A Business Affair

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Chapter Fifteen: A Dangerous Engagement


Harry awoke the next morning earlier than usual. He glanced quickly at Ginny, who was still asleep. She was sprawled over the covers. He shuddered in disgust at her form and turned away.

He padded into the kitchen and made himself a cup of coffee. He sipped it slowly, watching as the sun climbed into the sky shining bright rays of light into the small kitchen.

Harry set down his cup and walked into the living room. As he looked around it, he realized he hated this apartment. He hated the smallness of it all. It was too cramped.

Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do. He sighed as he went into the bedroom to change. He was very quiet so as not to wake Ginny. He tiptoed around the bed, pulling on a pair of jeans and a sweater.

Lately, the weather had turned from sunny autumn afternoons to crisp winter mornings. Harry left the bedroom and went to the coat rack on the door.

He put on his jacket and slipped on his shoes. He gave the tiny apartment one last fleeting look before leaving it. He walked down the stairs and out the front door. The doorman greeted him as always. Harry gave him a small smile but disregarded his greetings otherwise.

He walked down the street and around the corner. He looked around quickly before Apparating to the Quidditch Pitch. When he arrived there, he realized that he was an entire hour early for practice.

He walked slowly into the pitch. It was completely empty. No one was there yet. Harry breathed in the cool crisp air of the November morning. There was a light frost on the ground as the sun had not completely risen yet.

Harry walked out to the very center of the field and stared up at the sky. It was a dazzling blue, crystal clear with not a cloud in sight. He let his head roll back on his neck as he stared at the pure blue of the sky.

It didn't last long, though. Soon his gaze was wrenched from the sky and brought back to earth. He sunk to the ground cross-legged and picked at the grass surrounding him.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I can do this, he thought firmly. He swallowed the lump in his throat and stared at the icy grass.

I can do it. I have to do this. I can...

Harry bit his lip nervously as he picked at the grass. He rolled a blade around his fingers, feeling the frost melt from the warmth of his hand.

I can't do this, he thought desperately. I can't. It's too wrong.

He dropped the blade of grass and put his head in his hands. His elbows rested on his knees as he sat in the middle of the pitch. He shook his head despairingly and groaned out loud.

You have to do this, Harry. You have to. You can't let Ginny get away with this. She doesn't even care! She doesn't deserve you. You deserve better. You have to do this!

Harry resigned himself to this fact but didn't raise his face. Soon he heard footsteps coming towards him on the pitch. His head snapped up and he let out a sigh of relief as he saw Wood coming toward him.

Harry didn't get up as Wood neared him.

Wood came up next to him and looked down. "What are you doing here so early, Harry?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing," Harry replied, once again picking at the blades of grass on the ground.

"Yeah," Wood sighed in agreement. He paused for a moment, watching Harry fiddle with the grass. He started to say something but stopped himself.

Harry looked up at him and gave him a questioning glance. "Everything okay?" he asked.

"I--I'm having tryouts today after practice," Wood said finally.

"Oh," Harry said slowly as comprehension dawned. "Do you want me to stay?" he asked hopefully.

"No, this is just a preliminary. If I find anyone decent, they'll come play with the team later," Wood said sadly.

"Oh," he said shortly.

Wood sighed loudly and heavily. "Come on, Harry. It's time to get ready for practice."

Harry pushed himself off the grass very unwillingly and followed Wood to the changing rooms. He changed into his Quidditch things silently. Wood disappeared into his office and Harry didn't see him for a while after that until it came time to start.

The rest of the team filtered in slowly. They exchanged hello's with Harry and went about changing into their uniforms as well. Harry watched as they did so. They didn't have a care in the world, lucky them. He wished he could be like them, carefree, happy.

Unfortunately, things had taken strange turns in his life, things he couldn't control. It's not as if he wanted his life to turn out this way. But it wasn't like he'd had any choice in the matter either.

He had loved Ginny when he had married her. He had waited for her, gone through the entire war without doing anything with anyone. He had loved her, and he had thought that she loved him too. Maybe he had been wrong. Maybe she only liked him for his fame.

