1000 Days of Harry Potter

Day 839

Draco and Teddy arrive at the Burrow a few days later just in time to watch Harry storm out of the house, his best friend on his heels.

"Come on, Harry. We didn't mean it like that, we're just concerned, you know it wasn't—come back in the house, don't leave, it wasn't—"

"Bugger off, Ron." Harry violently shakes off the hand on his arm, turning away from him. "I can fuck whoever I like, thanks, and I don't care what you or anyone else thinks—"

"Of course you can! But Harry, he's—"

"Oh, fuck you, you met him once, you judgmental toss—"

Draco loudly clears his throat, drawing Harry's attention to their audience.

"Teddy!" Harry forces a wide smile and walks over to his godson, ignoring Draco's presence entirely. "I didn't know you were here. How was school today?"

"It was okay," Teddy scuffs a shoe through the dirt. "Why are you and Uncle Ron fighting?"

"We're not—" Harry sighs, abandoning the obvious lie. "It doesn't matter. I'm just glad I got to see you for a bit before I had to go."

"But what about Aunt Ginny's birthday party?"

"I know," Harry drops to one knee and pulls him into a tight hug. "I'm sorry, kid. Something came up. I'll see you next week though, alright?"

"Alright," Teddy says sadly, eyes on the ground.

"Why don't you go find Victoire and Fred? I'm sure they're excited to see you." 

Teddy fixes Harry with a stubborn glare that could rival Harry's own. "No. I want to know what's going on."

Harry chews his lower lip, clearly at a loss. "It was just a disagreement, Ted." He glances at Ron. "Uncle Ron and I are still friends. There's nothing for you to worry about."

"But now you're leaving!"

"Just for tonight," Harry smiles weakly. "Not forever. I need to go take care of something."

Teddy puts his hands on his hips. "But it's Aunt Ginny's birthday!"

Harry stands, looking helpless and frustrated. "I know."

"Go in the house, Teddy," Draco cuts in, and Teddy turns his pout on him.

"But Dad!"

"Now, Teddy."

"Fine," Teddy sulks, but he trudges in the house and slams the front door.

Draco turns to look at Harry and Ron. "Harry, what—?"

Harry turns his baleful glare on Draco for a long moment before abruptly Apparating away without another word.

Draco looks to Ron for answers, and the other man just lets out a long slow breath, running his hands through his hair.

"What was that?"

"I told her not to say anything," Ron groans. "I told her it would only upset him, but Ginny insisted we say something, and it came across like some kind of bloody intervention, and now he'll never listen to anyone. Merlin, what a mess."

"About...?"

Ron glances over at him, hesitating for a moment before apparently deciding to answer with the complete frankness that Draco has come to appreciate from him.

"Fucking Derek. Have you met him?" Draco shakes his head. "The guys a complete arse, Draco. And according to Ginny, he has a reputation in the professional Quidditch Leagues for fucking just about anything that moves, including Harry's ex. You remember Oliver Wood? Harry says he doesn't care about that, that they have an open relationship or whatever, but..."

"That doesn't seem like something that would make Harry happy?" Draco asks with a wry smile.

Ron shrugs. "Yeah."

"That's what I said."

"Oh," Ron's eyes widen. "Oh. So that's what he meant by..."

"'I don't care what you or anyone else thinks?' Yes, I'm quite sure he meant me."

"I thought he just meant Ginny and everyone, but I wondered why...well, I would have thought, of all people, he'd listen to you," Ron sighs. "We'd better get in there. It is a party, after all."

"Harry Potter doesn't listen to anyone," Draco rolls his eyes.

"Not when he gets in a mood like this," Ron agrees. "He can be a bloody idiot sometimes."

"I won't disagree with you there," Draco hears the bitterness in his tone, notices the sympathetic look that Ron slants over at him, but tries to ignore both. "You're right, we'd better get in the house."

Ginny has her head in her hands when they walk in the kitchen, a concerned-looking Dean hovering beside her.

She looks up when Draco and Ron walk in. "How bad was it?"

"He left," Ron sighs.

"I hate admitting when you're right," Ginny sniffles, wiping at her eyes with a hand. "But you were right."

"Someone get a Pensieve!" Ron cries dramatically. "She's admitted it, for once! We need to remember this moment forever!"

That draws a laugh out of her, as intended. She glances over at Draco and tilts her head.

"Are you okay, Draco?"

"Ah," Ron answers for him, to Draco's relief. "Apparently you and I aren't the only ones to criticize Harry's current relationship and end up on his bad side."

"I didn't think you and Harry ever fought," Dean comments, looking curiously at Draco.

"I would have thought he would have listened to you, of all people," Ginny says, her brow creasing.

"That's what I said!" Ron crows.

Draco shrugs and forces something vaguely resembling a smile. "Apparently we do, and apparently not."