There were very few things Draco could say no to, once of which came in the form of Luna Lovegood. So, when she insisted he attend her "Friendsgiving" party, how could he say no? That's how he found himself in Grimmauld Place surrounded by the most interesting group of people to date.
"Are you having fun yet?," Harry murmured next to him, he himself wondering how he had ended up in this situatuon.
"Weaslette and Granger keep glaring at me."
"And here I thought they were glaring at me," Harry joked, nudging Draco with his shoulder.
"Such a hard life being as attractive as I am. It's my curse to have people looking at me."
"That, and the fact that this shade of pink is absolutely your color. I'm glad you listened to me and wore it."
"As if you gave me much choice."
"You said pink was your favorite color! You should be able to wear it that's all I'm saying."
"My knight in shining armor, fighting off gender stereotypes. My hero."
"And don't you forget it, love."
The choking sound in the dining room caused Harry to raise an eyebrow.
"Alright there Gin?"
"Fine," she said tersely.
The morning had been absolutely fantastic in Draco's opinion. The end of November was here, and with it brought bubbling hope about his relationship with Harry. After their last conversation, they were closer than ever, and Draco was thrilled. Harry was feeling better, and that was what mattered.
Harry spinning Draco around the kitchen as Luna and Kreacher decorated wasn't bad either. It was refreshing to see Harry so happy and carefree. Even Felix was happily jumping about, making everyone laugh.
"I don't know how you got me here."
"To the Friendsgiving or helping me cook?"
"Both," Draco declared, sitting on Harry's counter.
"Must you do that?," Harry asked, wrinkling his nose and swatting Draco with a dish towel.
"This is the best seat in the house."
"I can think of one better."
"And pray tell where is that-," Draco began to ask, only stopping because there was a knock at the door.
"I'll get it. I don't want to make his highness move."
"About time you realized I was royalty."
"To be fair, I did think you were the heir of Slytherin."
"What on earth gave you that impression?," Draco asked incredulously.
"Pureblood. Full of yourself. A massive prat. You acted like you were better than everyone else. And you were always up to something."
"You always thought I was up to something," Draco yelled as Harry entered the other room.
"I was usually right," Harry called back. "Neville! Great to see you mate."
"Thanks for the invite. I feel like I barely see you anymore."
"He adores me too much to leave me, sorry Longbottom," Draco apologized from the counter.
"That's not surprising. You're all I hear about when we do get together. Speaking of, I think I'm due for another trim soon."
"Give me a day and time and I'll make sure I'm free."
With a grin, Harry continued to prep dinner as he listened to his friends get along. Ron arrived soon after, Hermione on his heels, and Ginny on hers.
"Oh, Ginny, hi. Erm, I didn't know you would be coming."
"Luna invited me, I hope that's alright. I didn't tell anyone I was back yet. It's good to see you Harry! It's been too long."
"You too Gin."
He awkwardly pulled her into a hug, feeling eyes on him the whole time.
"Is George coming round too?"
"He said as soon as the shop closes he'll be here. Can I help in the kitchen mate?"
"I'll never turn down your help Ron. Draco has decided he's better suited for watching."
"Hey, I made the pie!," he protested. "And did most of the chopping and dicing, thank you very much."
"Malfoy?!," Ginny asked in disbelief, her hand clenching into a fist.
"Draco and I are good friends," Harry said, warning clear in his voice as he stepped protectively in front of Draco. "I hope that won't be a problem."
"You- he- I. I need a minute."
Hermione followed her outside, and Harry pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Seriously Ron?"
"Look this wasn't my doing. I tried to send you an owl but she intercepted my letter! Who does that?"
"Someone still caught up on their ex," Draco chimed in.
"She's not- well... she might be, but I don't know why. We've talked about this."
"You've talked about this with Malfoy and not me?"
"She's your sister mate," Harry said apologetically. "It's like how I don't want details on you and Mione."
"Nothing happening on that front anyway," Ron muttered.
"So that haircut?," Neville interrupted.
"Are you giving out haircuts then?," Ron asked, joining Harry in the kitchen.
