Apples and Oranges [Drarry] ✔

Chapter 7: Hot and Bothered

"I believe that it wouldn't have been morally wrong to lie to myself, and to him, in this context, but it would have been futile. There was absolutely no denying that everything about the image before me was gorgeous. Arresting. Breath-taking.

Frankly, even just the sight of his bared forearms would have been enough to... arouse interest.

But thankfully, I possessed incredible amounts of restraint. I didn't stare at him even for a moment. I might have sneaked glances at him from time to time – to check for his progress, of course, but it wasn't like I was alone in my... curiosity."

– Apples and Oranges by Francis Gallagher

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Harry,

Thank you so very much for Granger's address – I believe this avenue of contact will be incredibly productive, but! if Weasley – the husband, but also any of the others – comes to get my head for this correspondence, I shall turn them around and send them your way promptly, as you are, after all, the enabler of this unlikely alliance.

I also want to thank you for the copy of the Zyther Codex. I have my own, of course, and I've read it and made extensive notes on the content, but it has been a while since then and I've been meaning to reread it lately. It will prove valuable in whatever mess of a debate Granger and I end up in, doubtlessly. and save me from having to deal with my mother haunting the library.

Regarding the pottery workshop – of course I'm in and next weekend sounds great even though it seems that these days you are all for monopolising my attention. Do you have a brochure? Or contact information? Have you contacted them yet? A potter workshop in Birmingham is rather vague and even though I trust you not to get us involved in a human trafficking scheme, I would like to know what exactly you're getting us into for once. Send it over when you have the time.

Still not yours,

Draco

P. S.: If you and Granger need any help with the reorganisation and categorisation of the library, let me know and I'll try to stop by. I'm sure another set of hands wouldn't hurt.

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The next weekend they meet about two blocks from the pottery studio where they're due in twenty minutes. Harry scoured the area and found a café where they could grab coffee to go – since it is still a Saturday morning – and walk to the studio to wake up before diving into the whole thing.

They're walking leisurely, in a comfortable silence, when Harry remembers he wanted to bring something up, something that would be clumsy to talk about through letters.

"Andromeda mentioned the other day that you mentioned me when you visited Teddy," he says even though it's only a partial truth. In reality, Andromeda implied that Draco appeared a bit obsessed with him, but Harry doesn't want to touch that can of worms no more than he wants to touch the frequency of his own thoughts straying to Draco these days.

"It's the one topic Edward and I can find common ground on since Andromeda doesn't like quidditch fanaticism in the house," Draco explains with a shrug.

Harry snorts. That he is familiar with. "Tell me about it... I didn't know you two kept in touch."

"It's not a regular thing," Draco responds with another shrug. His eyes are fixed on his coffee, determined not to meet Harry's. "I only met her like three years ago? And it's been a rocky relationship since then. I mean, I am her nephew, and Teddy's my cousin but... She and Mother haven't been in touch for too long for Andromeda to just greet me with open arms. Teddy likes me so that helps a bit. So we're working on it."