Chapter Twenty-Seven - The Curtsy
The week passed slowly, but Harry came to find he started feeling at home in Potter Manor. Unfortunately, he knew that getting better was a slow process, and it struck Harry too often that it would all soon have to end. That the happy days couldn't last and that somehow Sirius would find out that Harry was not worth it at all to take care of everyday day. The nightmares, though slowly reducing, still occurred in unnatural forms.
Accordingly, Sirius had earnestly decided to giving Harry occlumency lessons, whatever that exactly meant. Sirius seemed to be certain that it would help Harry greatly with his nightmares, and so Harry started learning. For weeks the only steps he was allowed to take were meditating and clearing his mind. While at first it was as boring as he had imagined, Harry noticed he slowly took a liking to the solitude in the quiet of his breaths.
Other days weren't as good. Remus talked to him about depression, PTSD, anxieties and fear of commitments. It all seemed very easy and theoretical coming from his former professor. But after Remus talked him through his books Harry would get a hug and hot chocolate, it would almost feel calming.
The knowledge of mental disorders did make Harry think before he went to sleep. It made him feel less abnormal, as if solutions were possible, as if there was some hope to be found at the end of a dark tunnel.
Sirius, Harry found, understood more than he had expected.
Since Harry couldn't go to on his nightly walks to the lake he did not know what to do anymore in his restless nights. And so, a new pattern slowly took form in writing his nightly letters to Draco and then strolling, as well as discovering, the many rooms of the manor. This is how, three nights after the re-opening of the manor, Harry found one of the many lounge rooms where Sirius was slowly playing on the piano, deep into the night. It was a beautiful play, definitely improvised but filled with emotions. Harry was entranced and stood frozen in the doorway as he watched his always energetic godfather slowly pouring soft and low tunes into his song.
It was this night that Harry finally talked to Sirius, not in the distant emotionless way, no, this night was the ebbing away of a pressure on the heart and an ache in the stomach. A night where tears flowed, and where an ear was given without judgement and with only the result of less pain.
Even though the nightmares came daily, the breathless lungs still appeared, nor did the ache in his heart disappear, at least the storm in his mind slowly began to dissolve.
He started feeling warmth again.
The 8th of August had arrived and though Harry didn't want to admit it, he felt nervous like crazy.
That morning Harry started on Malfoy's recipe of the Treacle Tart. He knew it was silly, but it felt like he had to impress the two guests. Sirius kept teasing him that morning because Harry kept on trying new outfits, none of them felt sophisticated enough. This was Naricssa Malfoy, and Merlin knew what kind of fanciness she was used to. Remus in the end took petty on him, and helped Harry learn some etiquettes. Even Sirius stopped plaguing him after he found out that Harry, in all his stress, started making the Treacle Tart, which apparently Sirius was as fond of as Harry.
When Tilly popped into the kitchen to announce the guests had arrived, Harry kept swearing as now his carefully picked out outfit was full of flour with no time to redress.
At least it earned him a raised eyebrow from Malfoy and even the tiniest of smile.
Narcissa Malfoy was not what Harry had expected. Okay so yes, she was definitely sophisticated, Draco had most certainly gotten his refined manners from his mother. Her sharp jawline, the plucked eyebrows, light grey eyes and high cheekbones. She was a Black all the way. Harry started to understand what Sirius kept saying about pureblood inbreeding.
The small cough from Malfoy startled Harry out of his thoughts. He noticed the haughty look from Malfoy as it occurred to him he had been staring at the women in front of him. All in all, she was just breath taking... and very intimidating. Harry forgot his speed course from Remus that morning and curtsied, actually curtsied, curse himself.
"Mrs. Malfoy, Narcissa, Draco's mom ehum, yeah, Harry Potter Ma'am."
Remus stiffled a laugh, while Sirius just broke into a barking laughter behind him.
"Narcissa, cousin, how great to see you again. Thank you for coming." He elegantly stated as he gave two kisses on Mrs. Malfoy's cheecks.
