Drarry- Chocolate and Chamomile

4

"So, what do you do, Potter? If you don't mind me asking", Malfoy asked casually while waiting for the tea to be ready, body leaning against the counter. "I'm taking a sabbatical", Harry answered shortly. "Care to elaborate?", Malfoy half-smiled. Harry found himself flattered by the smile, cursing silently in his mind as he felt heat rush to his cheeks. It was rare to find someone that didn't have that preconceived idea in their head about how the Chosen One had to act. Still, Malfoy would never be that someone to him. "I don't know what to do with my life, if you really want to know. I'm not sure if I really want to become an Auror anymore. I'm done with hunting and fighting for the moment. So I mostly just read and spend time with Francis and Asteria while I'm here and with Ron and Hermione when I'm out", Harry explained, though only because he hoped that if he opened up a little, Malfoy would, too. Malfoy just nodded. "What about you?", Harry asked after several seconds had passed, hoping Malfoy would tell Harry about him without being asked. But Malfoy just grabbed his now ready tea, winked, and went back to his room. He had winked. "What the fuck?", Harry whispered.

"HARRYYY", Asteria squealed happily, kissing Harry on his cheek. "Asteria! How'd it go?", he asked, embracing her tightly for a second. "Surprisingly well, actually. Francis tells me we have a new flatmate who has a crush on you?" Harry was about to explain that, no, Draco Malfoy most definitely did not have a crush on him, thank you very much, when there was an awkward cough coming from the sofa. "That'd be me"

The next thirty minutes left Harry speechless, witnessing how Asteria befriended Draco Malfoy. When Malfoy had seemed relaxed yesterday, then he seemed at ease now. He was making funny comments, actually listening to Asteria's stories and had a genuine smile on his lips throughout the whole conversation. "Did it ever occur to you that candles are just our attempt to hold fire as pets?" was the question that let Harry snap back to reality. "Now that I think about it... it's really adorable", Malfoy answered and Asteria giggled. Since when did Malfoy use words like adorable? Did he wake up and decided "I'm going to be a good person now"? This confusion was slowly turning into anger, Harry noticed. "Harry, darling, is everything alright? You're so quiet", Asteria asked in her soft voice. "Yeah, just tired, sorry. I'm gonna leave you to it. G'night", he announced, not caring that it was only after eight pm.
"I hope he's alright" was the last thing Harry heard Asteria say before he locked the door to his room and started playing some music. He threw himself on his bed, buried his head in his pillow and let out a muffled, frustrated scream. Draco Malfoy would be the end of him.

The lights off his room were dimmed, the candles weren't burning anymore and the rush of noise from outside was audible through the small slot of his french window. It was quite windy outside and his transparent curtains were moving with each blow. Harry, again, found himself yearning for a cup of tea but the reasons to stay in his room appeared more convincing. Deciding that it was pointless to try to go to sleep just yet, he stepped out on his balcony and sat down on one of the two chairs he'd put there a few weeks ago. It was freezing, more so than yesterday but the blanket he had put around his legs was keeping him warm.

He searched for a thing outside he could focus on for it sometimes helped him to gather his thoughts. "Like to stare, Potter?". Surprised, Harry jolted his head to his left and saw Malfoy, wearing a light blue sweater that looked awfully comfortable and holding a pack of cigarettes. "You've gotten even quieter than you were at school", Malfoy noted while ensconcing himself on the other chair as if it was completely natural. His voice sounded neutral but Harry couldn't help but notice the hint of concern he could hear in it, too.
"That's not true. I just don't like when my personal space gets intruded"
"Would you like for me to leave?"
"You pay rent, right?", Harry asked.
Malfoy quirked up an eyebrow. "Yes, Potter, I do or will be as soon as Francis asks me to". "See, then you have every right to be here on this balcony as well"
"Francis law studies rubbing off on you?", Malfoy joked, wearing that same little smile on his face that felt almost as if Harry was part of something private. Like a private joke they shared. It was a nice feeling and Harry hated it.

They sat in silence for a few minutes in which Harry shifted stiffly in his chair, rearranging his blanket every few seconds. "Do you smoke?", Malfoy asked, opening a pack he had been carrying in the pocket of his hoodie and offering one to Harry. Harry nodded, taking a cigarette in his hand and bringing it to his lips. "Wouldn't have expected that. But then again, you did kill Voldemort. Why should you care about the killing side effects of a cigarette?", Malfoy said in a soft voice, smiling again. Fuck, since when was Malfoy's smile so appealing? Harry couldn't help but (half) smile back. Malfoy, too, had put his cigarette between his lips. He held the lighter in his one hand and used the other as protection from the wind, drawing together his eyebrows in a manner that was just so attractive it was unfair. Harry was sure that if he tried to make a face like that, he'd simply look constipated. Malfoy took his first draw from the cigarette and let it evaporate in the night air.

"Let me light yours", he insisted, scooting to Harry and bringing his lighter to Harry's cigarette. Harry crampedly looked down, fearing to meet the blonde's eyes. He could feel the warmth coming from Malfoy's body and caught the faint scent of smoke and... chamomile?  "I have a rule, you see. I'm on a first name basis with any person I've ever had a smoke with", he said, bringing one hand to his oh-so-perfect-hair and smirked. "Fine, whatever...Draco",Harry replied, blushing slightly. He prayed that the darkness would veil it, although he felt as if Draco watched him so intently that he wouldn't have missed it. This was flirting right? Offering someone your first name might not be a common flirting technique but given their history it was. Harry took a puff from his cigarette. The feeling dawned on him that Draco Malfoy would more likely be the reason for a heart attack, not the cigarette. "Hey, I found something in the kitchen", Draco said, revealing a small white box that Harry recognised as Francis' sacred box of pralines. "That's Francis', you know", Harry mentioned, "he'll kill us both if he finds out". "He won't know if we both only eat one. Chocolate and cigarettes is a divine mix", Draco stated matter-of-factly. Harry doubted that Francis would not notice- he really was obsessed with his pralines-yet who could resist chocolate? (and Draco Malfoy, a traitorous voice chimed in the back of Harry's mind).

"You didn't answer my question earlier", Harry expressed, knowing full well he was headed into dangerous territory, possibly the territory of feelings. "True. You'd make such a lovely auror, with that memory of yours", Draco laughed and Harry knew then that he'd be willing to do anything to hear that rich, mesmerizing laugh again. Quite frankly, he knew he was fucked. Harry eyed him curiously, awaiting his answer. "You see, Harry, if you make wrong choices there will be repercussions, egregious ones, that, mind me, aren't unjustified. I can try as hard as I want and still most people will still think I'm nothing more than Death Eater scum", his eyes were suddenly sharp.
"I'm sorry".
Draco scoffed. "Of course you'd say that. That saviour complex of yours is still present then, huh?"
"You don't need saving, Malfoy. I do believe that one day people will accept that you've changed or at least that you're trying really hard."
"I'm Malfoy again, then, aren't I?"
"Old habits die hard"
Draco smiled, yet it was a different kind of smile. The carefreeness had vanished, the poise evaporated. This one reminded Harry of one of his own smiles, a tired one, one that was so desperately trying to convince people of the okayness of it all.