Not a Date pt.1
The term was starting tomorrow so Harry knew he couldn’t put off talking to Draco any longer. He wanted to start off this year right and not have to worry about some ridiculous drama he had over 20 years ago.
When he reached the potions classroom he was taken back by just how inviting it was. He remembered the room being cold and stuffy much like the dungeons themselves but this was far from it. He had all the windows open letting in as much light as possible, which then reflected on the many crystals and bottles hanging from the ceiling creating a prism rainbow effect that illuminated the room even more. The walls had the usual potions ingredients but they were much more organized and had labels that were handwritten with little corresponding drawing next to them. And the most outlandish thing about the room were the sheer amount of plants that covered the walls and shelves; flowers, ivy, herbs, and just general greenery all around that rivaled Neville’s classroom and office. When he went further towards Malfoy’s office he also noticed his desk, it had the typical quills, papers, and books but also a few flyers for S.Q.U.A.D. and even a possible pride flag sneaking underneath the flyers.
“Nosey as always Potter” Draco was standing against the doorway of his office which looked around the same as the classroom aside from a few more Slytherin memorabilia.
“S-sorry I didn’t mean to, it's just” Harry was taken aback by the sudden appearance of Draco and also felt a tad guilty for snooping. “I haven’t seen the classroom look so..nice”
“Is it so shocking?” He quizzed, taking a seat at his desk and putting all off the papers in his drawer, making sure to include the flyers.
“A little yeah I didn’t expect so many plants”
“Well we do use a lot of them to make potions, no sense buying them from shops when Professor Longbottom and I can grow them just fine”
“Do you two hangout often?” Harry was still trying to get used to the fact that they might actually be friends
“What do you want, Potter?” Malfoy asked bluntly as if to get Harry out of his classroom as soon as possible
Harry cleared his throat and was preparing to ask of something he never in a million years thought he would ask, “I was just wondering if you wanted to go grab a drink or something”
Draco understandably lifted an eyebrow in confusion.
“You know to kinda bury the hatchet and get to know one another” He was struggling to get the words out and Draco’s skeptical look didn’t exactly help, “Look I don’t want to have this looming awkwardness around us, if we are going to be coworkers now we need to at least be civil and the best way I found to do that is over a few pints”
Draco thought for a moment then took a deep sigh “fine, we can meet at the three broomsticks at 6, now is that all” He was cold as always but still as poised and proper as ever.
“Yeah that’s all, I guess I’ll uh see you at 6!” Harry clasped his hands together awkwardly as he turned on his heels to leave.
While on his way out he heard Draco opening the drawer of his desk again, Harry took a quick look behind to see him hold the flyer. He wondered what Draco was planning to do to his godchild’s club, perhaps his snooping days aren’t over yet, not if Draco’s scheming days aren’t over.
The hours came and went and finally the dreaded hour hand on the clock reached 5:30 and it was time for Harry’s ‘not-a-date’ with Malfoy to happen. He grabbed his coat and scarf then headed out to Hogsmeade. It was a usual drury evening and given that it was a Tuesday most of the shops were empty, cold and empty, perfect weather for the perfect occasion. He arrived at the bar and was about to go in when he stopped himself.
Was he really going to do this? Hermione and Neville made it seem so easy like ‘Sure! Let me go and sit with me dear old classmate Draco Malfoy, who had no ill will or personal vendettas against me or my friends since the day we met! Yep good ol’ deatheater Draco whose whole family wanted me dead yep great plan guys!” He kept playing those memories of all the years of torment over and over in his head all while reaching for the door to just retract back and start the process all over again.
“C’mon Harry, you're the chosen one, you defeated Voldemort and he’s just-” He whispered to himself trying to hype himself up like Draco was some big boss at a huge company and this interview could change Harry’s life or something but, “He just Draco” he sighed at just how stupid this whole thing was, “No he’s not even Draco Malfoy he just another teacher, a colleague, just two colleague getting to know each other” he rationalized “that not gonna be a problem at all I mean it’s just drinks” He continued to mumble on to himself as he began to reach for the door.
“Hi Harry!” A familiar voice interrupted his attempt.
“Teddy hi, what a nice surprise!” It was his godchild with their ever changing colorful hair and pin cover beanie.
This meeting Teddy had bright blue and purple hair matching their eyeliner, the pins covering their beanie were a small purple one that said ‘they/them’ the logo of S.Q.U.A.D., the Hufflepuff crest and a ‘Elf Rights” patch. Teddy had always been a huge activist both in and out of school, they were the one who started S.Q.U.A.D. after all, with their girlfriend Vicky who took over after Teddy graduated.
“Are you here to meet up with Vicky?” Harry looked around a bit to see if he could spot her
“Mhm we’re having tea at Madam Puddifoots”
“Madam Puddioots isn’t that a bit frilly?” Harry snorted thinking only little girls or old grandmas went there, not exactly the hot date spot for two young adults
“Uh duh that’s kinda the best part! We love it in a sorta ironic not-ironic way” Teddy gestured with their hands in a glittery sorta way mimicking the glitteriness of the tea shop
“I guess? I mean if you say so” Harry was getting too old for this “So how’s work or what did you call it a ‘boring desk job at the ministry’ he teased
“My work is just fine, thank you” they rolled their eyes “It’s not the most exciting thing, but at the end of the day I do like it”
“I’m glad to hear that” he was proud that Teddy was able to find something, Merlin knows it took Harry forever and to be honest he’s still not sure what with the two Slytherin elephants in the room “So what about S.Q.U.A.D. Are you still involved or anything?”