"Let me introduce to you my godson, who I am proud has not been raised with the Black manners but sadly is a Potter through and through and cannot compose himself in front of lovely people. Harry..." he motioned Harry to come forward, "though I would love to see you curtsying more, a Potter handshake will do for now."
In his mind, Harry cursed Sirius as well.
"So you are Mr. Potter, my son has told me a lot about you you know. It is great finally meeting you." Mrs. Malfoy helped out intensely by removing her mask and showing kinder more softer features. She took charge by taking the stunned and slightly embarrassed hand of Harry and smiled. "And just call me Narcissa, you are family through my cousin, and by the amount that my son has been talking about you I practically know you already. Family calls me Narcissa, please."
Harry, too uncomfortable in the situation just moved on autopilot, taking Narcissa's hand and showing his broadest smile, "Harry please for me as well. Great meeting you too," very conscious of his still floured button up shirt.
Sadly, this was only Narcissa's introductions he got out of the way, and Malfoy was still next to her, eyes shining with laughter but otherwise the picture-perfect image of a Malfoy son.
Thank God for his godfather, Sirius, the only person in this whole world that just couldn't feel any embarrassment or silences for long, jumped into action and shook Malfoy's hand heartily. "You must be Draco, oh how much I heard from you from my godson. It is great finally meeting you. You remind me way too much of my little bro Regulus, has anyone ever said that to you?"
To Harry's, and by Malfoy's startled look also his surprise, Narcissa laughed warmly at Sirius' introduction. "It is true isn't it? I have told him so often as well, and while Draco tries learning the Malfoy ways and has the hair and posture, he has more Black blood in him then he recognises."
Sirius nodded satisfied and gloomily responded, "well Draco, you are going to have trouble liking me then since I was my little brothers opposite, I have been told. But you better learn something from me and your mother. We have better survival skills than the Malfoys or Regulus ever had." and he grinned creepily, "I would almost say it's the Gryffindor in us, good you are hanging out with my Harry."
That's where Harry was pulled out of his stupor and before Padfoot could say anything more about all Harry had said about Malfoy and all the fun Sirius would have no doubt, Harry pulled Malfoy away by his arm. Shouting back over his shoulder, "Great meeting you, very lovely, we are going to go for a tour. Let the grown-ups talk and be boring. Didn't you say something about discussing the Black vaults
Looking at Malfoy the moment they turned the corner he could see the relieve on Malfoy's face as well. He quickly dropped Malfoys' arm and felt a bit ashamed of himself. Merlin what was it with their guardians and being all intimidating and talking about them. Harry grinned at Malfoy who saw him looking and raised his eyebrow in anticipation.
"Time to see some cool stuff, I bet the Malfoy Manor doesn't even have?"
And off they went.
Touring the manor took much longer than he had anticipated, so it wasn't that bad that after they arrived at the Potter library, he had the most difficult time getting Malfoy to move again. After 10 minutes of complaining and sulking in the door frame, he gave up and decided to drop himself in one of the comfortable chairs.
He hadn't realised he had gotten so tired, but the moment he sat down, he felt his eyes starting to drop. Looking up at Malfoy, but he just seemed to be engrossed in a book on dragons. Of course, Malfoy had to choose a book on dragons. How self-centred could a person be? He thought, although he assumed Malfoy would not appreciate him telling him that. He started losing his thoughts as he continued to stare at Malfoy reading, it didn't take him long to fall asleep in peace. But just before his eyes closed, he saw Malfoy give a small smirk in his direction. He had stalled them in the library on purpose. The git.
He awoke by the lunch bell that sounded, and opening his eyes, he saw he was alone in the library. Malfoy had probably already moved down to the lunch room. He got up and walked in a slow tempo downstairs. Deeply engrossed in his thoughts. It had been strange, spending the whole morning with Malfoy one on one. The nights at Hogwarts had always felt like a blessing, a safe haven and not something that could become reality. Yet today, that had been the exact thing it had become. Harry felt quite alarmed by the fact that he seemed to enjoy spending every minute with Malfoy. The teasing still continued, but it was lighthearted and without any manice. They almost seemed like... friends? And well, Malfoy actually seemed to care about his wellbeing and how he was recovering.
