Chapter Text
"Is this an introduction?" Draco asked.
Hélène held the phone between shoulder and ear while trying to open a cupboard.
"It's a drink."
"With Longbottom."
"He drinks too."
"You're being evasive."
"And you're making an invitation rather tiring."
She took out four wine glasses. Looked at them. Put two back and chose others.
"Harry can come," she added.
"I can ask."
"Ask without explaining that it's a board meeting."
"I didn't say that."
"Yet."
Draco was silent for a moment.
"What time?"
Hélène told him.
"I'll be there."
She ended the call, examined the glasses and changed one again.
✦ ✦ ✦
Draco and Harry arrived together, seven minutes early. Hélène opened the door holding scissors. Draco looked at the blade.
"Bad time?"
"Flowers."
She kissed both their cheeks, took their coats and stepped aside. Harry looked around the sitting room.
"It's lovely."
"Thank you."
Draco examined the coffee table. Then the armchair. Then Hélène.
"Where are the clothes?"
"Put away."
"All of them?"
She closed the door.
"Would you like to check?"
Harry looked at the armchair.
"You have a clothes chair too?"
Hélène pointed at him.
"You see?"
Draco took off his gloves.
"I see two people perfectly capable of using a wardrobe who have chosen not to."
"It's not a choice," Harry said. "It just happens."
"Exactly," Hélène agreed.
Draco handed her his gloves.
"Touching."
Harry went to look at the books. Draco approached the flowers, freshly arranged in a vase on the table.
"You've moved these."
"They were in the other room."
"And now they're here."
"A feature of objects that can be carried."
She trimmed the end of a stem and picked it up. Draco smiled.
"Does Longbottom like flowers?"
Hélène put down the scissors.
"Draco."
"A reasonable question, given his profession."
She moved the vase a few inches. Harry looked over a book.
"It looked fine there."
Hélène stopped.
"Did it?"
"It did."
Draco folded his arms. She returned the vase to its previous position.
"If either of you comments, you can leave."
✦ ✦ ✦
Neville arrived on time, carrying a bottle of wine and a smile that appeared as soon as he saw Hélène. She looked at the bottle.
"You didn't have to bring anything."
"I know. But I did."
"Thank you."
She took it and leaned in to greet him. Neville did the same, a little late, and both had to adjust direction. Hélène laughed.
"Come in."
He removed his coat and looked around. Draco stood by the fireplace. Harry closed the book. Hélène introduced them. Neville shook Draco's hand.
"Good to meet you."
"Likewise."
"Hélène's told me a lot..."
She turned her head. Neville noticed.
"About the company," he finished.
Harry smiled. Draco looked at his friend.
"Naturally."
Neville greeted Harry and, for a moment, seemed to reconsider something.
"You're..."
"I am," Harry said.
"Right."
Neville nodded.
"I watched your race at the weekend."
Harry looked pleased. Hélène raised her eyebrows.
"You did?"
"Yes."
"You didn't say."
Neville looked at her.
"You were working there, weren't you?"
"I was."
"I was going to ask how it went, but we ended up discussing the tart."
Draco took a glass from the table.
"The tart seems to have occupied a significant part of the date."
Hélène took the glass back.
"I haven't served anything yet."
✦ ✦ ✦
She offered wine, water and a drink in a small bottle whose label Draco examined before returning it.
"I brought it from France," she explained. "It's excellent."
"What is it?" Harry asked.
Hélène explained. Harry nodded with the politeness of someone still not entirely sure what he would receive. She poured a little into four glasses. Draco tasted it. Harry tasted it. So did Neville. Hélène waited.
"Well?"
Harry looked at his glass.
"Different."
Draco put his down. Neville swallowed.
"It's very..."
Hélène raised her chin.
"Aromatic."
"Yes," Neville agreed. "Very."
She drank some.
"You need to try it again."
Draco looked at her.
"Why?"
"Because the first sip can be a surprise."
"It was."
"Well, that's over now."
Harry took another sip. His face remained almost unchanged. Hélène turned to Neville. He looked at the bottle of wine he had brought.
"I think I'd prefer wine."
She was silent for a moment.
"You've barely tried it."
