe the words coming out of my mouth, but this is heavenly!" he gasped. Harry, who was squirming in his seat lit up like a bulb and started having his own bowl of soup.
Draco enjoyed the food immensely. He had not had such beautifully cooked Italian for oh-so-long. Once he lost almost everything, he and his mother stuck to the simplest and most basic diets. He might be sick, but the reason for that would be the consumption of rich food when his stomach was suited for less rich food. Taking a sip of the beautiful wine, he sighed and looked Harry in the eye. "Merlin Harry! You cook so well, yet you used to get such abominable grades in Potions! Please explain how that happened." Draco asked curiously. "Oh the answer for that's simple. Snape hated me. When Slughorn came to teach, my grades improved." He replied casually. Now, after those marvelous appetizers and main courses, he really wanted to know what Harry had prepared for dessert. "So, what's for dessert?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant, looking at Harry in the eye.
He thought the other man had frozen suddenly. Had he said something wrong? Maybe he didn't think he would stay till dessert? I should apologize, he thought and opened his mouth to do just so, but Harry cut him off. "Yeah, of course I do. Once I clear the table, we shall go to Florean Fortescue's. He's started this new ice cream venture where you can create your own sundaes!" he said, head bobbing excitedly. "You're paying you know." Draco said with a smirk. "Of course I will!" Harry replied, standing up immediately and giving a little bow, and then presenting him with a cheeky grin. He took the plates in his hands and disappeared inside a door which Draco presumed to be the kitchen.
"Why didn't you tell your house elf to clear the dishes?" he asked curiously. What he wouldn't do to have a house elf again! "He's old. No need to strain him unnecessarily." Harry replied shrugging. "SPEW influencing you much?" he taunted. "No, but how do you know about SPEW?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow in inquiry. "The Slytherin house gets news about all failures." Draco replied haughtily, but that didn't help to cover his blush. "Shall we go?" Harry said with a disbelieving laugh, holding out his hand. Draco's heart fluttered and he took it. They Disapparated with a crack.