“Trying to, it’s getting hard to get people to join at least with work, school has been easier, Vicky was actually able to get the teachers in on it as well”
Harry thought back to the flyers on Draco’s desk.
“At least then I could use the Head’boy’ powers to give students detention even join people in detention at work…I don’t know people I guess are too afraid to come out or even show support” Teddy gave Harry a look at that last part, they both knew about Harry and even Ginny’s sexuality but it was sort of an unspoken family secret between everyone but that didn’t stop Harry from looking away in shame “Or maybe they just don’t care”
Sadly, Harry did care. He wanted to come out but after the headlines tore their family to shreds after the divorce, they both agreed that James shouldn’t have to endure another scandal like that again. So aside from Teddy who figured it out on their own, Ginny was the only person that knew although since their last conversation Hermione also might know but what doesn’t she know.
“You’re showing people that you’re ready to stand up for them” Harry tried his best to cheer up Teddy, “if they get there, that’s you know it’s important is what I’m trying to say”
“Thanks,” Teddy responded with a small smile. “So… what are you doing here?”
Harry nearly choked on his own nerves “Well uhm if you must know I’m…waiting for someone” He struggled to find the words
“Here?”
“Well not ‘here’ here but, um we’re meeting up in another place, and-” The words just kept stumbling out as he was tiptoeing around the situation at hand “Actually they might already be there, so I should probably get going and…” He thought about how much time he’s already wasted standing outside the door overthinking and now this talk with Teddy. Draco must think he’s being stood up except he can’t be stood up because this isn’t a date “You and Vicky have fun and I’ll be, I will go”
“Are you going on a date!?” Teddy said way too loudly even though they whispered it, I guess it seemed much louder when it’s such a far accusation
“What!?...what makes you say that?” Harry’s voiced cracked which didn’t help his case
“Ahem well; you’re at Hogsmeade, on a Saturday, without Hermione, looking not too shabby, AND you’re wearing the aftershave Hermione gave you on your birthday this year” Teddy emphasized each point with their fingers.
Harry had agreed with everything although it’s not like he tried to look good. Sure he changed his shirt a few times, that’s simply because the weather was unusually colder today and he didn’t have many jumpers that went with his nice pair of jeans WHICH he’s only wearing because he wears them any time he goes out. And the aftershave is because he did in fact shaved a little ONLY because the Head of House announcement is in a few days and didn’t want to have an unkept beard but shaving the night before would give too clean of a look, wouldn’t be true to Harry as a person. So he definitely did NOT get ready for Draco Malfoy because once again THIS IS NOT A DATE!
“I-I might be meeting Ron, or Luna!” Geez he does have friends and a life outside of school, kinda.
“Well, are you meeting Ron or Luna?”
“...no”
“Didn’t think so,I rest my case” Teddy said in a smug tone. They then let out a loud gasp “That’s why you don’t want me to go to Madam Puddifoot's, because you’re going there!” They pointed at Harry like one of those court dramas Hermione likes to watch.
“What no! I’m going to The Three Broomsticks” Harry was scrambling to clear up the misunderstanding.
“Yeah! With your date!”
“No it’s not- I’m just- It’s just Malfoy!-” Shit those stupid courtroom drama techniques worked.
“YOU’RE GOING ON A DATE WITH MAL-” They closed their mouth with their own hand and quickly looked around “as in Draco Malfoy” Teddy leaned in and whispered the rest of their sentence
Harry cleared his throat trying to hide the pink that formed from embarrassment “As in Professor Malfoy and it’s not-” he sighed “It’s not a date.”
“I-I’m just speechless”
“Shouldn’t you be meeting with your friends or something” He tried hard just to move on from this conversation
“But Harry you hate him”
He rolled his eyes “look we might have had our differences in the past, but we’re adults now and we are colleagues and we need to learn and grow from our” who was Harry kidding this whole thing was insane “We’re getting along, as colleagues and adults”
“Hm I guess the world can change”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“My friends you’re right uh Harry um one final thing before I leave” Teddy was now the one trying to get out of the conversation “You know I’m not one for ‘dress codes’ or ‘uniforms’ but uh even I would be offended if my Head of House was wearing a Gryfindor scarf”
Harry looked down at his bright red and yellow scarf that he always wore with his coat just because he normally just keeps it on the coat. He didn’t even notice it when he left today.
“And that me a Hufflepuff saying that”
“Right” Harry begrudgingly agreed while taking off the scarf and mouthed the words ‘thanks’ and he stuffed it into his coat pocket.
“Well houses can be a really touchy thing, especially when your house is the only security you have”
“Do they all feel that way?”
Teddy sighed “Not all of them, but yeah a lot of Slytherins do, especially the ones in S.Q.U.A.D” They looked down a bit thinking about their years at school “It made me really grateful for the family I have, that’s because a lot of pureblood families aren’t that great when it comes to being accepting”
“Thanks Teddy I’ll keep that in mind”
“You’re gonna do great Harry” Teddy put a reassuring hand on his shoulder “beside what’s a couple of Slytherin students compared to a basilisk, a dragon, a corrupt ministry, death eaters, and even You-Know-Who! You’ll be great!”
“Don’t be so sure”
“Well good luck with your date” Teddy remarked as they went off to their friends
“It’s not a date!” Harry tried calling out “Kids” he sighed already exhausted for these young people antics.