Title: Dinner Talk
Author: Kat ()
Furniture: Dining Table.
Rating: PG
Summary: What could go wrong as flatmates Hermione and Harry invite their boyfriends Ron and Draco over for dinner?
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Hermione Granger asked her flat-mate, Harry Potter, while placing four plates on the dining room table.
"What's the worst that could happen?" he asked, setting the silverware around the table.
"Don't you remember last time?"
"Of course I do, Hermione, but don't you think our boyfriends have learned to tolerate each other a little more by now?"
"I wouldn't be so sure about that."
"At least they cleaned up after themselves."
"Harry, they're twenty-three, they should know better than to let a verbal argument become a food fight."
"It could have been worse," he grinned. "We could have been somewhere other than The Burrow."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Do I have to do this?" Draco Malfoy drawled to Harry as he answered the door.
"Yes," Harry said definitively, before softly kissing the other. "Just think of this as one of those business dinners you always drag me to. You don't want to be there but you have to. Play nice, and in a few hours we can go back to your place."
"We should go now and skip dinner," Draco purred into Harry's ear.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harry nervously led Draco toward the dining room, where he knew Hermione and Ron were waiting for the two of them.
The silence hit Harry first. The second he entered the room with Draco, conversation stopped. Ron glared slightly at Draco before greeting Harry with a simple hello.
"Good evening Hermione, Weasley," Draco said, bringing out the Malfoy charm. He kissed Hermione on the cheek, then sat down across from Harry.
An awkward silence ensued throughout the dining room, and the conversation that did occur was quite obviously forced.
By the time dessert was served, the silence had become more than Harry could bear.
"So, I've decided to sign the contract the Magpies sent."
Ron dropped his spoon, Hermione gasped, and Draco glared in a manner that would impress Professor Snape.
"You what?" Draco hissed.
"Well, I looked over the contract and I cant find any reason to turn down the offer. Of course, I'll travel more than I do right now, but not too much."
"Not too much. Harry, you'll be gone more. Much more."
"But we talked about this, Draco, I told you if the opportunity to play professional Quidditch came again I would take it. You know how much I miss playing."
"I thought Madam Pomfrey said you couldn't play anymore?" Hermione asked rationally.
"No, she said he couldn't play for at least three years and he'd probably need a couple years of reconditioning if he wanted to play professionally. It's been five years since the incident," Ron answered, before adding, "Congratulations mate."
"I can't believe you didn't tell me first," Draco said, still upset.
"Ron, maybe we should leave the two of them alone," Hermione interjected.
"I'm sorry, I didn't think you were going to react this way," Harry said, after Hermione and Ron had left the room.
"How am I supposed to act? We just decided two days ago we're finally going to move in together, then you tell me you signed the contract."
"I haven't signed it yet, I'm going to sign it."
"And that makes all the difference?"
"Yes. If it's that big of a deal I don't have to sign it. I can stay here."
"Then someday you'll accuse me of being the reason you never played Quidditch again."
Harry sighed. "What do you want me to do, Draco? Do you want me to stay here in a job that I hate, or do you want me to pursue what I've wanted to do for quite some time?"
"I want you to talk to me about it before you make the decision. I want to know ahead of time that my partner is thinking about switching careers. I don't want it sprung on me in the middle of an unpleasant dinner. You told me you hadn't even thought about the contract since it was sent to you. You told me you were probably going to find a new job here."
"I was, it's just something I don't think I can do, though. I want to know what would happen if I took this chance. I want to be able to take this chance. I don't want to have to wonder if. I want to know. But I want you to be by my side while I do this."
"How can I be by your side if you're never going to be here?"
"Most of the time I would be home. We can still find a place together and you can come to all of my games."
"This is going to change everything."
"Since when is change a bad thing?"
Draco only stared into Harry's eyes, thinking over everything that had just been said.
"I don't want to fight about this," Harry said.
"Then let's not talk about this anymore tonight."
"Okay," Harry smiled, reaching across the table for Draco's hand.
"Let's go back to my place, and we can talk about this more tomorrow."
"I'll let Hermione and Ron know we're leaving," Harry replied, pushing his chair away from the dining room table.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I told you it wouldn't be that bad, that's the best the two of them have ever gotten on," Harry said to Hermione the next morning at breakfast.
Hermione sighed, replying, "What is it with you gay men and drama?"