Neville examined his glass.
"It was enough to have a preference."
Harry coughed. Draco reached for his own glass, but didn't drink. Hélène looked at him.
"You'd prefer wine too."
"I'd prefer not to argue with you before everyone's sat down."
She collected the glasses.
"All right."
Draco settled at one end of the sofa. Harry sat beside him. Neville chose the armchair that had held clothes forty minutes earlier. Hélène opened the wine.
"My mother likes that drink very much," she informed them.
Draco leaned back.
"Does she know you serve it to guests?"
Hélène gave him a look. Harry lowered his head. Neville smiled.
✦ ✦ ✦
The conversation began with work. Draco asked which team Neville belonged to. He answered, mentioned two people and discovered Draco knew one.
"I worked with her on a negotiation last year," Draco said. "Her questions changed a substantial part of the proposal."
Neville nodded.
"She tends to spot things."
"She did."
Hélène brought a platter and set it on the table. Draco waited until she sat before continuing.
"Are you expanding the collection of varieties?"
"We're reorganising part of it first."
"I thought you mainly needed to increase the amount available."
Neville shook his head.
"Quantity doesn't solve everything. We need to be sure which characteristics we're comparing."
Draco picked up his glass.
"But some of the information must already be established."
"Some. Other things seem established until you try to reproduce the result."
Hélène smiled into her wine. Draco noticed.
"That's not an objection to the question," Neville added. "We've been asked that too."
"I didn't take it as one," Draco replied.
Harry took something from the platter.
"He likes people to be specific."
Neville looked at Draco.
"So do I."
Hélène raised her glass.
"I know. I had a meeting with you."
Neville smiled. She turned to Draco.
"I spent a morning narrowing down a perfectly good idea."
"An idea with four questions," Neville said.
"Related questions."
Draco looked interested.
"How much did you narrow it down?"
Hélène looked between them.
"No."
Harry began laughing. She pointed at him.
"And don't you encourage them."
✦ ✦ ✦
Neville leaned forward for a napkin and knocked his knee lightly against the table. The water in Hélène's glass moved. He caught the vase before it needed catching.
"Sorry."
"It's all right," she said.
Neville released the vase and examined the flowers.
"Have you just arranged these?"
Hélène took a moment.
"Yes."
"They're lovely."
Draco looked at her. Hélène avoided his eyes.
"Thank you."
Neville settled back.
"Must be careful not to nip our conversation in the bud."
Harry laughed. Hélène closed her eyes. Neville looked at her with satisfaction.
"He laughed."
"Harry doesn't know the history."
"What history?" Harry asked.
"Don't ask," Hélène said.
Harry turned to Neville.
"What was the first one?"
Neville sat up in the armchair. Draco raised his glass. Hélène put a hand to her forehead.
✦ ✦ ✦
By the end of Neville's repertoire, Harry had laughed twice. Hélène looked personally betrayed.
"Some of those weren't even jokes," she said.
"That assessment wasn't unanimous," Neville replied.
Harry agreed. Draco examined his wine.
"Potter laughs easily."
Harry turned to him.
"You like that when I'm laughing at yours."
Draco went still for a second. Hélène lowered her hand. Neville looked at them both. Harry took another sip. Draco put down his glass.
"Mine generally have a point."
Neville laughed. An open, unexpectedly loud laugh. Draco looked at him and began to smile. Hélène pointed.
"There. You've encouraged him too."
"I'm not responsible for his reaction."
Harry rested his shoulder against Draco's.
"A convenient position."
Draco stayed where he was.
✦ ✦ ✦
The platter emptied. Hélène went to fetch more food. Neville stood.
"Can I help?"
"No need."
He remained by the armchair. Hélène reached the door and glanced back.
"Actually, could you bring the plates?"
Neville began collecting them. Harry picked up the empty glasses. Draco gathered the napkins. Hélène looked at the small procession forming behind her.
"Everyone doesn't need to come."
Harry stopped. Draco handed him the napkins.
"She changes the instructions during execution."
Neville passed them with the plates.
"I noticed."
Hélène heard.
"I can hear you too."
In the kitchen, she opened the fridge. Neville left the plates on the worktop.
