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Wooing the Reluctant	By : makochan0217 Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 23188 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 12
Disclaimer: The Harry Potter book series is owned by JKR. I am not her. I make no money and I only plan to use her characters for some fun before returning them, much happier.

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Title: Wooing the Reluctant

Author: Makoto Sagara

Series: Harry Potter

Archive: the usual suspects (ffnet, affnet, Foreverfandom, my site, mediaminer, makochanupdates on LJ, thehexfiles, hpfandom, and the harrydraco community on LJ); anywhere else, ask first.

Pairing: Draco/Harry, past Harry+others, past Draco/others

Rating: NC-17 (eventual; this chapter PG)

Warnings: Slash, ooc, angst, language, humour, EWE

Disclaimers: I don’t own Harry Potter and his friends. They belong to a list of people, including the wonderful JKR, Warner Bros, Scholastic Publishing, Raincoat Books, and others. I’m only borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

Author’s Notes: Sorry about the time between the updates. My computer crashed and had to be reformatted, and of course I was nearly done with the chapter. So, yeah, it took a minute to get back into it. Thanks go to Raintenshi, Jamie, L, and Jokes for being there to help me get back into writing this chapter again, and to Skeren Dreamera, for archiving all the conversations we have over AIM. Without them, I would have given up.

Chapter Seven - If Needed, Try Something Standard.

There is a reason it works.

Draco looked up as Horus flew into the open window of his study and scowled. It does not take two hours to decide if he is available for dinner in two days’ time, he thought crossly as he held out his arm for the regal raptor. The bird’s talons dug into his robe sleeve as he took the missive from around his scaly leg. He snapped his fingers and a house-elf appeared before him. “Cosmo, take Horus to the aviary and get him something to eat and drink. I will have to send back a reply to his owner.”

“Yes, Master Draco,” the elf responded before disappearing with the hawk.

Once alone, the blond unrolled the dingy scrap of parchment and sighed. Potter’s handwriting was even messier than usual, and he thought that was a feat that was impossible. After squinting a few times, he finally made out the scrawl and let out a growl of irritation. The message he received was extremely brief, considering the length and thought Draco had put into his original missive.

All it said was:

So sorry, Malfoy, but two days from now is no good. I have dinner at the Burrow to attend. Will discuss with family then and see who wants to come. I’d like to reschedule for next week. If this is acceptable, please let me know and I will write with who can attend later. Apologize to Narcissa for me. Thanks, Harry.

“Who in the hell does he think he is? This is unacceptable,” Draco snarled, getting up with the scrap of paper in his hand. He needed to find his mother and discuss this latest development. If Potter though that the Manor was going to be overrun by Weasleys of all ages, when the letter he sent was very explicit in whom he could bring, then he was sadly mistaken. It was bad enough that Draco had had to extend the invitation to Potter’s annoying sidekicks or the Weasel parents. The thought of the entire red horde in his family house was enough to make his skin crawl. No doubt Grandfather Abraxas’s portrait would attempt to convince the Manor to tumble down around their ginger heads.

He found his mother reading one of those horrid romance novellas that Andromeda had recommended to her out in one of the rose gardens, her favourite place to be this time of day. He stood over the top of her scowling until she looked up from her book, eyeing his defensive stance with a bored expression. “Yes, is there something the matter, darling?”

“This,” he hissed, shoving Potter’s response in his mother’s face.

She took the parchment from him lazily and read over it. “Well, Draco, it is disappointing that he won’t be coming to dinner this week, but it is no trouble to accommodate his request. It is nice to see that Harry was kind enough to apologize to me, as well. He’s such a polite young man,” she said breezily.

“Mother, surely you haven’t failed to grasp that he wants to bring them all to the Manor?”

“Draco Luciuss Malfoy, did you not think about Harry’s adopted family when you began plotting to court him?”

“Of course.”

“Then I fail to see why you are so upset that he wishes to bring as much support with him as possible for a dinner at the Manor.” Cool, blue eyes stared at him over the paper in her hands, and for a moment, Draco felt all of five yet again when he’d let his Kneazle out of the house and it ran away. “As unpleasant as some of the memories we hold of our home, imagine what Harry’s must be like.” She waited for him to say something, but soldiered on when he just looked at her in shock. “Listen, darling, if it’s that bad, why don’t you invite Pansy and Blaise to join us? I could invite Andromeda and Teddy. Think of them as emotional support in your time of need.”

“Why are you being so blasé about having the entire Weasel family here?” he snapped, slumping into the lounge next to his mother’s seat.

