A Business Affair

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Chapter six: Humble Pie

"Harry, pay attention!"

"Huh?" Harry asked and looked up. His eyes widened fear as he saw a Bludger careening towards him. He swerved out of the way just in time.

"Harry, get your head out of the clouds!" Wood called as he whooshed past on his broom, monitoring the practice.

Harry sighed and zoomed away towards the other end of the pitch to continue searching for the elusive Snitch. Harry had been thinking back to another fight he'd had with Ginny recently. It really hadn't been about anything important, but, as usual, it had escalated.

::FLASHBACK::

"Harry, I wish you wouldn't leave your broom by the door. How hard is it to stick it in the closet when you get home?" Ginny asked, annoyed.

She was standing in the entrance to the living room while Harry took off his shoes. He rolled his eyes at his shoes before looking up at his wife. "I'm sorry," he said, exasperated. "I'm just really tired after practices and I forget."

"You seem to be forgetting things a lot lately," Ginny said suspiciously.

"You knew I was forgetful when we got married."

"Not this bad," she said.

"Well, I'm sorry if I'm not as 'on point' as you are," Harry said sarcastically.

"Don't use that tone with me," Ginny said, firing up. Harry sighed, knowing he'd enraged the beast. "And don't you sigh either! You started this."

"I did not start anything!" Harry exclaimed, insulted that she would say that. "You're the one who nit picks every single thing I do!"

"I don't nit pick," Ginny said scathingly, glaring at Harry.

"Oh, sure you don't," Harry said sarcastically, standing up from the couch. "Just my clothes, my food, work, my personality!"

"I am not that bad."

"Yes, you are! I don't understand why you have to do this!" Harry exclaimed and Ginny's eyes narrowed.

"You listen to me, Harry James Potter," Ginny said dangerously and Harry scoffed. "I am your wife. I'm just trying to help you."

"Help me?!" Harry repeated incredulously. "You don't help me, you make me feel like I'm an idiot. Is that your goal in life, Ginny?"

"No, Harry! You just act like a child all the time. I feel like I'm a mother, and we don't even have kids!"

"I do not act like a child. I am more grown up than you will ever be." Then Harry stormed out of the living room and into the bedroom, slamming the door and setting a special Locking Charm.

::END FLASHBACK::

Harry landed back on the ground, with a little more force than he meant to and staggered slightly. He took a deep breath and let it out, trying to calm the emotions that had welled up at the memory.

He couldn't believe Ginny had accused him of being childish. He had never even had a real childhood. What one would consider a childhood, he had spent being beaten up by Dudley and terrorized by thoughts of Voldemort.

It wasn't his fault he'd never had the chance to be a real kid. How dare she accuse him of that?

"What in the hell were you doing up there, Potter?"

Harry looked up sharply at Draco's voice. While he'd been standing there musing, the rest of the team had left for the locker rooms. He'd been left alone with Draco, who'd come once again to watch the practice, having not attended any in the last week.

"Shit," Harry cursed to himself.

"What was that?" Draco asked.

"Nothing, fuck off, Malfoy," Harry sneered, wishing he would just leave him alone.

"Well, well, Potter. You seem to have lost your wit along with your balls," Draco drawled and Harry spun around to glare at him.

"Why the fuck are you so interested in my marriage?" Harry growled, his fists clenching, willing himself not to punch the blond man.

"I'm not," Draco shrugged. "It's just a very entertaining subject." He said this while smirking in an evil way.

"Stay the hell out of my life!" Harry yelled.

"Oh, I intend to. Wouldn't want to be involved with the Weaselette in any way more than necessary, or any way for that matter."

"Ginny's fine. My marriage is fine." Harry knew it was a lie before all the words had even come out of his mouth.

Draco laughed derisively at that and Harry scowled. "Fine? If it was fine, you wouldn't be spacing out in the middle of a match, almost getting your head cracked open by a bludger."

"It's none of your business," Harry growled.

"I beg to differ. If the star player can't even keep his attention on the match, then it is my business. Just fix whatever problem you have and focus."

"If it was that easy, don't you think I would have done it already?" Harry asked sarcastically. He couldn't believe he was still talking to Draco Malfoy. He should have left a long time ago.

"I don't give a damn what your problem is, Potter. And I don't care how you fix it. Do whatever is necessary. Lie if need be."

"I don't want to lie to Ginny," Harry said stubbornly.

Draco then muttered something that sounded oddly like, "Bloody Gryffindors."

"I don't care, Potter. Just fix it, and fix it fast." Then Draco turned and walked off the pitch. Harry stared after him. For a second there, it had almost sounded like Draco was being sympathetic to Harry.

No, that's not possible, Harry told himself. He let go of the thought and also left the pitch to change.

