What If? - Drarry - Chapter 62: Chapter 62

Blaise was sitting reading at the restaurant table when Draco and Harry arrived, both damp from the pattering rain outside. Waving away the waiter who attempted to accost them, Draco made his way to sit down opposite his best friend, Harry close behind him.
"You're late, kid," Blaise said, not looking up from his book. Draco snorted.
"Two minutes. And don't 'kid' me; I'm the same age as you."
"Fifty-one days older. Don't you forget it," Blaise said, and finally looked up. With surprise, his eyes fell on Harry. "Good to see you," He nodded, recovering. Then, looking between them, he added, "What's with the ambush?"
"Sorry to intrude on your evening," Harry said, "But Draco mentioned that you were still having trouble getting this newspaper idea off the ground and it gave me an idea."
Sitting up, Blaise's dark eyes took on an air of interest. "I'm listening."
"You need something that gives you an edge, right? Which no other newspaper has?"
Blaise nodded. "Of course, or else why would people buy it?"
Harry smiled. "Well, do you think an interview with the new seeker of the Chudley Cannons might cut it?"
Blaise raised an eyebrow. "The Cannon's aren't exactly world-cup level, Potter. And what's this about a new-" Understanding dawned on his face "-Oh Merlin, it's you?"
"It is," Harry nodded. "Got my letter today. Already been asked to a couple of interviews, but I thought I might ask you first. What do you think?"
"You might want to close your mouth," Draco advised, smirking, "Your jaw's going to hit the table."
Draco couldn't help but smile as he watched Harry and Blaise discuss Harry's idea. Blaise had been waiting for a break so long, and now Harry Potter, who hadn't given an interview in months, was offering the perfect solution. It was all falling into place. They talked animatedly, Blaise's dark eyes glimmering with the new possibilities, and Draco realised that not only were going to help each other in business - they were going to get along, too.
Eventually, Harry slapped his knees and said 'Right!' in the traditional Brittish way that meant 'I don't want to be rude but I really must go.' Blaise nodded and held out his hand.
"Thank you, Potter," He said as they shook. "You've saved my skin."
"Hey, I'm just glad I can help," Harry smiled and stood. "I'll be on my way then, and leave you to your meal?"
"Oh yes, please, shoo," Draco good-naturedly waved him away. "It's my turn to talk to Blaise now."
0o0oHarry0o0o
On the Sunday after Harry had been accepted to the Cannons, he and Draco were having a late lunch in the living room. With the addition of a coffee table - Draco's suggestion - the room had gained some small sense of personality, and Harry had been considering doing some more redecorating, hence the interior design magazines on the new table. They ate leftovers, as Harry was tired out from his morning run and couldn't be bothered to cook. Both jumped (perhaps disproportionately to the sound, but old habits cling hard) as without warning, a green flame burst to life within the fireplace and tumbling out came Ron and Hermione, managing not to fall over this time, though looking dishevelled from their floo travel.
"Ron? Hermione?" Recovering from the small shock, Harry stood up, pleasantly surprised. "What's with this?"
"So sorry, we should have owled first, I know, but-" Hermione broke off, and looked at Ron with a huge smile and soft eyes. Ron grinned back at her, and his freckles bunched up the way they did when he was happiest.
"Show him," he said, and she lifted up her hand towards Harry, making visible a delicate gold band around her ring finger, inlaid with a small cut diamond.
"You're engaged!" Harry exclaimed, looking between his two best friends who looked happily back at him. "When did you ask her?" He directed the question at Ron, then added, before he could speak, "Actually, come through to the kitchen, and we can talk there."
"Hi, Draco," Hermione smiled at Draco as the three of them walked through to the kitchen. "Sorry about that."
"Don't be. Congratulations, both of you."
Both Ron and Hermione thanked him, then joined Harry in the kitchen where he was pouring glasses of champagne.
"It's only two in the afternoon!" Hermione scolded, but Harry could tell her heart wasn't in it. Adding a dash of orange juice to each glass, he brought them to the table.
"Now it's just buck's fizz - that's a day drink, right?"
"Can't argue with that," Ron laughed and took his glass.
"So," Harry said, sitting down,"Are you gonna tell me about it?"
