Ship of Theseus (Harry X Draco)

Chapter 6

After Neville's party, Harry started seeing Draco more often. It was as if a seal had been broken, and all their friends stopped bothering to keep them apart.

Harry found he didn't mind as much as he had thought he would; as long as Draco was by himself. The trouble was, he so rarely was.

Clarence came to the Burrow, to Andromeda's, to parties at Ginny's and barbecues at Ron and Hermione's. He talked incessantly, while Draco stood quietly by, like a politician's wife.

"What does Draco even see in him?" he asked, at Ron and Hermione's. "I mean, I am not Draco's biggest fan, but even I know Draco's too smart for him."

"Hmm," said Ron, stroking his chin. "What could Draco possibly see in him? Gee, Harry, I just don't know. Do you think it's his chiselled jaw, or his six pack, or his vast fortune?"

"Be nice," said Hermione.

"Obviously he's good looking," said Harry, "but-"

"Oh, that reminds me, they were in Witch Weekly," said Hermione, pulling out a copy from the pile of magazines on the coffee table and flicking through it. "Here." She handed it to Harry and Ron.

It was a picture from some glitzy society party, the sort Harry always refused to attend. Draco looked arrestingly handsome as he smiled at the camera. Clarence stood behind him, his chin resting on Draco's head, his muscular arms wrapped around Draco's slim body. "A second shot at love", read the caption.

"How are you guys friends with him," said Harry. "Look at this. He's everything we hate about pureblood culture."

"Honestly, shut up," said Ron, taking the magazine to look at the picture. "I'm just glad Draco's found someone who treats him right."

Harry ignored the implied slight.

"Clarence is the least interesting person I've ever met," he said.

"Yeah, well, he makes Draco happy, so he could be a brick wall and I still wouldn't say shit," said Ron.

"Draco doesn't seem happy," said Harry, slouching into his chair. Ron sighed.

"Happier," he said. "Than he's been."

The next day, when Harry got to Andromeda's, Draco was in the nursery with Teddy. For reasons he couldn't quite explain to himself, Harry hovered out of sight instead of going in.

Draco sat in a dinky child's chair opposite Teddy, who pushed forward a bowl full of purple gloop.

"Touch it," said Teddy.

"No, "said Draco.

"Why not?"

"Because! Look at it! It looks like a liver!"

"You touch livers all the time, at St Mungo's," said Teddy.

"They pay me to. Are you going to pay me?"

Teddy crossed his arms and tilted his chin up.

"How much?"

"Hmm, I suppose an annual fee of 20,000 galleons, plus holiday pay." said Draco.

"That's not fair," said Teddy. "It's a one-off."

"Why are you so determined to make me touch it?"

"Because you get so upset," said Teddy, with a grin.

"You're a horrid child, and you'll come to no good," said Draco.

"Just touch it!"

"I dare you," said Teddy, with the triumphant look of a man putting down a winning card in a game of poker.