Chérie, parchments and quills

Chapter Seven - Playing with fire

Saturday, September 11th 2010

Harry sat a bottle of Odgen's Olde fire whiskey down on the table, with the two glasses already there amongst a range of finger foods Kreacher had brought up - seeing as 6pm was the middle of dinner time, and he didn't know if Draco intended on eating before he arrived. Harry had eaten at lunch time, and he would be perfectly content with the food Kreacher had brought up. He was wearing black jeans and a pear-green checkered shirt. It was nearly 6pm, and Harry checked the note he'd received from Draco earlier.

'Harry,

If you're still insistent on enduring my company this evening,
have the whiskey ready for 6pm.

D.Malfoy.'

Yes, it was definitely 6pm that Draco intended on arriving. He had ten minutes until he showed up - to decided if he should prepare coffee or not as well, but Harry found himself frowning at Draco's handwriting instead. It looked very familiar the way his O's looked like small hair curls, or the way his M's looped in the middle, but he couldn't place why it looked so familiar. Maybe it was familiar to a student's handwriting, that would probably be it.

Six minutes left.
Harry shook his head - no! He would leave the coffee for now; he could always make some when Draco was here if they decided on it.

Four minutes left.
He wondered if he should stand by the door - - no! If he answered the door too quickly then Draco would know he'd been waiting for him. He sat on one of the old-but-comfortable dark-blue armchairs that he'd conjured instead, a small rectangle table between them - a small wooden thing that was rather dark, and tapped his fingers as he waited – fidgeting with his hands.

Two minutes remaining.
His fingers continued to fumble together as he waited, and he wondered why he was so nervous this time around. He didn't want to impress Draco, per se, but he also didn't want him to have a reason to moan or insult his abilities as a host. 'Which is ridiculous.' Thought Harry.

He jumped when he heard three smart raps at the door, he almost tripped over the coffee table in his initial rush to open the door. He took a calming breath – blew away the 'Wrackspurts' as his old friend would say, and then went to open the door. 

"Evening Potter ... Harry." Draco nodded.

Harry smiled and welcomed him in. Draco had been doing that a lot this week – saying 'Potter' then following with 'Harry' after a short pause, when they'd seen each other at dinner or in between classes. Harry guessed it was his way of reminding Harry of their friends - not friends' status. 'Stupid Pure-blood customs'. He thought to himself.

"Sit where ever!" Harry smiled, going to the whiskey. He lifted the bottle for Draco to see. "I can do coffee if you'd rather have something else."

"Scared that you can't handle your drink, Potter." Draco's left eyebrow raised on its own – something Harry almost frowned at. He couldn't lift one eyebrow, and it was so tempting to try that he almost did. Draco had such expressive features when his wanted to use them.

"Course not!" Harry shook his head, pouring two glasses of the tawny coloured Whiskey. He handed a glass to Draco before sitting down in the arm chair opposite him. They both sipped at the whiskey, and Harry felt a slight burn as the sweet flavour slipped down his throat. Draco looked around after his first sip, and over at the food. "Help yourself. I didn't know if you had eaten or not. I didn't bother with dinner tonight personally."

"Thank-you." Draco nodded once. "And no, I haven't had anything since lunch."

Harry nodded, suddenly feeling awkward. They'd managed to start up a conversation last time fairly easy, so what was with the uncomfortable silence this time? He tried not to stare at Draco, but he glanced up and smiled as Draco caught his eyes. 'Merlin – they were some spectacular coin-grey eyes.' Harry though, coughing once as he looked away. People always said he had some shocking green ones, but he didn't think his were anything special.