Chapter Text
Harry found Draco standing in the middle of the sitting room, staring at a chair.
"What's wrong?"
"I have a conference call at ten."
Harry checked the clock.
"That's still an hour away."
"I know."
"And the chair?"
Draco indicated the open computer on the table.
"I need somewhere suitable."
Harry looked at the table, which had room for the computer, a folder, the phone and the cup Draco had arranged.
"That looks fine."
"The bookcase is directly in front of me."
"Yes."
Draco waited. So did Harry.
"Potter, there is a photograph of you holding a fish."
Harry looked at the bookcase.
"Ron caught it."
"It looks very pleased with the situation."
"Take it down, then."
Draco went to the bookcase and removed the frame. Behind it was a small medal. Draco looked at Harry.
"That can stay," Harry said.
"I wasn't proposing to dismantle the bookcase."
Harry folded his arms. Draco returned to the computer. He sat down, examined the screen and stood again.
"The chair's too low."
"I can get one from the kitchen."
"That would be better."
Harry went to fetch it. When he returned, Draco had moved the computer.
"No reflection from the window now," Harry observed.
"That was the intention."
They positioned the chair. Draco sat. Harry watched him for a few seconds.
"Now it looks like a meeting."
"It is a meeting."
"I know. Before, it looked like you were investigating the chair."
Draco opened the folder.
"I need quiet between ten and eleven."
"All right."
"It may run a little past eleven."
"All right."
Harry went to the bookcase and replaced the photograph facing the wall. Draco looked up.
"You could put it away."
"You're talking on the phone. The fish won't even hear."
✦ ✦ ✦
At ten fifteen, Harry went into the kitchen for water. The door to the sitting room was almost closed. Draco was speaking on the phone, the proposal open on his computer, a pen in his other hand.
"Exclusivity on those terms is of no interest to us."
Harry opened the fridge. He waited until Draco finished a sentence before closing it. There was a pause. Then:
"We're discussing a partnership, not handing every commercial decision over to you."
Harry took a glass. He knew that voice, but had never heard it applied to anything that entirely justified its seriousness. Draco listened to someone's reply.
"We can review the term. The territory needs to remain as set out in the proposal."
Harry filled the glass and left by the hall. When he returned, approaching half past eleven, Draco was still at the computer, but no longer speaking. The phone was back in its cradle. Draco had a hand against his forehead. Harry stopped at the door. Draco lowered his hand.
"Finished?"
"Finished."
"Did it go well?"
Draco closed a window on the screen.
"We made progress."
Harry came in.
"It sounded like it."
"You heard?"
"When I got water. I wasn't listening in."
Draco nodded. Harry picked up a magazine from the sofa.
"I liked the part about the partnership."
Draco looked at him.
"Which part?"
"When you said they wanted to decide everything."
"They did."
"You explained it without sounding like you were trying to start an argument."
Draco leaned back.
"I don't try to start arguments."
Harry looked at the turned photograph. Draco followed his gaze.
"The photograph was a separate matter."
Harry smiled.
"You were very good."
Draco straightened the folder on the table.
"You heard less than a minute."
"I liked that minute."
It took him some time to find the pen beside the computer. Harry sat on the sofa and opened the magazine.
✦ ✦ ✦
Hélène arrived at four twenty. Draco opened the door and checked his watch. She raised a finger.
"No."
"I haven't said anything."
"Your face has."
She came in, took off her coat and draped it over his arm.
"Don't crease it."
Draco stared at her. Hélène was already heading for the sitting room. Harry appeared in the hall.
"Hi."
She greeted him and pointed towards the kitchen.
"Is there tea?"
"I'm making some."
Draco hung up the coat.
"Which one?"
Harry turned.
"Yours."
"How long—"
"I'm timing it."
Hélène looked between them.
"You've managed to establish a protocol?"
"It was necessary," Draco replied.
"It was a long conversation," Harry said.
She left her bag beside the sofa.
"I can imagine."
When Harry returned with the tray, Hélène was examining the table.
"Were you working here?"
"I had a meeting."
"And the renovations?"
"They continue to exist."
She picked up a cup.
"A worrying answer."
Draco poured the tea. Hélène tasted it.
"That's good."
Harry looked at Draco. He denied him the satisfaction of an immediate reply.
"It's better," he said at last.
Harry smiled and sat down. Hélène drank a little more.
"I'm having dinner with Neville on Friday."
Draco set down the pot. Harry looked up. She looked at them both.
"What?"
"Nothing," Draco said.
"You put that down as though I'd announced an acquisition."
"I'm trying to establish whether there will be slides."
Hélène crossed her legs.
"No."
"So it's dinner," Harry said.
"That's what I said."
Draco picked up his own cup.
"Did he choose the place?"
"We're still deciding."
"You rejected the first option?"
Hélène looked at him. Harry began to smile.
"I didn't reject it."
"You suggested another."
"It's a joint decision."
"After you explained why the first one was wrong."
She drank her tea. Draco nodded, satisfied.
"Where did you have lunch?"
Hélène told him.