Hermione looked down at the pretty little thing on her finger and twisted it, smiling in the way people do when they're in love and can't wait to tell people about it. But it was Ron who spoke first, covering Hermione's hand with his as he did so.
"I'd've liked to have done something bigger, but we don't have that much money at the moment," He began, and Hermione interjected.
"Not that it matters at all, Ron. I know you love me, I don't need money to prove it."
"Well," Ron said with a small laugh, "Anyway, I asked her yesterday evening. I got a reservation at the same restaurant we went to just after we started seeing each other because that was where we'd had our first proper date." Harry loved the happy expression on his best friends' faces. "We had an amazing meal, and just as we were finishing up," Ron looked at Hermione with a softness in his eyes that he reserved only for her, "I asked her, and she said yes."
"It was perfect," Hermione said. "I couldn't have asked for anything more."
"I'm so happy for you guys," Harry grinned. "Do you know when you want the wedding, and where?"
"Summer, the Burrow," They both said at once. Hermione continued,
"We can have the ceremony in the garden, a bit like Bill and Fleur's but smaller, and we don't want a tent. We'd rather have it open air."
"Sounds like you've got that sorted," Harry laughed, and Ron shrugged.
"Honestly, I was surprised too. I thought we'd have to debate it for a while. But the Borrow just seemed like the perfect answer." They exchanged a couple's smile, then Ron turned to Harry with an earnest expression.
"I want you to be my best man. You're my best friend, I don't want anyone else."
"Of course," Harry nodded, "It would be an honour."
They talked for a while, enjoying their orange-juice champagne. At some point, Hermione called Draco in and, after some initial awkwardness, they found out that they had several books in common. It didn't take long for them to fall deep into conversation, leaving Ron and Harry to their own devices. Of course, they talked about Quidditch. Harry's first match was in May, so he had a month to get his fitness up to its peak before then. Aside from Harry, only two other changes had been made to the team: Daniel Mayne, who they'd met in the waiting room, had made it as a beater; and another man called Finnigan Pyke had been chosen as the new keeper. Harry got on with his team very well and was confident that they had what it took to work as one unit - something the Cannons had notoriously struggled with. Ron, who had received a fully autographed team shirt after Harry's first practice, couldn't have been happier with the arrangements.
Eventually, Ron and Hermione made their excuses and left for the Burrow, ready to break their news to the Weasley family at large. It was only once they'd gone that Harry realised he was tired: talking non-stop for two hours was hard work.
"I think I just made a friend," Draco said, happily, as they tidied the kitchen.
"Oh yeah, you two were going like the clappers. I'm glad you get on so well."
0o0o
"So, what do you want to do?" Harry asked once they'd finished cleaning the kitchen. Draco shrugged.
"I don't mind."
Harry thought for a moment. "We should watch a movie, I feel like watching a movie."
"Okay. But you know I can't help you decide which one - I don't know anything about muggle movies."
"Yeah, you're right," Harry said thoughtfully. "One thing you completely lack is cinema. We need to fix that."
"That sounds ominous."
"Not all right now, obviously," Harry added, "What to start with... Disney!"
"What's Disney?" Draco asked, confused.
"It's a film studio that makes children's stories into movies, basically. Most muggle children grow up watching those films, they're honestly so good that you can watch them whatever age you are, though. But which one... Have you ever heard of Alice in Wonderland?"
"Maybe? I don't really know."
"Let's watch it. I don't have any other Disney VHS tapes, and anyway, that one's my favourite."
"What's it about?"
"A little girl who gets bored and follows a white rabbit down a rabbit-hole, and has adventures."
"Sounds like a whirl."
Harry got the TV set up and they relaxed onto the sofa, having pulled closed the curtains for full immersion. Harry hadn't seen Alice in Wonderland in a long time, but he still liked it just as much as he had when he'd been seven and watching it from the doorway to the Dursley's living room, trying to be quiet and small so that they wouldn't notice him and throw him out. For a moment he thought about how very different this was - sitting next to Draco, relaxed, free of the tyranny of Mr and Mrs Dursely - and silently thanked whoever was listening for giving him a second chance at life.
