𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐃𝐎𝐌

Chapter 14

After breakfast the following morning, Harry and Draco decided since it was Sunday that they’d work on the gazebo all day. It was almost nearing completion. The rafters were erected already and all that was left to do was attach the side railings, the ornate scrollwork in the corners between the supports holding the roof, the shingling of the roof, and some sanding and painting. The more complete it became, the more excited the boys were to finally finish it after several weeks of work.

They worked all morning and the breakfast had quickly worn off and they were both famished. Since it was Sunday, the lunch and evening meal was combined and served around six in the afternoon. It was only around two now.

“Let’s go to the kitchens and we can get something there from the houselves,” Draco said as they made their way up the steps into the Great Hall. Harry nodded his agreement. They stepped up to the portrait, tickled the pear there and stepped inside the kitchen. The room smelled of hot bread baking, fresh fruit and a hint of cinnamon. Dobby greeted them and quickly made away to get a few sandwiches when they asked for them.

Harry absently strolled over and was looking thru the canned goods all stacked neatly on a shelf. He eyed something and smiled. He picked the jar from the shelf, turned the lid. When the lid gave a little pop, he opened the jar and dug his fingers in to pick out one juicy slice of peach and stuck it into his mouth and he savored the sweet fruit and closed his eyes.

“Oh my god, Potter. You are a complete slob. That’s disgusting,” Draco recounted.

“Mmmm. These are great. At the Dursleys Dudley would always steal my peaches right off my plate. I always loved them. Here, want one?” Harry held up the jar to Draco who wrinkled his nose.

“I happen to like peaches, but you could use a fork like a civilized human,” Draco looked around the for the appropriate utensil.

“Nah, it’s much better to just eat them with your fingers. Here…” Harry dug a peach slice out of the jar with his fingers and held it up to Draco who narrowed his eyes and took the peach in his mouth taking Harry’s fingers also. Draco sucked Harry’s fingers of the juice pulling Harry’s fingers slightly forward with the suction taking every drop of juice that was on them before pulling away to finish chewing slowly on the peach.

Harry just stared at Draco in some form of trance. “Oh god, that was almost sexual the way you did that.”

“Of course it was. I meant it to be,” Draco teased nonchalantly. “It was flirting, you idiot. Surely you’ve flirted with others before.” Noting Harry’s shrug, Draco just looked up at the ceiling and back to the boy. “You haven’t. Of course, why should this surprise me. You are much more innocent than I would have ever guessed.”

While the two ate peaches and grilled cheese sandwiches in the kitchen floor on a Sunday afternoon, Draco gave lessons on flirting and further behavior to his chaste disciple. The worldly blond told Harry of body language and ways to read and display it. Harry was a quick study at the art.

Harry always knew that Draco had an uncanny ability to read people and he was very versed in the subject. Draco explained that his father had taught him the skill of intuitively knowing others to insure the ease of their manipulation.

“Know thy enemy, Potter,” Draco said dryly.

When the snacks were finished, Harry gave all the houselves his thanks for their fine service at which they bowed frantically offering their unwavering service as the pair left the kitchens.

“You don’t have to thank them, Harry. They work here. It’s their job as servants to the students and staff,” Draco simply stated.

“It’s politeness. They took time from whatever they were doing, to serve us. And kindness, Draco, is always repaid,” Harry said softly walking along side him thru the corridor.