"That depends. Do you trust me with scissors so close to your neck?"
"I can take you any day, Malfoy. What would you do to fix my hair?"
When Ginny and Hermione returned accompanied by Luna, Draco had moved on from hair care to skin care.
"Obviously we need to have a boys night," Draco drawled.
"Sounds more like a girls night," Ginny joked.
"What's feminine about skin care Weaslette? We all have skin do we not? Why shouldn't we take proper care of it?"
"I'm up for it," Ron agreed, cutting in before the conversation could go further.
"Brilliant. After our Herbology exam then on Wednesday. I'm gonna need it then."
"Oh please, you know the material like the back of your hand. You'll be absolutely fine," Draco promised.
"Only because you help me study."
"Malfoy helps you study?," Hermione asked in disbelief.
"Erm, yes? He gets high marks and explains things in a way that I understand. It's quite refreshing honestly."
"What is that supposed to mean?," she huffed.
"That you're incredibly bright and I'm not so I lose track of your explanations halfway through. It's not an insult Hermione, Draco is just able to convey information to me in a way I understand. I'm a visual learner and you're not. Nothing wrong with that."
"Come see the dining room, it's absolutely enchanting," Luna promised the girls, and Harry breathed a sigh of relief when they were gone.
"Imagine being so uncomfortable you want to leave your own home," he muttered.
"That was uncomfortable for us all mate," Neville promised. "Can I help with anything?"
"Now you're all making me look bad," Draco said with a sigh. "Give it to me Potter."
Ron muttered something to Harry, who promptly knocked him upside the head.
"Enough or I'll send you out. Here's what I need done."
Draco didn't think he'd actually have enjoyed his time with the Gryffindor, but who knew Longbottom could actually be funny? Returning back to the present, Draco suspected Weaslette had choked because Harry called him love. Because he was bored and still a Slytherin, Draco decided to have some fun. Leaning against Harry, he looked up at him with a smile.
"Can I get you a drink darling?"
"If you wouldn't mind."
"For you? Never. Longbottom, Weasley, anything?"
"I'll take a beer since you're offering. Thanks Malfoy," Ron replied absentmindedly from where he was playing cards with Neville.
"I'm fine, thanks Malfoy."
Draco was delighted to see Harry trying to remove Ginny from his spot next to him on the couch. Giving up, he stood and placed his hand on the small of Draco's back, leading him back to the kitchen after Draco gave Ron his drink.
"Why does she keep doing that? She wouldn't move out of your seat."
"Because she's jealous. She choked when you called me love, even if it was jokingly, and took my spot after I called you darling and left."
"There's nothing to be jealous of!," Harry replied, fingers angrily tapping on the counter.
"You wound me Potter, truly."
"What? No, Draco, you're absolutely brilliant. If there was anyone to be jealous of, it would be you. I could go on about everything I love about you. I mean that she and I are completely over, so she has no right to be jealous."
"Feel free to use me to get her to leave you alone. She does get quite angry when you touch me."
"This is honestly ridiculous."
"Come here. It'll be okay, it's just dinner," Draco promised, pulling Harry into a tight embrace.
"Just dinner," Draco thought to himself bitterly a few hours later.
It was going well enough until Ginny somehow managed to spill her drink all over Draco. Did he think it was on purpose? He honestly couldn't tell, but he suspected it may have been. Her apology didn't even sound genuine, and that was his tipping point.
"Come on Draco, I'll take you upstairs and get that stain out for you. I have something you can change into."
"His jacket would work," she muttered, but not quietly enough.
"If you don't get over yourself, you can get out right now. I care deeply for Draco, and I will not tolerate any more disrespect of him in my home, a home I did not invite you to mind you. Come on Draco."
"I'm sorry-"
"Don't you dare apologize! You have done absolutely nothing wrong but be yourself. Let's get you a shirt to change into yeah? I don't want the stain to set."
"Something with sleeves please," Draco said quietly, watching Harry rifle through his wardrobe.
"Do you want a hoodie? I have an old Weasley sweater in here, hold on. Will this work?"
