Apples and Oranges [Drarry] ✔

Chapter 16: Bells and Whistles

"I kept replaying that scene in my head – that perfect idyllic little fantasy come to life: a crackling fireplace, the scent of tea and cinnamon in the air, my cat sleeping on the floor next to the most comfortable sofa in the world, the sofa I am sprawled on, with him, cuddling under a blanket, intermittent make out sessions when we don't feel too lazy to move our heads half an inch this way or that for our lips to catch.

Sleep is creeping in. His arms around me are an anchor to the real world. He whispers that he loves me, and I let myself fall asleep because my reality is no different from dreams."

– Apples and Oranges by Francis Gallagher

_____

"Do you know where my belt is?" Harry asks, walking into the kitchen in socks and jeans, which he keeps pulling up to stay on his hips, and nothing more. Draco looks up from a magazine he's lazily flipping through while waiting for tea to steep – the bastard has been ready for twenty minutes already and Harry has no idea how (well, it might have to do with the fact that Draco did start getting ready a full hour before him while Harry ignored any and all prompts for himself to do the same).

"Have you checked under the bed?" Draco suggests just as a low roar pierces the air. They both turn to see a tiny shower of sparks on the kitchen counter. Draco pets a line down the back of the dragon timer and then takes out the tea filter from the teapot.

"Of course I checked under the bed," Harry says, rolling his eyes. He walks to Draco and plasters himself to his side while Draco makes tea. He pours them both a cup, adds milk and sugar to one and only a dash of milk to the other. He hands Harry the milk-only one, served in a very familiar blue mug.

"I thought I gave this to you," Harry says, taking a sip and leaning into his boyfriend.

"Bring the one I gave to you here so it can actually get some use, and then we can do this correctly," Draco replies with a shrug and a pointed sip of tea. Harry tries not to laugh. He cups Draco's cheek and they kiss softly, but it takes only a moment of inattention for his jeans to slip again. He spreads his legs quickly to catch them on his thighs, but the moment is broken. One glance at Draco and then they're both cackling.

"Merlin, Potter, you're useless."

Harry puts his tea down and pulls his jeans back up. Draco fishes his wand out of his pocket and summons Harry's belt.

"I could've done that," Harry grumbles but Draco only raises an eyebrow. "Okay, I wouldn't have thought of it in a billion years. I'm useless. You're the best boyfriend ever. Thanks very much."

Draco snorts but kisses him despite all of Harry's apparent uselessness. "You're welcome," he says, "now go get ready because I am not risking Weaslette's wrath because you made us late."

"Yes, your majesty," Harry murmurs and steals another kiss. "I'll be down in a pinch – keep my tea warm, yeah?"

"If you insist," Draco sighs with another eyeroll, but Harry can very clearly see fondness written all over his face. He kisses him again and then dashes upstairs to find a shirt to steal.

_____

Ginny's birthday party is barely any calmer than Harry and Neville's despite the fact that the number of people she'd invited is barely a third of theirs. Along with the usual crowd, there's only a couple of people from the Harpies there.

Getting Ginny alone to give her the gift is no easy task though, with the way she effortlessly drifts from one group of people scattered about to another. Eventually, they manage and Draco obligingly resizes their wrapped gift after they've hugged her and wished her the happiest of birthdays and finished with the usual song and dance.