***

"I think I have a problem."

"What did you say?"

"Problem."

"No, you said you had one??"

"Blaise," Draco growled warningly.

They were sitting in the living room of Hermione's and Blaise's house. The sun was streaming in through the big windows facing the front porch where Azalea’s grew, overflowing their pots. The sun flooded into the room, bathing it in a warm afternoon glow.

Blaise sat in an armchair, facing Draco who relaxing in the couch across from him. Little Jamie and his mother were gone for the day, off to Paris for some story Hermione was working on.

"Alright, alright. So you have a problem," Blaise said, deciding to be serious.

"Yes," Draco said huffily, annoyed at his friend's former attitude.

"And it would be...?" Blaise asked searchingly.

"Potter."

"What?"

Draco sighed in annoyance. "Pansy said something to me and it got me thinking." He paused as Blaise appeared to look shocked. "Yes, Pansy is actually quite intelligent. You learn that after being married to her for three years. Anyway, she mentioned that I ought to find someone new."

Blaise didn't say anything for a moment, taking it all in. Finally, he looked at Draco. "So you found someone?" he asked, confused.

"No, that's the problem. Ever since she told me that, I can't help noticing Potter, which is driving me insane!"

"I can see why," Blaise said consolingly.

"Yes, and he's so annoying. Did you know, he hasn't changed at all since school?"

"Oh, I know it," Blaise said in annoyance. "He's over here all the time. I mean, I get that he's Hermione's friend and all, but shouldn't he be at home, at least trying to fix his marriage?"

"That too, he doesn't like me discussing it," Draco said while snickering.

"Then naturally you take all advantages."

"What else would I do?"

"Well then, why is Potter the problem again?" Blaise asked, confused.

Draco sighed. "Because Pansy made me notice him!"

"I don't understand."

"Whenever I look at him, it's like I can't stop. She did something to me," Draco said darkly.

Blaise just rolled his eyes at his friend. "She didn't do anything," he said consolingly. "Sounds to me like someone has a crush..."

Draco turned to Blaise with a look of absolute disgust on his face. "That is the most disgusting thing I have ever heard in my life."

Blaise shrugged. "Just going off what you're telling me."

"I didn't say anything about liking Potter. I hate him and all his self-righteous preaching and his perfect stature. He is infuriating!"

"Okay, maybe you don't like him, but you're noticing him," Blaise said as though it was obvious.

"I know, Blaise," Draco drawled, giving him a withering stare.

"What are you noticing about him?" Blaise asked, determined to get some kind of information out of him.

"I don't know, it just seems like he's everywhere all the time. He's just so bothersome."

Blaise sighed and shook his head. They were getting nowhere. Obviously, Draco was not ready to admit he had any kind of attraction to Potter yet.

"Well, I'd just see where it goes," Blaise counseled him.

"I don't want to see where it goes," Draco grumbled.

***

"Where have you been?"

Here we go again...

Harry grimaced as he shut the front door. He walked into the kitchen where Ginny sat at the counter with a cup of tea. Her hands were folded around the cup as she looked intently at him, awaiting his answer.

"I was just getting a drink with Ron," Harry answered, moving to get a bottle of water from the fridge. He opened it and took a quick drink. He screwed the cap back on and set it down on the counter.

"Why didn't you tell me where you went?" Ginny asked with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Why do you need to know where I am all the time? It's not like I'm cheating on you or something."

"I know, but I don't like not knowing where you are."

"I was with your brother, you know, my best friend?" Harry said, annoyed.

"Next time, just tell me where you are!"

"You're not my keeper," Harry said grudgingly.

"It sure feels like it sometimes," Ginny said, growing angry.

"I'm not a dog, okay?! You can't control me no matter how hard you try," Harry said angrily.

"I'm not controlling you! I'm simply asking for you to tell me what you're doing!"

"But why?! Why do you need to know? Do you not trust me?"

"We've already been through this."

"Yes, and remember how well it turned out last time?" Harry said scathingly.

"Harry, I just want to know where you are, is that a crime?" Ginny asked sarcastically.

"It is when you treat me like a criminal!" Harry retorted.

"Well, that's not necessarily untrue," Ginny muttered.

Harry's eyes narrowed as he heard the comment. "I can't believe you. I don't understand you sometimes," he said, scowling.

"I thought that was the beauty of wives," Ginny said with a sarcastic smile.

"There is no beauty in wives," Harry sneered back at her. Without waiting for a response, he stormed out of the flat.


~~**~~


A/N: Well, It's picking up, and will definitely pick up in the next chap ;)
Ahem, just thought I'd mention, poor AFF is falling behind on reviews of this fic, about 30 behind the other sites. It's so sad...

Make it up and review!