Harry sighed, he had made himself even more depressed than he already was. The rest of the team was leaving to the pitch and Harry followed. He immediately scanned the stands for the gleaming white-blonde hair but saw none. Draco had not come to the practice that day.

Harry felt a wave of relief wash over him as he realized Draco wasn't there. He mounted his broom and soared off around the stadium. The practice went fairly smoothly. Without Draco there, the team seemed to fly better.

Wood was actually pleased when the practice ended and told them they had done a good job. He shooed them off to the changing rooms so he could get ready for the oncoming trials. Harry walked back slowly, kicking a pebble along the ground.

He turned back when he heard voices on the pitch. There was Draco Malfoy talking to Wood. Harry's heart nearly jumped into his throat as he watched them. He scurried quickly behind a tree to watch them. Draco appeared to be talking seriously with Wood.

Harry's furrowed his eyebrows as Wood nodded to him, looking thoughtful. Harry didn't understand what was going on. Draco hadn't been at the practice! Harry would have seen him. While he was pondering these thoughts, Draco nodded to Wood politely and turned in Harry's direction.

Harry silently panicked and hid himself further behind the tree. What am I doing? he thought. I shouldn't be scared of him. He steeled himself and stepped out from behind the tree just as Draco passed it.

"Malfoy," he said commandingly.

Draco stopped and turned around slowly. He had a smirk on his face as always and an eyebrow raised. "Potter," he drawled in greeting. Harry didn't know what else to say after that. He hadn't really prepared anything.

"Did you watch the whole practice?" he asked finally when it became apparent that Draco was waiting for him to say more.

"Yes," Draco said thoughtfully. "Turns out this wasn't a complete waste of time and money after all."

"It's a good team," Harry said angrily.

"They don't seem to fly like it," Draco drawled condescendingly.

Harry narrowed his eyes at him. "That's because you intimidate them!" he exclaimed.

Draco didn't respond to his outburst. He merely shrugged and picked at his fingernails as if he was bored with the conversation. "Intimidation is a gift, Potter. You should learn how to use it."

"It is not a gift," Harry said in disgust. "It's manipulation at its finest; something to use to scare people, to degrade them to get what you want. That is not a gift."

"I disagree, Potter," Draco said calmly. "Intimidation can be a very useful tool if you know what I mean." He raised his eyebrows suggestively at Harry, who scowled.

"Useful maybe, but underhanded and wrong," Harry said angrily. He was distracted from Draco as he saw figures walking onto the pitch. His gaze followed about ten or so people as they walked on the field holding broomsticks.

Draco moved closer to Harry without his noticing, also watching the players. He smirked as he watched Wood pacing up and down the row of potential Chasers.

"Worried about your team?" Draco asked in mock sympathy very close to Harry's ear.

Harry nearly jumped at the sound. He instinctively moved away from Draco. "This is your fault," he said. "We didn't need new Chasers."

"Yes, you did," Draco said simply. "Their flying was not up to the level of the other players. You need Chasers who compliment the rest of the team, not need support from them."

Harry gaped at Draco as he spoke. He had never imagined that Draco would have a valid reason for firing them. Draco seemed to have decided that he was done there and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Harry called after him then grimaced as he stopped. He took a slow breath to calm himself and stepped forward toward Draco.

"What?" Draco asked suspiciously.

Harry didn't respond for a second, trying to gather up the courage to do what he meant to.

Do it! his inner voice yelled.

"Malfoy, I--I wanted to a-ask you something," Harry stuttered.

"Really?" Draco drawled interestedly.

"Yes," Harry said, coming to a decision.

"And that would be?" Draco asked, growing impatient.

"I...I..." Harry said, unable to communicate his idea clearly.

"I what?" Draco asked impatiently.

Harry took a deep breath and looked Draco straight in the eye. "I want to do something," he said nervously.

"Do something?" Draco repeated mockingly. "What the hell does that mean?"

"You know what I mean," Harry said quietly.