It looked so well-loved that Draco couldn't possibly refuse.
"I suppose so. Weasley is gonna give me hell for it though."
Harry turned around so Draco could change, and room the shirt into the bathroom to treat the stain.
"Let him," Harry replied, locking eyes with Draco in the mirror. "Have I told you blue is your color?"
"Maybe once or twice."
"It looks great on you," Harry replied genuinely, pushing down the rest of his feelings.
In reality, he loved the sight of Draco in his old sweater, which fit perfectly everywhere except the too long sleeves. Not to mention that he was branded with a big H for everyone to see, and wasn't he just a vision?
"You keep staring," Draco said quietly, fiddling with sleeves.
"Because you look absolutely adorable."
Draco protectively wrapped his arms around himself.
"My shirt, Potter?"
"It looks too delicate for magic, so I'm treating it by hand."
Harry explained the cleaning process and Draco watched as the dark stain finally came out of his shirt.
"Thank you Harry."
"You shouldn't be thanking me for something that never should've happened. I have no idea why Luna even invited her."
"If I was Luna and slightly insane, it would probably be to show her that you've moved on. And they're also friends, I'm sure she missed her."
"Stay the night here with me?"
"You don't even have to ask darling."
"Good. Let's head back down, I don't want anything overcooking."
"You have such a wide spread I don't know how you keep track of everything."
"I have a system for it. The turkey needs to be in the oven for about 4 hours due to its size, and I only have to baste it every half hour. So I put it in at noon, so it'll be done by 4. This way if it goes in at at an even time, I don't have to worry about missing an odd time. Like I would never put the turkey in at 11:47. That's such an odd time to remember. I would just wait."
Draco was so engrossed in what Harry was telling him, because really Draco functioned in such a similar manner when tending to his potions, that he missed the initial stares. He only looked up when he heard a low whistle, and met the eyes of George Weasley.
"Mum would absolutely love this."
"Gin had a bit of an accident with her drink," Harry explained, pulling George into a hug. "I'm glad you could make it."
"Even if I didn't plan on initially attending, hearing Oliver drone on about quidditch for well over an hour is quite enough for me thanks."
Harry laughed, and he asked how he was doing.
"Still trying to recruit you to play for his team, mate."
"We've had this conversation dozens of times. I don't care that he thinks it's a 'waste of my talent', I'd really rather not. The publicity and press are bad enough here alone, I don't need all of the other countries getting involved too. Besides, I don't play anymore."
"You should," Draco chimed in, "you really were quite good."
"I don't think I've ever told you that you were my favorite Seeker to play against. When you stopped playing, it became less fun in a way. And then I couldn't play anymore anyway thanks to that toad. It hasn't felt the same."
"Maybe after dinner we can all play then?," George volunteered. "It might be good for all of us to get back on a broom."
"I might need a rain check George. Have you ever tasted Harry's cooking? I won't be able to move afterwards. Did you see how pretty the pies are?"
"Draco actually made the pies. That's why the lattice work is so intricate. I'm too clumsy for that."
"Even if it's poisoned, it's a risk I'm willing to take Malfoy," Ron said solemnly.
"You're tolerable to have around now Weasley, no point in poisoning you at this rate. Besides, Harry tells me you're a force to be reckoned with in wizard's chess."
"Do you play?"
The excitement in Ron's voice made Harry happy. He was thrilled that they were getting along so well.
"I'm only the undefeated champion of the Slytherin house."
"Harry?," Ron asked hopefully.
"It is so hard to find good help these days," Harry sighed dramatically. "Off you go then."
Draco hugged Harry from behind and whispered "thanks darling" in his ear.
"You better win for me. I have never won a game against Ron in my life."
"I plan to."
It was a tense game to say the least. Harry kept watch as best he could from the kitchen, George occasionally coming in and giving him updates.
"How are you really?," George asked quietly, some time later.
"I should be asking you that," Harry retorted. "I'm okay. I never thought I'd say that out loud. Some days are so much harder than others but...," he trailed off as Draco laughed, taking one of Ron's pawns.
"But he helps."