They were just watching Alice and The Mad Hatter sing the un-birthday song when the phone - which they'd installed for Draco's potential employers to contact him - rang loudly from the corner of the room. As Draco went to pick it up, Harry paused the film.
"Hello?" Draco asked, holding the phone the way Harry had demonstrated earlier that week. "Yes, this is Draco. Uh huh." He paused. "Thank you so much!" Pause, "Are you serious? Sorry, that was unprofessional, I just- yes, I'm absolutely happy to start then." Pause. "Okay, I will. Thank you so much. And you. Goodbye."
He put the receiver down silently, and for a moment, he just stared at the phone. Then, just as Harry was about to ask him if he was okay, he punched the air.
"I got the job! Harry, I got the job!"
"Yes!" Harry jumped up from the sofa, "I'm so proud of you!"
Draco gripped Harry's arms excitedly as he spoke: "They said that I was just the type of person they were looking for- they want me to start tomorrow!" Suddenly he pulled Harry into a tight hug. "Thank you so much, Harry."
It had been a long, long time since he'd hugged Draco. It felt achingly familiar, even after all that time, and Harry's heart thumped in his chest. "For what?" He asked, quietly.
"For helping me write my CV? For giving me a roof over my head? For showing me how to make food? Everything!" Draco laughed into Harry's shoulder, and then pulled away to look at Harry, a smile lighting up his face. And Harry couldn't help it. He couldn't resist the pull one second longer.
He kissed Draco. For a second, Draco froze and Harry thought, dimly, that he'd really fucked up this time. But then Draco was kissing him back with all the longing of two years spent apart, and it was like the first time and every other time and so much more.
"I'm sorry," Harry breathed as they came apart, a finger tracing Draco's lips as he tried to understand what just happened. "I shouldn't have-"
Draco broke him off with another kiss, one which was stronger, and this time Harry gave in completely, letting go of the doubts and savouring every second.
As the kiss deepened, they moved without thinking back towards the sofa, and Harry sat down heavily, the contact between their lips breaking for a split second before Draco reconnected them, straddling Harry and holding his face in his hands as they kissed. Harry's hands were tugging at Draco's clothes, and again they broke apart just long enough to pull each other's shirts over their heads before crashing down again. The feeling of Draco's bare skin against his as he leaned against the back of the sofa was enough to make Harry moan. Coming apart for a moment, Harry's eyes traced Draco's collarbones and down over his exposed chest. It was long enough for him to notice the thin white scars which snaked over Draco's body, shiny and paler than the rest of his skin.
"Oh, God," Harry said softly, reaching out and tracing one of the lines. Draco's breathing shook and stopped at this, and he stared at Harry's hand. "I did this to you."
The words, no more than a whisper, rung between them.
"I can't believe I- How could I have brought myself to-"
"Stop, Harry," Draco took hold of Harry's hands and moved them from his stomach. "You didn't know."
"I'm so, so sorry," Harry said, gripping Draco's hands.
"I forgive you." Draco reconnected their lips, and Harry kissed him forcefully, emotions only making his lust stronger.  And as he crashed their mouths together, he felt completely whole for the first time in two years.
0o0o
They lay on the sofa, and with their bodies pressed together, skin to skin, Harry felt like the only thing he wanted in the world was to be as close to Draco as possible. He never wanted to end the contact between them, wanted to live in that space, breathing in the scent that he adored. Just being able to look at Draco, and not be afraid of meeting his gaze, was powerful after such a long time apart. Perhaps even better was the knowledge that there was no limit, no force to pull them apart this time. They could stay like this forever, if they chose.
"Told you we'd be together in the end, didn't I?" Harry murmured. "I promised you." Draco was playing absently with Harry's hair as he replied.
"Yeah, you promised. I never believed you until now, though."
Propping himself up on his elbows, Harry looked Draco in the eyes. "Draco, I love you. I've loved you since we were fourteen. I tried no to, but it hurt, and I don't ever want to have to do that again."
"You'll never have to," Draco cupped Harry's cheek. "I love you too. Always."
And when their lips met again, it was as a seal to every promise they had made in that tiny guest room. A new light was in both their worlds: a light of love which was free and untried; a love which was theirs.