“Because, Draco, there are worse things in the world, as you are well aware,” Narcissa answered, taking a long sip of the orange drink in her hand and sighing afterwards.

“Mother, what is in that?” he asked, eyeing the glass suspiciously.

“I hardly know. Andromeda recommended it. I believe it’s called a Fuzzy Navel. I think it is Muggle, but it has peach schnapps and orange juice, I’m sure. I shall have to tell her that I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

“Merlin, you’re drunk? It’s not even half-ten and you’re consuming alcohol? Mother, please tell me that you’re not going to become one of those women. We’d be laughed out of all good society if you have.”

“I hardly think that letting myself indulge one day will turn me into Marissa Parkinson, Draco.”

“Granted, but would you care to tell me why you are taking a page out of Pansy’s mother’s book?”

“I’ve heard from Wycke today.” She thrust a long letter from Lucius’s solicitor into his face. Begrudgingly, he began to read it, his blood running cold as he digested what it meant. “Your father is refusing treatment from the Healers at Azkaban.”

“Does Wycke have any idea of when this will happen?” he asked faintly.

“I haven’t a clue, Draco. You’ve read just as much as I have. I’m sure he’ll write back when it’s over. When it is, we shall have to have the elves ready the family crypt, of course.” He didn’t answer her. What was there to say? So, she resumed reading and drinking as he sat there, stunned. While she seemed to be unaffected by the fact that her husband was dying as they spoke, the fact that she was behaving so out of character spoke volumes about her emotional state to her only child.

Staring out onto the grounds, Draco felt the numbness settle in. He called for a house-elf to bring him a mimosa, not sure if he wanted to try and catch up so that he could feel as callous as Narcissa seemed at this moment. He’d write a reasonably affirmative reply to Harry later.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry grimaced as he stepped out of the Floo, catching himself before he went face first into the couch opposite the fireplace in the Burrow’s living room. He looked up to see a smiling Molly Weasley starting at him. He blushed in embarrassment. After nine years, he’d still not managed to make a graceful Floo trip. Lucky for him, Molly was only too kind to ignore his stumbling.

“Harry, dear, you’re looking well,” she said before moving in to grab him in a tight hug.

“Thanks, Molly,” he replied as he returned the embrace. “Where is everyone?” He looked around, noticing for the first time that he and Molly were alone and the house itself was eerily quiet.

“Oh, they’re out back,” she said, waving a hand dismissively. “I wanted to talk to you before I couldn’t get another word in.” Harry smiled at the thought of Molly trying to be demure when it came to her brood. “You know that we’ve all seen the articles, but I want to know how you’re dealing with it now.”

“Reasonably well, I suppose,” he answered. “Malfoy’s not half as bad as I imagined he would be, but I feel like I should be waiting for the other shoe to drop.” He saw her give him a slight smile.

“The two of you looked quiet cosy with Theodore,” she said. “I was surprised to see the Malfoy boy looking so gentle at the child.”

“Turns out that Teddy and Andromeda have been keeping secrets. Malfoy and Teddy have this whole relationship that I knew nothing about, evidently.”

“So, Andromeda made up with Narcissa? I must admit to being surprised by that,” Molly said without a trace of malice.

“Andromeda assures me that without Lucius and their parents standing between them, Narcissa’s very human. I happen to agree, considering all the times that I’ve run into her have been pleasant. Even Hermione’s in her corner, which was a bit of a shock.”

“Mm, yes, Narcissa Malfoy and I will never be bosom buddies, but she’s not so bad, I suppose.” Molly frowned. “And how has all the attention been since?”

“Aside from the bloody articles that we all are used to but still hate,” he shrugged, “no Howlers or crazy stalkers, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“That’ll have to do,” she said with a strange smile. “I’ll bet that it was Skeeter’s article that did it though.”

“Why? What makes you think she’d actually help me?”

“Well, she made young Malfoy sound a bit intimidating, and anyone who doesn’t know him personally would think he’s a bit formidable. Especially since the proceedings from the Malfoy trials are sealed so tightly.”

“I didn’t think about it like that, to be honest,” Harry said with a huff. “If only I could get rid of this bloody doll, then I might not kill him the next time we meet.”

“The Silencing and Disillusionment charms not working anymore?” He shook his head. “You might want to let George take a look. I know he’s been dying to get his hands on it.”

“I’m sure Angelina is going to thank me for giving her husband something new to play with,” he said half-heartedly.