"He's been great honestly. He doesn't put up with my shit, and I need someone like that to keep me in check."
"You've both changed. For the better mostly. It's nice to see. I never thought I'd see you and Malfoy laughing in the same room."
"After everything that happened, the trivial things don't even matter anymore. We're not so different when you get down to it. Felix adores him too. That's kind of what started this whole thing."
"He treats you well then?"
"Merlin George, we're not dating!"
"Could've fooled me," he teased. "I'm just looking out for my baby brother is all. He does then?"
"He does," Harry replied softly.
"I'll talk to Gin, get her off your case. I think you two would be good together, you know? Makes a lot of sense when you think about it."
"I try not to think about it," Harry groaned. "There's so much to figure out, I don't want to lose him."
"He's been trying to catch your eye for the past few minutes. I don't think you'll lose him. Look at what he's going through for you. The only snake in the lion's den."
"I just wish everyone else saw him the way that I did."
"Who says they can't?"
Those words played throughout his head the rest of the night. Harry was all too happy when everyone started filing out of his house.
"Think about it," George said with a grin, slapping Harry on the back as he left.
"Harry, can we talk for a minute please?," Ginny asked.
"I need to finish cleaning up."
"Malfoy looks more than capable, unless he's too good to clean?"
"Clearly you're too good for manners. I'll clean up, don't worry about it darling."
For good measure, Draco pressed a kiss to Harry's cheek, brushed a few strands of hair off his forehead, then began cleaning up the kitchen.
"Yes?," Harry asked with a sigh.
"How are you?"
"I'm fine, and you?"
"I'd be better if we were back together."
"Ginny I told you that we're better off as friends."
"And I disagreed with you."
"It takes two people to make a relationship work. You're the only one invested and interested in fixing things."
"And that's what the problem is."
"I can't help that I don't have feelings for you. I think it's time for you to go," he said gently.
"So you're choosing Malfoy over me?"
"There is no choosing Ginny I don't know what you're on about. We're over, have been for months. We both want different things. It's time for you to go out and make a name for yourself. You're an amazing quidditch player and I'm excited for your future, but it just doesn't have me in it," Harry said kindly. "Not in the capacity that you want me in it."
"Okay," she replied, wishing him a goodnight.
"Draco?"
"In the kitchen darling," he called.
"What can I do?"
"Sit on the couch and enjoy this cup of tea I made for you."
"Let me-"
"No. You cooked all day. I'll do the washing up."
"But you spent the whole day with all of my friends and helped me cook-"
"Shut up and let me take care of you will you?," Draco huffed. "If you must be useful, cast some cleaning charms in the living room and grab a fluffy blanket."
"Deal."
Draco was surprised to find he actually didn't mind cleaning. He enjoyed organizing, but he didn't know that cleaning could elicit the same feelings. Harry lacked clear organizational skills, so Draco didn't mind helping him out in that department. Once he was done, he discreetly cast a cleaning charm on himself, before going upstairs to change into a pair of pyjama pants.
Walking back into the living room, he snuggled up to Harry on the couch.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm just tired. It's been a long day."
"Everything okay with her?"
"She wanted me back. I said no. Now here we are."
"You make it sound so simple."
"I don't want to be in a relationship with her. We both deserve better. She needs someone who loves her as much as she loves them, and that just wasn't me. Besides, I don't like how she treated you. That would've been a dealbreaker anyway."
"Don't be ridiculous."
"I would never get into a relationship with anyone who didn't respect you. It's you and me for life, everyone else can kindly fuck off. Except for Ron."
"He's honestly not that bad. I'll deny that I ever said that, but he really is quite funny. A more gracious loser than I would be."
"I can't believe you won."
"I told you that I would win for you, didn't I, darling?," Draco asked with a grin, looking up at Harry.
"And you kept your word."
Pressing a kiss to the top of Draco's head, he readjusted his position on the couch so that Draco was laying on top of him, and wrapped the blanket around them both.
"Watch something with me?"
"Of course darling."
The two men didn't even make it halfway through the first episode of the show Harry put on before they fell asleep in each other's arms.