Chapter 19
The next week was nothing like the one before it, nor the one before that. Harry had never felt like this. The pair snuck around the house like two teenagers trying to spend time together. They spent every night talking until only the pillows were listening. Everything felt very new in the most familiar way. It was perfect… well, almost.
The only real problem was Harry couldn’t seem to kiss Draco. There was always Narcissa walking through, or Kreacher ‘cleaning’, or a messenger from the ministry coming to collect Draco for an emergency.
Now they sat on the couch together, Draco reading a book and Harry reading Draco’s face. Tillie was out doing the shopping and Narcissa was out on a walk. Before Harry could find the nerve to lean over he heard the fireplace rattle.
“Harry!” The flugh opened with a huff and Ginny stepped through.
Son of a bitch! Harry screamed in his mind as he stood and wrapped her in a hug. She smiled and hugged him back.
“I’m sorry to bother you guys.” She bit her lip. “But I was hoping Draco could check on Molly Catherine again.”
Ginny grabbed her stomach and Draco stood with a nod. He motioned her to sit in the wingback chair and he examined her. Harry watched with intense interest at the way Draco moved. He was so sure, so proud, and so professional.
“She’s just fine.” Draco stood at last.
“Okay.” She smiled.
“That’s a very nice ring you have on.” Harry noted she was wearing an engagement ring with a simple but beautiful gold stone.
“Oh yes! He asked me!” Ginny jumped out of the chair and grabbed Harry’s hands. “Can you believe it!?”
“Of course I can.” Harry laughed and kissed Ginny’s face. “Stay here. I have an engagement present for you.”
Harry disappeared up the stairs and Ginny sat back down in the chair. Draco took a seat on the couch and looked into the fireplace, too nervous to meet Ginny’s gaze.
“He doesn’t love me, you know.” She said.
“I’m sure if he asked you to marry him-“
“No, not him!” Ginny laughed. “Harry!”
“Oh.” Was all Draco answered, Still looking away.
“I think he is in love though, or at least he’s beginning to fall.” She smiled coyly.
“Oh?” Draco looked over at her now. “What makes you say that?”
“You can tell, he has a look in his eye. I’ve never seen that look before.” She raised her eyebrows knowingly at Draco who quickly looked away. Harry came back into the room carrying the dark stained rocking chair.
“Oh, Harry!” Ginny jumped up again. “Oh, it’s beautiful.”
“Well go on!” Harry had her sit down and rock. Ginny sighed appreciatively while grabbing his hand.
“I have something for you too.” Draco spoke and left the room. Harry stared curiously after him.
“Harry?”
“Yeah Gin?”
“I think he could be nice.” She smiled.
“He can be.” Harry tried not to look too dopey. Draco came back into the room and knelt in front of Ginny.
“Now, it’ll be difficult to find her heartbeat for a couple weeks yet but you can still try.” He put the stethoscope against her stomach and listened. He took the earpieces out and gave them to Ginny. Draco carefully took her hand and had her hold the bell in the correct spot. She sat in awe as she listened.
“Now don’t panic if you can’t always find it on your own.” Draco said, standing.
“And don’t come bursting in here just to bother Draco to do it all the time.” Harry added.
Ginny didn’t pay them any attention. She just sat and rocked and smiled. Harry looked at Draco who looked very pleased with himself.
“Harry… do you happen to have any steak and mushroom pies…” Ginny tried to say casually, but Harry knew her too well.
“OH! So the truth comes out at last! You’re here for food.” Harry teased her.
“Well…”
“You get a rocking chair -handmade by the way-, and a stethoscope, and now you want pies?” Harry pretended to scold her.
“It’s not for me!” She made a little innocent face. “Molly Catherine wants them.”
“Using your unborn baby to guilt me? You really think that will work?” Harry crossed his arms.
“Please uncle Harry.” She said in a baby voice.
“Alright it worked.” Harry relented. “I’ll send them over tonight.”
“I’ll wait.” Harry tried to argue but she kept talking. “Draco I lost her, will you help me?”
Draco knelt to help Ginny find the heartbeat again and Harry went to the kitchen. He was happy enough to bake for Ginny but he was still sour that his privacy was once again lost.
Harry pulled out the ingredients and set them on the long wooden table. He rolled up his sleeves and cut the butter into the flour. Draco entered as Harry wrapped the dough to rest in the fridge. He shut the door to the kitchen behind him.
“She’s sleeping.” Draco leaned back against the door.
“That was nice of you, to give her a gift.” Harry smiled and stepped towards Draco.
“Yes… well… it’s only so she’ll stop dropping in on me.” Draco tried to act like he didn’t care.
“Okay.” Harry rolled his eyes and moved to trap Draco between himself and the door.
“She does not prefer steak.” Kreacher’s voice made Draco jump and shift away from Harry like a spooked cat.
“What?” Harry sighed and turned to Kreacher who was putting away the steak and grabbing something else from the fridge.