An evil smirk broke out onto Draco's face as he watched Harry, who was avoiding his eyes now. "But don't you have the perfect marriage?"

"I just want to... try something new," Harry said tentatively.

Draco chuckled darkly and Harry's eyebrows furrowed. "New..." he repeated slowly. He advanced slowly on Harry and he backed away nervously, stopping as he bumped into the tree he had been hiding behind. When Draco was only inches from Harry, he raised scheming eyebrow. "And what's in it for me?" he whispered.

"You?" Harry asked dumbly.

Draco licked his lips, pleased as Harry's eyes followed its path. He leaned in closer to Harry and kissed his jaw lightly. "Yes, Potter. Me," he said, licking a trail up Harry's jaw, enjoying the shiver that ran from the raven-haired man. He moved back and looked into Harry's lust and fear-filled eyes.

"I-I don't know," Harry stuttered. He hadn't thought about that. He had only been concentrated on getting his revenge.

"I'm sure I can find something," Draco whispered, moving so that his lips were nearly touching Harry's. Harry's breathing was labored as Draco moved closer, almost kissing him. He opened his mouth slightly and their breath intermingled. Harry's eyes drifted shut as he anticipated what would come.

Draco licked his lips hungrily and moved in for the kill. He was centimeters away when a loud whistle screamed through the air and Draco stopped. Harry's eyes flew open and Draco backed away, looking toward the field.

The tryouts had ended and the potential players were coming toward the changing room. Draco gave Harry one last fleeting smirk as the people thundered toward them.

"See you around, Potter," he said. In a Pop, he was gone. Harry let out a breath and quickly moved to the other side of the tree as the people came past. He closed his eyes as they passed, hoping to God he had not just ruined his life.

***

"Pansy?" A tentative voice crept in through the open front door.

Pansy looked up from the couch and her eyes narrowed as she saw who it was. "Yes?" she asked dangerously. The door creaked open and closed behind the person.

Her eyes were fixed on the intruder as he came nervously into the house. "What do you want?" she asked acidly.

"I--I wanted to talk to you," the voice said timidly and Pansy scoffed. "And to apologize."

Pansy's looked taken aback for half a second before she sneered. "Like I'm going to accept your apology."

"Pansy, please," the voice pleaded. "I really mean it. I didn't mean to say those things about Malfoy."

Pansy huffed and turned her nose up at the person standing awkwardly in the living room.

"Please, I understand what you meant now. He's not a bad guy, I know."

"Sure, now you agree with me," she replied scathingly.

"No really, I believe what you said. Things have changed since we were in school. He's not a Death Eater anymore. Please, Pansy, I'm sorry."

Pansy's eyes were still narrowed as she sat haughtily on the couch. "I don't trust you," she said, losing her cold facade for a second and a hint of hurt showing in her voice. The figure moved closer to her, but she recoiled and he stopped.

"Pansy, I'm sorry," the voice said pleadingly.

"How do I know?" she asked quietly. There was a pause and no one said anything.

"I don't know," the man said finally. "But I do understand what you meant. Malfoy isn't all bad, and you were right. I shouldn't still be keeping a school yard grudge."

Pansy sat on the couch in deep contemplation. Finally, she looked up at the figure, a resolved look on her face. "And you won't say anything more bad against him?" she asked suspiciously, searching the eyes of her companion.

"I can't guarantee it, but I'll try."

Pansy rose slowly from the couch and walked cautiously toward the man standing in her living room.

"Alright. I'll give you one more chance, and if you don't behave, I'll turn you into a goon," she said seriously.

The man gulped, hoping she didn't have her wand on her. "S-so you forgive me?" he asked hopefully.

"Yes, but you better not say anything more against Draco. He is a good person." Deep down, she added silently.

"I'll try, I promise."

"Good," Pansy replied, then smiled slightly. "Now get over here."

She led the way toward the bedroom, frowning slightly. If all went according to Draco's plan, her little friend would have plenty to say on the subject and there was no way she could stop him.


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A/N: We're finally getting somewhere :) Please review!