We Open at the Close (Drarry)

Trouble with Towels

"I'm sorry!" said Hermione desperately. "Oh god, please can you put some clothes on?"

"There are no towels!" Draco cried.

"Hold on," Harry grabbed a tea towel from the kitchen table and held it up to Draco to cover his modesty. Draco glared at him but Harry shook his head, "It'll have to do. Come on."

Draco and Harry stumbled out into the corridor leaving Hermione flustered and gibbering to herself in the kitchen.

Once calm had been restored and Draco had found a pair of boxers, he sat spread-eagle on the couch with burn salve applied liberally to the affected areas. Just then, the fireplace erupted into green flames again and Ron stepped into the living room. He raised an eyebrow at Draco as he walked past.

"Don't you ever leave?" he asked.

"Fuck off Weasel, I'm not in the mood," spat Draco.

Ron just chuckled and wandered into the kitchen. Harry was making fresh cups of tea while Hermione sat at the kitchen table, head in her hands.

"What's up with Malfoy?" he asked.

Hermione bit her lip, trying to look bashful and failing miserably. "We uh, had a bit of an accident."

"Accident?" shouted Draco indignantly. "Your girlfriend threw boiling hot water in my face! I'll be lucky if I'm not scarred for life!"

"I didn't throw it in your face! It got all your legs and..." she burst into fits of giggles.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY!"

"It is a little bit," said Harry gently entering the living room with a fresh cup of tea. "That's what you get for walking about with no clothes on."

"If you bothered to do your washing once in a while I wouldn't be forced to use a bloody tea towel to preserve my decency!"

"Just stay there and let the salve do its magic, you'll be fine!" Harry placed the cup in front of Draco. "Be careful with this one. It's hot."

"Very funny," he grumbled. Draco took a sip from the cup and settled back into the couch. "Thank you."

Harry left Draco to enjoy his tea in peace and joined his back at the kitchen table. both of them smirking at him when he reentered the room.

"So..." said Hermione with a mischievous glint in her eye. "I come over, you're nursing a hangover and Malfoy's naked in the kitchen. I take that you both had a fun night last night?"

Harry took a long sip of his tea before replying. "It's not what it looks like. We just had a couple beers, it got late and he crashed here. There's nothing to tell."

Hermione didn't look convinced. "And him bursting in on us naked?"

"He was looking for a towel!" Harry protested. "I didn't leave any in the bathroom. So. really it's my fault."

"Hmm."

Ron frowned. "No offence, mate, but the house is looking a little worse for wear. Where's Kreacher?"

"I sent him to live at Hogwarts," Harry explained. "He's too old to keep up with the housework around here. I thought about freeing him, but I think the shock would kill him. I spoke to Professor McGonagall about it and we both agreed that it was best for him if he stayed at Hogwarts for a bit, that way the other house elves can keep an eye on him. They'll help take care of him and get him everything he needs."

"So, he's technically retired?" asked Ron.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"That's very admirable of you, Harry," smiled Hermione. "He's spent so long on his own in this old house, I think it'll do him the world of good to spend time in the company with his own kind again."