The same happened after lunch, when they had gone flying around the grounds. At first, they played seeker game, the first to catch the snitch won, simple enough. Harry had won 5-1, and he had to admit, it felt damn good beating Malfoy that often. The wind in his hair and the rush of the competition against Malfoy made him feel more alive than he had felt for some time. Malfoy always knew how to keep him on his toes, never able to suspect his next move which always made it a close call.
Except he also noticed how every fifteen minutes or so Malfoy casually stopped to look at some views or just enjoy the wind in his shiny hair. After about an hour he had even completely stopped flying, asked Tilly for tea and continued sitting on the bench waiting for Harry to join him. Harry had completely forgotten about his recovery until he sat down and realised how tired he had been, and how much his body had ached from the exercise. It had been strange, to realise how well Malfoy seemed to grasp his very being. At the same time, it was truly comforting.
After flying, they went to wash up and lounged some more in the sun-room, waiting for dinner to be served and looking at the sun setting behind the trees, and casually, well not so casually, playing a chess game. Malfoy won every single one of them, and without holding back he truly demolished Harry. Not that it mattered, Harry had won the seeker game and would not stop mentioning this, much to Malfoy's chagrin.
As dinner came and went, desert arrived.
Treacle Tart, made by Harry himself. He was distinctly proud of this batch, as it seemed was everyone at the table, as they all happily ate away.
"Such a delicious treacle tart mister Potter. Homemade?"
"Well, yes, thank you. I have been trying for the last couple of weeks to get the correct hang of it. It has been a journey."
"I wonder, where did you find such a great recipe."
Harry looked at Mrs. Malfoy for a second, then his gaze shifted straight to Malfoy and immediately anywhere else. Malfoy was pointedly looking at his half-eaten treacle tart on his plate.
He hadn't thought about this. How could he have not thought about this. Of course Narcissa would recognise her own treacle tart recipe. He knew he had to say something. Anything.
"I... uh... I got it from a friend." Great improvisation Harry, he thought to himself. Truly one of your best...
"I see." Mrs. Malfoy contemplated this for a moment, examining her son, who was now sporting red tinted cheeks while still looking at his plate, and back at Harry.
"It has a very distinct taste, is that a hint of nutmeg in there?"
"It is, Mrs. Malfoy. It is one of the more unique ingredients of the recipe. I have thoroughly enjoyed playing with the different proportions and ideas, yet I found nutmeg one of the most distinct tastes complimenting the tart."
"Hmm. The taste is very familiar to me."
In that moment, Harry went into complete panic moment yet trying to control his facial expressions. Had he just called Malfoy his friend? Right in front of him too? And had he just completely sold him, his newfound friend apparently, out to his mother, and did Mrs. Malfoy know that he had gotten it the special family recipe from her one and only son? Oh, Harry could slap himself. How stupid can one get? It must be the influence of Sirius and his theatrics... He was just about to review his whole entire summer when Mrs. Malfoy interrupted-
"Must have been a very special friend to go through all this trouble for your."
Beside him he heard Sirius choke on his drink, fighting back his laughter. After which a small 'ouch' was mumbled, a suspiciously straight-faced Remus in front of him.
What was wrong with him? This morning he had curtsied, now he had made it seem like he and Malfoy were best friends or worse... dating right in front of Malfoys' mother. Honestly, he wished he could just disappear into the floor and never return.
Realising he had stayed silent for just a little too long, he looked back up at Mrs. Malfoy and half choked on his words, his facial expressions long gone from stoic to panic "I wouldn't know."
He heard Malfoy release a puff of air he had been holding and completely understood the feeling.