After -Drarry COMPLETE

Chapter 52

(^^^^^Idk: in case u wanna hear some of the music that's blaring through the house I guess)

—Draco POV—

Is that an entire pig? Cooking in a wooden box? I just stood there, frozen in shock. Aren't Muggles supposed to cook things like this in an oven?

I looked over at Harry, who seemed to be almost as shocked as I was.

"It smells delicious." He said, looking up at the two men, I nodded in agreement, trying to shake off the lingering feeling of unfamiliarity and discomfort, especially because they're good people, and the food does genuinely smell good.

"Looks like it's almost ready. Here. Put on some oven mitts and use this to fish it out." Said Carlito, handing us each what looked like old wire hangers, bent and shaped to fish the handle of the meat rack out from the bottom of the box. I hesitantly grabbed it, Harry doing the same, and we got on either side of the crate.   

I bent down, using two hangers on each side of the handle, and Harry did the same on the other side. I looked up at him.

"We lift on 3. 1, 2-" I was cut off by Harry lifting prematurely. "Why are you lifting?! Stop!" He put it down. I looked at him with the utmost frustration.

"I said 3!"

"I'm sorry! I thought you meant when you say 'three' not after." I gave him a bitch face, before huffing.

"Fine. After I say three. Okay?"

"Okay."

"1, 2, 3." We hoisted the roasted pig up and followed Antonio and Carlito to a long table.

"Right here." I said. After an awkward heave and me almost burning myself, the pig was resting on the table, and the two men were unclamping the top rack that had held the pig in place. Everyone around us cheered in that way that you do when somebody accomplished something stupid that shouldn't have been a challenge, but everyone was happy they did it anyways. Of course they're happy. I thought. I've literally brought our food to the table."

————

Harry was sitting to my left, and Scorpius to my right. Around us were at least 12 other people, sitting at several long tables, that we placed next to one another. Maria was sat in front of me. Everyone was talking and seemed in their own conversation, a small hint of nostalgia hit as I was reminded of a more neat, smaller, homemade version of the great hall. I turned to Scorpius.

"Remember not to forget your vegetables, and say thank you to Maria, she put that salad together." I told him, pointing at the small serving of salad on his plate, and making sure he was eating right, then I turned to my left, where I had the opposite problem.

"Eat."

"I am eating!"

"Yeah, enough for a bird." I replied.

"Come on, I've eaten like a third of my plate, and these people serve mountains." He retorted. I eyed him suspiciously.

"And what about you? You haven't touched that-that white stuff." He claimed.

"I don't know what on earth it is, quite a nasty shock realizing it's not just a weirdly shaped potato. It has a lot more fibers, and falls apart differently. And it has onions and... lime? It's weird. I've never had anything like it. It's not awful, just-" I paused, suddenly incredibly curious of what on earth this stuff was, I waved my hand slightly, getting Maria's attention.

"What's this?" I asked her, pointing at the two white lumps of... stuff, on the side of my plate.

"Yuca." She replied, before putting a spoonful of rice and beans into a small child's mouth sitting to her left.

"It's delicious. Try it." She continued.

"Oh, yes. I've just never had anything like it." I clarified, making sure she didn't think there was something I didn't like. The truth is I am incredibly grateful for her inviting the three of us into her home. As odd, different, and loud as everything could be, I had never been treated with such hospitality before without wondering if I was manipulating the person into doing it.

I shook the thought away, getting a small piece of Yuca and eating it. It was, incredibly different, from anything I'd ever had.

About thirty minutes after dinner, I noticed a whooping and cheering coming from a group of people sat at the couch, curious, I looked over to see what was going on, and saw Scorpius, doing those same awkward dance moves from earlier, while holding each of Maria's hands while she did the opposite moves as him, though much more fluidly, and less exaggerated. They were moving like a conveyor belt, when Scorpius stepped forward with his left foot, Maria would step backwards with her right foot, before they returned to the middle, and then did the opposite with their other feet. Scorpius would then step backwards with his right, while Maria stepped forward with her left.

He looked up at me and smiled, I could see in his eyes that he was having fun. That's a good thing. I'm happy for him.

"Draco! Ven! [Come!] Your turn!" Said Maria, breaking apart her dance with Scorpius.

"No, no. I don't dance." I said with an awkward smile.

"Sure you do. I remember you at the Yule ball." Said Harry, startling me from behind.

"Weren't you in the bathroom?" I asked in an irritated tone.

"Yes, now I'm here." He said with a plain smile. Maria grabbed my hand and yanked me to the center of the living room.

"You hold my by the waist-" I blocked out the rest of what she said and thought back to waltzing. Maybe it's the same thing... with your upper body at least.

"Like this?" I asked, positioning my body like I would for a ballroom dance.

"Perfect. Now, on the beat, you're going to step forward with your left foot, then back to the center, and backwards with your right foot, then retreat to the center. Ready? Go" We instantly collided. I wasn't paying enough attention, because I moved my right foot forward and diagonally, my mind on autopilot. She removed herself from my light hold to demonstrate. I nodded in understanding, staring at the movements she made.

"Seems simple enough." I muttered.

"And you're in charge, you need to lead me in the dance-"

"Bailamos  en circulo!" [Lets dance in a large circle!] Exclaimed one man from the kitchen, coming over and setting his beer on the counter. I recognized him from that birthday party. It was 'Tio Pito'.

"Perfect!" Exclaimed Maria. Gentlemen, find a lady to dance with, ladies if you don't have a man, dance with each other!" I looked at Harry, and he looked back at me, slightly uncomfortable.

"Can I dance with Harry, Since I'm the only person he knows here?" I whispered to Maria. She looked at me oddly.

"I mean, sure... but you both have to do what the ladies do."

"I- okay." I said, walking towards Harry. Soon enough, everyone was in a large circle in the living room. Furniture had been rearranged to make ample room for everyone, and everyone had a partner. Most were husband-wife, but I also noticed what seemed to be father-daughter, sister-brother, and sister-sister. Harry and I, and these two other teenagers, were the only boy-boy partners. But at least we weren't the only ones, that would have made me extremely uncomfortable.

Maria seemed to be leading us all, as she paused the music, to start a new song.

"This one should be slow, and easy salsa, for beginners. Ok, everyone get into position with your partners." I looked around and each man was holding a woman by the waist, the way Maria had taught me to do. I slowly began to do the same to Harry, still looking around, to make sure I was correct. I noticed that the groups that were two women, were merely holding hands. Same with the two teenage boys dancing, so I did the same, moving my hand away from his waist, merely grabbing a hold of his hands, who, I just realized, had been shaking slightly. I leaned in, whispering to him.

"Nobody will be paying attention to us, don't worry. Besides, I'm good enough at waltzing, this can't be so different. And, this seems fun. We'll be fine." I told him. He squeezed my hands lightly, giving a slightly uneasy smile, then a small nod.