"The tart wasn't good," she added.
"Did he choose the tart?" Harry asked.
"I did."
Draco raised his eyebrows. Hélène pointed her cup at him.
"Appearances were deceptive."
"Naturally."
"He ate mine."
Harry seemed to find this pleasant information. Draco seemed to find more material.
"At least you've established a division of labour."
"He liked it."
"You should have told him he couldn't eat two portions," Draco suggested. "He might have decided to take a course."
Hélène laughed. Then stopped.
"Neville made a similar joke."
Draco went still. Harry looked at him.
"That must be a compliment."
"For one of us," Draco replied.
✦ ✦ ✦
Hélène stayed for a second cup. She spoke more about the meeting, complained about a form and asked Harry about something he had promised to sort out. Harry said he already had. She looked doubtful. He took out his phone and showed her. Hélène examined the screen.
"Good."
"You could look less surprised."
"I can try next time."
As she left, she refused Draco's help with her coat, then asked him to free the hair caught beneath the collar. He did.
"Don't turn it into an interview when you meet Neville," she said.
"I haven't asked anything inappropriate."
"You asked whether there would be slides at dinner."
"A legitimate possibility."
Hélène adjusted her scarf. Harry opened the door. She said goodbye to both and went down. Draco waited until she reached the street. When he closed the door, Harry was still in the hall.
"Want to go out for dinner?"
Draco looked at him.
"Today?"
"Today."
"Had you already planned something?"
"I have now."
Harry smiled. Draco examined his shirtsleeve.
"I could change."
"So could I."
✦ ✦ ✦
Harry had chosen a restaurant Draco had never visited. It was small, the tables were well spaced, and there was enough light to read the menu without resorting to a phone. Draco considered that a promising start. A waiter took their coats. Harry waited for him to sit.
"How did you find this place?"
"I came once. Thought you'd like it."
Draco looked at the table.
"Why?"
Harry picked up the menu.
"It's quiet. The food's good. And you seem to like places where things belong somewhere."
Draco examined the cutlery.
"That's a perfectly reasonable preference."
"I know."
He wasn't sure he liked being so easy to observe. They chose their food. Harry asked the waiter for a recommendation and accepted it. Draco asked two questions before deciding. Once they were alone, Harry rested his forearms on the table.
"You do that at work too."
"What?"
"Ask something, listen, then ask something much more specific."
"That's how one obtains information."
"Yes. I generally find out afterwards that I should have asked the second question."
Draco smiled. Harry noticed. This time he didn't comment. They talked about a trip Harry had taken, a restaurant Hélène recommended despite never managing to find it, and the company. Draco explained part of that morning's negotiation. Harry asked questions. Some were simple. One made him pause before answering.
"That's the issue," Draco said.
Harry seemed pleased to have found the issue. The food arrived. It was good. Draco said so. Harry smiled as though he had helped prepare it.
✦ ✦ ✦
They returned to Fulham later than Draco had expected. Harry switched on a sitting-room lamp and left his keys on the small table. Draco picked up the coat he had left on the sofa. The fish photograph was facing forwards again.
"You put it back."
Harry followed his gaze.
"The meeting's over."
Draco examined the picture. Harry was wet, smiling, holding an unimpressively sized fish. Beside him, a red-haired man looked considerably more pleased.
"Was it an important occasion?"
"For Ron."
"And he asked you to hold it?"
"He wanted a photo."
Draco looked at Harry.
"You were completely soaked."
"I fell in."
"How?"
Harry smiled. Draco sat down.
"Potter."
"I thought I could step from one boat to the other."
Draco closed his eyes. Harry began to laugh.
"You don't need to do that. I know."
"You're a professional swimmer."
"I was dressed."
Draco opened his eyes again.
"That doesn't explain your inability to stay inside a boat."
"Ron said the same thing."
He told the rest of the story and, by the end, Draco was laughing. He tried to stop when he realised Harry was watching him. He couldn't. Harry sat beside him.
"You should have seen his face," he said.
"I can imagine."
Draco still wore a small smile when he turned. Harry was close. He was looking at Draco's eyes with an attention that made Draco wait for the rest of the story. It didn't come.
"What is it?"
Harry took a moment to answer. Grey wasn't usually a colour that excited him. But close up, there was a blue in Draco's eyes he hadn't noticed before, a darker shadow near the edge, something golden that might have come from the lamp. His eyelashes caught the light too. Harry reached out and gently brushed a finger over the lashes of one eye. Draco blinked. Harry looked at his fingertip.
"What?" Draco asked, amused.
Harry looked up and gave a small smile.
"I don't know. I couldn't resist checking whether you've got a hidden pot of gold dust."
"Oh."
Draco touched his own lashes and examined his finger. He grimaced.
"You're right. The gold simply won't come off."
Harry laughed. His hand returned to the sofa, close to Draco's. Neither stood up. After a while, Harry said:
"I liked going out with you."
Draco looked at him. He already knew dinner had been good. He also knew Potter wasn't asking about the restaurant.
"So did I," he replied.
Harry smiled. Draco stayed where he was.