Living In My Head (Drarry)

Chapter 39: The First Date (Part 1 of 2)

A.N.

Chapter Song: Falling into You by Turn Off the Stars

Our walk outside was quiet, and when I walked towards the motorcycle he nudged me away, "We're taking the truck." I shrugged, not questioning it until he pushed me forward towards the driver's seat.

I was about to object but I figured that I might as well considering he's paying, I might as well humor him.

The drive was relatively short and not entirely unpleasant but I always felt Draco watching me with sad eyes but I didn't want to breach the subject. Especially if it involved the episode with Tom. I woke up feeling terrible that I'd kissed him because now I've given him hope that this, whatever this is, will work out between us and now I'm terrified. I give him a look and he gets up from the diner booth opposite from me and sits beside me, waiting on our food.

"Harry, talk to me. I feel like there's something you aren't telling me." he looks genuinely concerned but I don't want to tell him about Tom. If this has any chance of working, Tom cannot be involved. He just can't.

"It's nothing you need to worry about." No sooner than I say so, a huge plate of bacon and pancakes are set in front of me and a plate full of fruit and a bowl of yogurt in front of Draco.

"I won't push you," he told me, taking his fork and stabbing a piece of pineapple, "but I want to be entirely honest with you and I can't do that if you don't trust me."

"Would you promise that what I tell you would stay between us? Very few people know and if anyone else knew... things could change for me at school and I don't want that to happen."

"Of course, I understand completely." Draco answered, eating the piece of pineapple after swirling it in his vanilla yogurt. "Tell me when you're ready."

"I'll tell you tonight, so while you're gone... you can decide whether or not you still want to date me."

"Whatever it is," he said quickly, moving his right hand to hold my left, "it won't change how I feel."

"How do you feel, exactly?"

He sputtered a little, blushing, "I feel that I want to be with you and I want us to work out. I like you, Harry, and I want you to be happy, even if it's not necessarily with me."

He's a good guy and he's given me more than one chance, I just hope he can be patient with me. I entwine our fingers and squeeze his hand, my face red as I keep my eyes down as we both try to eat with only one hand.

We leave the diner and it's midday, thanks to the all-day serving of breakfast we still managed to eat our breakfasts instead of lunch. Still holding my hand, he leads me to a small alley with a bookstore at the end.

"Obscurus... Books?" I ask and he nods, "It seems cool and all but the alley is right next to a joke shop?"

"Don't judge a book by it's cover... or a shop by it's storefront location. Come on, they have great stuff in here."

I follow him inside, immediately being hit with the smell of incense, smoking tobacco, and an underlying scent of vanilla. The books are everywhere. Everything in sight is covered with shelved books; the old wooden stairs have shelves under each step and along the staircase, the door frames have books over the top on a shelf, and the walls themselves are lined floor to ceiling with full bookshelves.

I'm awestruck as he leads me to the stairs and takes me to the top. There, resides a man who I can only describe as "nutty", an older man with long white hair that is tied back in a ribbon as he reads a book on a tall chair behind his desk. Reaching the top of the stairs, he smiles at us and his smile gets even warmer when he notices me.

"Draco, you've brought a friend."

"Actually, Garrick, this is my date: Harry Potter."

The man's eyes flicker in bewilderment before his smile returns, although less heartfelt as he closes his book and stands in front of us. "So, Mr. Potter, what kind of books are you here for?"

"I'm not entirely sure."

"Well, name a few you've enjoyed in the past."

"Uh," I try to remember to books I'd read in school I'd liked, it's not like Dudley ever picked one up without pictures in it. "I liked Frankenstein, The Great Gatsby, Heart of Darkness, The Awakening, and Dante's Inferno."

"The classics, huh?" the man smiles and looks between the two of us, "I think I've got the perfect one for you."

We make our way down the stairs and through the stacks of books, winding through the isles, when Draco strikes up a conversation, "Mr. Ollivander has got the best memory of anyone. He remembers everything he's read, he's probably got a photographic memory like you do, Harry."

"Oh, you do too?" Garrick asked over his shoulder, climbing a sliding ladder to reach a worn book on the tallest shelf. "In that case, you should read some of Draco's books. He's gotten some of the best from this store, in my personal opinion. He has great taste."

"I thought you told me your dad wanted you to read the classics," I look at him suspiciously and he blushes, scuffing his foot against the cement floor.

"I just didn't want you to think I was weird."

"Uh, reading is an attractive trait to me." I say with a smile, "Maybe I'll read some of your books while we're gone, maybe we can talk about them together."

I hear Garrick clear his throat from behind me and stutter out a thank you, Draco immediately changing the subject when we head back towards the stairs to check out.

"Garrick, did you ever find any new books for me in your latest shipment?"

"No, but... I think there's one in my personal collection that may pique your interest. I'll ring it up with this one."

Draco nods and the books are immediately put in a plastic bag, Garrick taking a post-it note and writing down the prices, on his own copy he writes the titles of the book and puts it in a shoe box behind his desk. We thank him, heading out of the alley which is dark from the towering buildings, shadows covering most of the alleyway.

A.N.

The bookstore above is modeled after a bookstore called "Shakespeare and Company" in France, you can find loads of pictures online. The name of the bookstore itself (Obscurus Books) was in Harry Potter but was a publishing company.

Also, this is the final serial update for the Yule Season!

Expect the next update in two weeks, per usual!