Date of a Lifetime || Drarry

Part 4

This was the end. Draco looked down at the empty plates, watched Harry take the bill from the smiling waitress. Around them the tables were now empty, above the flowers bloomed, filling the air with sweet perfume, and inside Draco felt a little like dying.

He almost wished it had ended with a fight and a broken nose. Instead, it had ended with shared desserts and vague conversations about Harry's job with the aurors that he didn't seem to want to talk about in any detail. Perhaps, hair potions were as personal as he was willing to get. Perhaps, he had only asked Draco about his life to be polite.

It's only one night he reminded himself.

A date, bought and paid for.

Nothing more.

nothing more

"Ready to go?" Harry asked, standing from his chair.

Draco nodded mutely and followed suit, feeling numb.

They walked through the now almost empty restaurant. The staff cleaned the tables, the kitchen was quiet. They had stayed until closing.

Draco shivered when he stepped outside though it wasn't really cold enough to warrant it.

"Wanna get a drink?"

"I- What?" Draco turned on his heel.

Harry nodded up the street, "We passed a bar on the way here."

"A bar," Draco echoed dumbfounded.

Harry smiled faintly, "Is that a no?"

"Is that a n-?" Draco shook himself mentally and said carefully, "I... would not be opposed to such a proposition."

He heard Harry laugh under his breath, "Come on."

Draco followed him up the street feeling completely off balance. He finally managed to ask, "What's so amusing?"

Harry glanced over at him, a smile playing on his mouth, "Just, you know."

Draco's brow furrowed, "...Do I?"

"Yup," Harry said, shrugging his hands into his pockets.

Draco huffed faintly, "I'm almost certain you're capable of making sense."

"Hey!" Harry laughed and elbowed Draco in the side.

Draco stumbled and glared at Harry halfheartedly.

The bar was, decent. At least it wasn't a dive. Light and sound poured out from inside.

Harry pushed his way to the front of the bar easily, "What do you want? He called over the noise, "beer, mead, more wine?"

Draco wasn't as familiar with muggle alcohol. He hazarded, "Mead, if they have something half decent."

Harry rolled his eyes and shouted their order over the other voices then carried their drinks over to a small table against the wall.

Draco traced the edge of his glass and stared out at the crowded bar. His stomach was fluttering with anxiety. At the start of the evening, Harry said he came to pick him up to make amends. The dinner was an arrangement, a fantasy without meaning. This- This drink, this bar, he didn't know what it meant. Anxiety gnawed restlessly at his gut. He was terrified by his own tentative hope that his might mean something.

Since trying to engage Harry about his work hadn't resulted in anything Draco tried another tact, "Do you have any hobbies?"

"Hobbies?" Harry said blankly.