Hiding From Responsibility
Title: Hiding From Responsibility
Author: enchanted_jae
Characters: Draco, Harry, ofc
Rating: PG
Warning(s): Mild angst
Word count: 960
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This fic/drabble was written for fun, not for profit.
Written for: Birthday gift for twistedm who asked for a sequel to Hiding from the Truth
Summary: Draco is invited to dinner, but not by Potter.
"I became a cold-hearted bastard when you walked out on me."
Draco met Potter's anger with his own. "Don't you dare lay the blame for that on me," he snapped. "Step up and shoulder your share of the responsibility."
"Go home, Malfoy."
To Draco, hearing that was worse than if Potter had ordered him to get out. 'Get out' was temporary. 'Go home' seemed a lot more permanent. Draco, however, wasn't done. Not by a long shot. He took a half step closer to Potter, mentally preparing himself for battle.
The situation deescalated when there was a knock at the door. Potter sidled past Draco and moved towards the door. "Go. Now," he ordered over his shoulder.
Draco crossed his arms and glared.
There was a second knock at the door. "Hank? Are you home?"
Potter went to the door and opened it, admitting a young woman. She was plump and pretty with a generous bosom and an even more generous smile. Her smile faltered when she saw Draco.
"Oh! I'm sorry, sugar. I didn't know you had company."
"He was just leaving," said Potter, aiming a scowl at Draco over the woman's head.
"I was hoping to be invited for dinner," said Draco.
"Well now, don't you sound all proper and royal," said the woman. Her easy smile took any sting out of the words. "I hope you like blondies."
Since the woman was a ginger, Draco was confused. "Pardon?"
"I own the bakeshop across the street," she explained. "I brought Hank some leftover blondies. They're like a brownie but without the chocolate. I'm Liz, by the way."
Draco nodded politely and opened his mouth to introduce himself.
"This is Drake Black," said Potter. "And, as I said, he was leaving."
"Oh honey, you can't throw him out without feeding him at least," said Liz. "He looks like he could use a good meal."
Draco allowed himself a tiny, smug grin. "I'd like to try a blondie, as well." He fancied he could hear Potter's teeth grinding.
"Since you brought dessert, Liz, I insist you stay for dinner as well," said Potter. "I made more than enough for three."
Liz glanced between the two of them. "If you're sure I'm not interruptin' anything."
"Not at all," Potter responded. Draco wisely kept his mouth shut.
So it was that Draco found himself sitting down to a simple repast of spaghetti and bread sticks with Potter and his friend, Liz. Potter seemed determined to ignore him, asking Liz about her day and if she had anything planned for future specials at the bakeshop. She answered his questions but kept glancing Draco's way as if sensing he was being snubbed.
Draco dabbed his mouth with a paper napkin. "How do you two know one another, apart from having neighboring businesses?" Potter had always had a thing for gingers, and if he had a lover in his life, Draco wanted to know about it.
"I live in the other apartment across the hall," Liz replied. "It's great for me. Hank keeps the rent affordable, and I don't have to drive to work. What about you, sugar? How do you and Hank know one another?"
Draco darted a glance at Potter and got a glacial glare in return. Draco decided to stick to the basic truth. "We went to school together."
"In England?!" Liz goggled.
"We went to college together," Potter interjected. "He wanted a quality education, which is why he ended up in the U.S."
"Did you take cooking classes like Hank did?"
"Er-"
"He was fascinated with American history, particularly the Revolutionary War. Isn't that right, M...Mr Black?" drawled Potter. "Go on. Tell Liz some of that American history you enjoyed."
Draco's eyes narrowed, but he took up the challenge. Turning to Liz, he said, "I find it a tragedy that angry colonials dumped a load of precious tea in the Boston harbor."
Liz laughed in delight. "Yeah, I can see that getting your proper British panties in a wad. Do you really drink tea all that much?"
"Each and every day," Draco confirmed with a solemn nod.
"The only tea I like is sweet tea," said Liz. "Hank here won't touch the stuff. He likes his coffee, especially in the mornin'. Ain't that right, sugar?"
Potter smiled at her. "You know me so well, Liz."
Their flirtatious banter left Draco feeling irritable.
"So whatcha doin' in town?" asked Liz, attention on Draco once more.
"He came all the way to Houston to ask me for a favor," said Potter. "I was asking him to leave when you showed up and guilted me into feeding him."
Liz's face pinkened. "Oopsie," she said. "Didja at least hear him out?"
"Yes."
"No."
As Draco engaged in a stare-down with Potter, Liz pushed her chair back. "I'm gonna take that as my cue to leave. Hank, I'll see ya in the mornin'. Mr Black...good luck. Hank here may not be a redhead, but he has the temper of one."
"His mum was a redhead," Draco murmured without thinking.
Liz seemed surprised. "She was? Wait. Was? Oh sugar, did you lose your mom? I'm so sorry. I had no idea. Wow. Well, I do believe I've put my foot in it one too many times since I got here. Night, y'all." She all but scampered out of the kitchen, and a moment later, the door banged shut behind her.
Draco turned his attention to Potter. If Potter could cast a wandless Incendio, he was in a spot of trouble. Draco leaned back in a casual pose and said, "I reckon that answers that."
"What are you talking about?"
"I thought Liz might be your lover, but she knows nothing about you, does she?"