“Ms. Weasley prefers when Master Harry uses the ground meat.” He set ground beef on the table next to the other ingredients.
“Alright, thank you.” Harry tried not to sound irritated. “Perhaps you should go out and find Tillie. Make sure the shopping is not too heavy for her to carry alone.”
“Very well.” Kreacher snapped from the kitchen. Harry turned back to Draco but he found him sitting up on the counter with a sour face.
“What’s wrong?” Draco didn’t answer him. Harry began chopping mushrooms while the meat browned in the same heavy pan that had once knocked Draco unconscious. Harry minced garlic and onions too. He removed the meat and put in the chopped ingredients with butter and wine.
“How do you know how to do all this?” Draco finally spoke.
“I was something of a house elf myself once.” He tried to make a face like he was bragging but Draco didn’t smile.
“Though I’ll say I wish I had Kreacher’s bedroom when I was.” Harry laughed.
“What?” Draco was confused.
“Come here.” Harry waved and Draco followed him to the pantry door. Inside there were no shelves or goods, but instead a bed and dresser. The dresser held the many sweaters Hermione had knitted for the grumpy house elf that he refused to wear. In the corner a small chair next to a lamp and a window into the garden.
“You did this?”
“Sure.” Harry shrugged and shut the door. “I remember living in a cupboard beneath the stairs, surely Kreacher deserved more than the pile of potatoes he used to sleep on.”
“Your bedroom was underneath the stairs?” Draco looked doubtful.
“Well, it wasn’t much of a room, and it wasn’t so much a bed as a cot.” Harry pulled the dough from the fridge and floured the table. He mixed the meat back with the mushrooms and set in to cool. Draco had returned to his place on the counter, still looking grumpy.
“Come help me.” Harry smiled but Draco didn’t respond. “Either you come help me or you stop pouting.”
With a huff Draco pushed off the counter and came next to Harry. Harry handed him the rolling pin. Draco held it waiting for instruction. Harry placed his hands over Draco’s and bent awkwardly next to him on the table to show him how to roll it out. Just then the door squeaked open. Draco jumped up, smacking Harry with the rolling pin. He fell to the floor as Narcissa’s face peaked into the kitchen.
“We’re making pies!” Draco shouted in a high voice. Harry was gripping his nose on the floor and groaning.
“Alright.” Mrs. Malfoy said, closing the door.
“Do you think she knows?” Harry teased from the floor with a fake worried voice.
“Shut up.” Draco growled and grabbed a handful of flour from the table. He threw it down on Harry’s face.
“Oh, really?” Harry jumped up and threw flour back. Draco was fuming but soon they were laughing loudly. And then the work on the pies began again in silence. Harry put them in the oven and sat next to Draco on the counter. Draco touched Harry’s nose.
“Oww.” Harry laughed and swatted the hand away.
“Sorry.” Draco whispered with a smile.
“You gonna tell me what’s got you twisted up?” Harry nudged Draco with his shoulder.
“I find that I’m…. Jealous that Kreacher knows little things about Ginny…”
“Oooooooo,” Harry mocked with wide eyes. “You’re jealous over me?”
“Shut up!” Draco barked and flicked Harry’s nose.
“Oww, Christ!” They both laughed as Harry held his nose.
“Kreacher?” Harry called and the house elf appeared. “What’s Draco’s favorite biscuit to have with tea?”
“Master Malfoy does not like biscuits. He prefers croissants with his morning tea and lemon tarts with his evening.”
“Thank you, you can go.” Kreacher disappeared at Harry’s words.
“See.” Harry held his hand out. “Kreacher just knows everything.”
“Still…” Draco pouted.
“Alright, tell me something that you’ve never told anyone.”
“Why?”
“Just…” Harry motioned from Draco to just get on with it.
“The Slytherin dormitories used to scare me, because of the water. I don’t know how to swim.” Draco confessed at last.
“Now I know something no one else about you knows, I’ll always know you better than anyone.” Harry smiled.
“Tell me something.”
“Hmmm…” Harry crossed his arms to think. “Well there is one thing….”
“Harry.” Draco frowned.
“Say it again.”
“Harry, Harry Harry, Harry!” Draco said, still scowling.
“I have a tattoo.”
“No you don’t, I’ve seen every inch of you.”
“Not quite.” Harry winked. Draco looked at him confused and Harry leaned in to kiss him but just as his lips started to part the oven dinged. Harry sighed and jumped off the counter.
“You know, Kreacher is wrong. I actually prefer pumpkin tarts with my evening tea.”
“Well I’ll make sure to tell him.” Harry laughed as he pulled the finished pies from the oven.
“The ones they make at that little place next to the broom store.” Draco thought out loud. “Merlin, I haven’t had those in ages.”
Harry set the pies down to cool so he could transfer them to-go. Though now that Narcissa was back from her walk there wasn’t much chance that Ginny leaving would get Harry any closer to that kiss. Maybe if he got the tarts Draco would be so appreciative he would just kiss Harry instead.
Brilliant, Harry thought.