"There's a dish you like," he said.
She looked at him.
"I like several."
"I know. But you mentioned at the café that you almost never find a good version here."
Hélène stopped searching.
"You remembered that?"
"I did."
He named the dish. She smiled.
"Yes."
"I found a restaurant that makes it. I haven't tried it, so I can't promise anything."
"After the tart, I appreciate the qualification."
Neville laughed.
"We could look at the menu before deciding."
Hélène took a platter from the fridge.
"We could."
Draco appeared at the door holding the bottle.
"This one's finished."
She took it.
"There's another over there."
He looked at Neville. Then at Hélène. He went to fetch the wine.
✦ ✦ ✦
When they returned, Harry had found a photograph on a shelf.
"Is this you?"
Hélène came closer.
"Yes."
Draco looked over his shoulder.
"Where did you find that?"
Harry indicated the shelf. In the picture, Hélène and Draco were much younger, dressed for an occasion that had clearly required an effort. She was laughing. He was looking at someone outside the frame with an unpleasantly familiar expression. Neville came over.
"What happened?"
"He didn't like the music," Hélène said.
"It wasn't the music," Draco replied.
She smiled.
"That's what you said."
"Because it was a sufficient explanation."
Harry looked at Draco's face in the picture.
"You already did that."
"Did what?"
"That expression."
Hélène took the photograph.
"He was seventeen and had very firm opinions about how everyone else should spend the evening."
"Your opinion was that we could get a lift with someone who couldn't drive."
"He could."
"Not that evening."
Neville laughed. Hélène looked at the picture again.
"We got home safely."
"In a taxi."
"A perfectly satisfactory solution."
Harry smiled. Draco took the frame from her hand and put it back on the shelf.
✦ ✦ ✦
It was later than anyone had expected when Harry checked his watch. Draco noticed.
"You need to leave early tomorrow."
"I do."
Hélène got up for their coats. Harry followed Draco into the hall, still telling a story he had begun in the sitting room. Draco listened, occasionally shaking his head. Neville picked up his glass.
"I should probably..."
Hélène returned with the other two's coats. She looked at him.
"You can stay a little longer, if you like."
Neville put down his glass.
"I'd like to."
Draco heard. He accepted his coat without comment. Hélène recognised the effort.
"Thank you for coming."
Harry kissed her cheek.
"It was lovely."
"Despite the drink?"
He hesitated. Draco put on his coat.
"Don't give her an opening."
Hélène opened the door. Draco leaned in to say goodbye. She smoothed a fold in his collar.
"It wasn't creased," he said.
"A little."
"Goodnight, Draco."
He smiled. Neville said goodbye from the sitting room. Harry and Draco went downstairs together. Hélène closed the door.
✦ ✦ ✦
She listened to their footsteps for a few seconds. Then she returned to the sitting room. Neville had already collected two plates.
"You don't have to tidy up."
He looked at what he was holding.
"I've picked them up now."
Hélène took the plates and left them on the table.
"I can do it later."
Neville nodded. She sat on the sofa and took off her shoes, sighing. He looked at the armchair. Then at the empty place beside her.
"May I?"
Hélène moved a cushion.
"You may."
Neville sat down. The room seemed larger without four people speaking at once. He looked at the photograph on the shelf.
"I liked your friends."
"Even Draco?"
"Especially once I understood he wasn't trying to sack me."
Hélène began to laugh. Neville smiled.
"He wasn't trying to do that."
"Good. I brought wine."
She laughed again. He waited.
"Harry liked the jokes," he added.
Hélène turned towards him.
"You were doing so well."
Neville raised a hand.
"I'm just putting it on record."
She settled more comfortably on the sofa.
"Two people laughing doesn't make a good joke."
"What's the required number?"
"I don't know."
"We could investigate."
Hélène picked up the cushion she had moved and put it between them. Neville looked at it.
"Is that an answer?"
"It's a warning."
He smiled. They were silent for a while. Hélène reached for the bottle.
"More wine?"
Neville raised his glass.
"A little."
She poured. As she set down the bottle, he asked:
"Can I know what that drink was now?"
Hélène looked at him. Neville took a sip of wine. She began explaining.