Hiding From Life
Author: enchanted_jae
Characters: Draco, Harry, ofc
Rating: PG
Warning(s): Mild angst
Word count: 960
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of JK Rowling, et al. This fic/drabble was written for fun, not for profit.
Written for: Birthday gift for twistedm who asked for a sequel to Hiding from the Truth
Summary: Draco is invited to dinner, but not by Potter.
"I became a cold-hearted bastard when you walked out on me."
Draco met Potter's anger with his own. "Don't you dare lay the blame for that on me," he snapped. "Step up and shoulder your share of the responsibility."
"Go home, Malfoy."
To Draco, hearing that was worse than if Potter had ordered him to get out. 'Get out' was temporary. 'Go home' seemed a lot more permanent. Draco, however, wasn't done. Not by a long shot. He took a half step closer to Potter, mentally preparing himself for battle.
The situation deescalated when there was a knock at the door. Potter sidled past Draco and moved towards the door. "Go. Now," he ordered over his shoulder.
Draco crossed his arms and glared.
There was a second knock at the door. "Hank? Are you home?"
Potter went to the door and opened it, admitting a young woman. She was plump and pretty with a generous bosom and an even more generous smile. Her smile faltered when she saw Draco.
"Oh! I'm sorry, sugar. I didn't know you had company."
"He was just leaving," said Potter, aiming a scowl at Draco over the woman's head.
"I was hoping to be invited for dinner," said Draco.
"Well now, don't you sound all proper and royal," said the woman. Her easy smile took any sting out of the words. "I hope you like blondies."
Since the woman was a ginger, Draco was confused. "Pardon?"
"I own the bakeshop across the street," she explained. "I brought Hank some leftover blondies. They're like a brownie but without the chocolate. I'm Liz, by the way."
Draco nodded politely and opened his mouth to introduce himself.
"This is Drake Black," said Potter. "And, as I said, he was leaving."
"Oh honey, you can't throw him out without feeding him at least," said Liz. "He looks like he could use a good meal."
Draco allowed himself a tiny, smug grin. "I'd like to try a blondie, as well." He fancied he could hear Potter's teeth grinding.
"Since you brought dessert, Liz, I insist you stay for dinner as well," said Potter. "I made more than enough for three."
Liz glanced between the two of them. "If you're sure I'm not interruptin' anything."
"Not at all," Potter responded. Draco wisely kept his mouth shut.
So it was that Draco found himself sitting down to a simple repast of spaghetti and bread sticks with Potter and his friend, Liz. Potter seemed determined to ignore him, asking Liz about her day and if she had anything planned for future specials at the bakeshop. She answered his questions but kept glancing Draco's way as if sensing he was being snubbed.
Draco dabbed his mouth with a paper napkin. "How do you two know one another, apart from having neighboring businesses?" Potter had always had a thing for gingers, and if he had a lover in his life, Draco wanted to know about it.
"I live in the other apartment across the hall," Liz replied. "It's great for me. Hank keeps the rent affordable, and I don't have to drive to work. What about you, sugar? How do you and Hank know one another?"
Draco darted a glance at Potter and got a glacial glare in return. Draco decided to stick to the basic truth. "We went to school together."
"In England?!" Liz goggled.
"We went to college together," Potter interjected. "He wanted a quality education, which is why he ended up in the U.S."
"Did you take cooking classes like Hank did?"
"Er-"
"He was fascinated with American history, particularly the Revolutionary War. Isn't that right, M...Mr Black?" drawled Potter. "Go on. Tell Liz some of that American history you enjoyed."
Draco's eyes narrowed, but he took up the challenge. Turning to Liz, he said, "I find it a tragedy that angry colonials dumped a load of precious tea in the Boston harbor."
Liz laughed in delight. "Yeah, I can see that getting your proper British panties in a wad. Do you really drink tea all that much?"
"Each and every day," Draco confirmed with a solemn nod.
"The only tea I like is sweet tea," said Liz. "Hank here won't touch the stuff. He likes his coffee, especially in the mornin'. Ain't that right, sugar?"
Potter smiled at her. "You know me so well, Liz."
Their flirtatious banter left Draco feeling irritable.
"So whatcha doin' in town?" asked Liz, attention on Draco once more.
"He came all the way to Houston to ask me for a favor," said Potter. "I was asking him to leave when you showed up and guilted me into feeding him."
Liz's face pinkened. "Oopsie," she said. "Didja at least hear him out?"
"Yes."
"No."
As Draco engaged in a stare-down with Potter, Liz pushed her chair back. "I'm gonna take that as my cue to leave. Hank, I'll see ya in the mornin'. Mr Black...good luck. Hank here may not be a redhead, but he has the temper of one."
"His mum was a redhead," Draco murmured without thinking.
Liz seemed surprised. "She was? Wait. Was? Oh sugar, did you lose your mom? I'm so sorry. I had no idea. Wow. Well, I do believe I've put my foot in it one too many times since I got here. Night, y'all." She all but scampered out of the kitchen, and a moment later, the door banged shut behind her.
Draco turned his attention to Potter. If Potter could cast a wandless Incendio, he was in a spot of trouble. Draco leaned back in a casual pose and said, "I reckon that answers that."
"What are you talking about?"
"I thought Liz might be your lover, but she knows nothing about you, does she?"
Hiding From Life