I object ~slowburn

16| Flourish & Blotts

Draco gave up entirely on the whole baking thing and decided to take Harry out shopping.

Harry looked at him as if he had a third head when he told him what they were going to do.

"I want to get a recipe book," Draco said.

"Why does that require my presence?"

"Because I don't want you to leave me again,"

Draco regretted saying this instantly. Harry looked like he'd been slapped.

"No I didn't mean it like that, Harry I'm sorry," he said quickly.

"It's fine, I get it," Harry mumbled.

"I'm serious I didn't mean it to sound like I don't trust you,"

"Well you shouldn't trust me anyways, hell I don't even trust myself," he kicked the gravel in the driveway. Draco's heart melted at the raw deprecation in his tone.

Harry was this fantastic person that was great at doing things but never wanted to admit it. Draco was used to people throwing their abilities into his face and Harry was this breath of fresh air. He cared so deeply for his friends and would do anything for them, he had such strong loyalty to those he loved and yet he didn't think he was worth anything.

How was that possible?

How could he be so oblivious to the person that he was?

Harry was so convinced he was something else besides wonderful.
It was drilled into his head, creating this distorted image.

Draco was determined to clean up the way he looked at himself. To show him how good he was.

He wasn't quite sure how he would do that but he would manage.

They apparated together to Diagon Alley.
Harry still looked queasy after it but at least he didn't vomit this time.

Harry wasn't one to be dragged around willingly but he found it amusing to see Draco pulling him straight to Flourish and Blotts.

Why was he enjoying this?

Him and Draco had always despised each other.

Wait...

They were starting over, that's right.

Harry watched an enthusiastic Draco flip through just about every book in the cooking section.
He had thought Hermione was the biggest bookworm but Draco was really setting the bar high.

He bit his lip as he scanned the pages, taking in every word and storing it into that head of his.

Harry never noticed how smart Draco was.

That's the thing about misdirected hate; it fogs up your perception.

If only Harry could apply that to himself..
He could be happy.

But as you know, Harry is oblivious to everything under his nose.

Harry was in the midst of wondering just how much knowledge Draco had when he saw the familiar swish of red hair in between the books.

He rushed over to Draco and sort of hid behind him.

"What's the matter- oh," Draco too saw Ginny Weasley.

She was in the Divination section with a couple friends that Harry didn't recognize.
They were giggling.

Her hair was pinned to the side of her head to keep it from sweeping into her eyes, just as Harry remembered it doing all the time.

Harry used to feel all fluttery when he saw her but now all he felt was a flurry of emotions, none of them even remotely close to love.

Unfortunately, Ginny felt someone watching and turned to see Draco Malfoy.

She scrunched her nose in disgust. The man who crashed her wedding was right there before her.

She excused herself from her group and stormed over.

Draco drew himself up taller in front of Harry, like he was going to protect him from a punch. And by the looks of her face, there very well could be some broken noses.

"What are you doing here?" She sneered.

"I didn't realize that recipe shopping was a crime," Draco retorted, his face mirroring the same sneer. After all, he was the ceo of sneers.

Ginny looked around him to see her ex fiancé. She almost gasped at how weak he looked.

"Harry!" She tried to go to him but Draco blocked her.
"Move you filthy-,"

"Ginny I don't want to talk to you," Harry said softly.

Draco didn't know how he wasn't screaming. If he had seen his ex he would be running away or shouting some insults. Luckily, he didn't have an ex to despise.

"Harry please, let me explain," she begged.

Harry just shook his head.

"Okay Harry, have it your way," she snapped and rejoined her little posse.

As opposed to the elation Draco felt at his rejection of the Weaslette, Harry felt numb.

They left the shop shortly after the encounter and now were sitting in the Leaky Cauldron.

Harry stirred his cup of tea (Draco denied him any alcohol).

"Are you okay? You haven't said anything since.. you know," Draco frowned at him.

Harry nodded glumly.

"I thought you didn't love her,"
Draco felt like he was sinking, like he was back to where he was a few months back.

"I don't love her, I never did and I told you that. Seeing her didn't change me," Harry said.

Sweet relief, Draco smiled into his mug.

Harry continued.
"I don't know what I'm feeling but I know it isn't love or infatuation, it's not a bad feeling but it's not great either,"

Both men looked to each other in surprise.

Had Harry just... opened up?