“Well, if you offer to watch Fred, I’m sure she won’t care.” She leaned up to kiss him on the cheek. “Now, let’s get you outside. I’m sure that Arthur thinks I’ve probably chatted your ear off by now. Oh, Hermione’s father, John, is here. She convinced him to come over to keep Arthur, Charlie, and George from burning down the backyard.”

Sure enough, as soon as they were out in the backyard, Harry could hear Arthur, John and Charlie speaking in excited tones from around the charcoal grille. Harry hoped that they’d let John set that up. He didn’t want to know what dangers could come from letting an excited Arthur around a gas grille. Suddenly, Harry wished he’d stayed at Grimmauld Place that evening. He didn’t want to ruin the camaraderie he saw going on in the backyard with the news he had to share.

“Harry!” Arthur called, making a retreat impossible. All eyes tuned to him, all fourteen pairs. Suddenly, he felt like an animal in the zoo. “How are you?”

“Fine, Arthur,” Harry answered, feeling the heat in his cheeks as he crossed the yard. “Hi, John.” He turned to Hermione’s father with a strained smile. “Where’s Caroline?”

“Well, she thought that coming to Ottery St. Catchpole was a bit far while on-call for the night, so she said something about dinner with her dad and a book before bed.”

“Couldn’t Hermione just Apparate her back and forth?”

“Evidently, our cell phones don’t work so well out here,” the older man said, scratching at his thinning brown hair. “Besides, we don’t like to rely so heavily on our daughter’s magic to do simple things.”

“I suppose that makes sense. Now, what’s going on over here?”

“Well, John’s been telling us about the way Muggles barbeque,” Arthur answered happily. “He says that you use gas and charcoal to make fires to grill your meats.”

“I still don’t see how it’s possible,” Charlie answered with a huff.

“Don’t worry about it, son,” John said, patting the dragon tamer on the arm. “Caroline and I will have you over to the house before you head back to Romania.” He gave the tall, burly redhead a wry smile. “I’ll even let you help me cook, if you’d like.”

“Harry, come over here,” Ginny called from where she, Oliver, Ron, George and Angelina were sitting, supposedly watching over little Fred, Molly, Victoire, and Louis while the other adults argued over something at the tables. As he approached, he could tell that his best mate, Oliver and George had been drinking that day. Suddenly, he didn’t want to sit with his friends anymore. “Tell my dear brothers that you’re not seriously considering this courting mess with Malfoy.”

“I’m telling you, Ginny, I was there when he wrote the note to the Ferret,” Ron said loudly, making baby Molly shift noisily in his arms.

Angelina huffed, taking Molly from her loud and inebriated brother-in-law. “What’s it matter, Ginny?” she asked once she had Molly settled in her arms. “Malfoy’s not half-way bad, now anyway. Besides, I’ve always thought he’s a nice-looking bloke, if pointy.”

“I can’t believe that I’m in danger of losing my wife to Malfoy, of all people,” George said dramatically, giving Harry an exaggerated frown. “But, seriously, Harry, how are you dealing with everything?”

“Fine, I guess. It’s been…It’s been interesting.”

“That’s putting it a bit mildly,” Hermione said as she joined the group. “Apparently, Harry’s just realised that Malfoy’s perfectly serious about this whole venture. As if the articles weren’t enough to really prove his point or the date with Teddy.”

“Well, mate, I could have told you that,” George said, clapping his friend on the back. “Malfoys care about public opinion, regardless of what rubbish they tell everyone else, and Draco’s no different. Who else would be better for him to court than the Saviour of the Wizarding world?”

“There’s some of that, I guess,” Harry said reluctantly. He didn’t want to think that his suitor was using him for anything other than what Draco had so passionately declared while they were out on their “date”, but he knew that Slytherins never did something for one reason only. “But there’s more to it, I’m sure.”

“Never said there wasn’t, Harry,” George said, giving him a small smile. “So, when’re you going to let me examine that doll Ron’s been telling me so much about? I’ve been dying to see what kind of tricks Malfoy came up with to create it.”

“After dinner, tonight, if Angelina can spare you.”

“Oh, Harry, you can have him, if you want him,” the dark-skinned woman said with a teasing smile for her other half. “I’m tired of picking up his dirty socks from around the house. He’s a bigger mess-maker than Fred.”

“You wound me, my love,” George cried, placing one hand above his heart.

“Dinner’s ready,” Charlie shouted from the grill, stopping the rest of the conversation before it grew to uncomfortable heights. Morosely, Harry joined the rest of the boisterous clan of redheads as they sat down to the large picnic table. How was he supposed to bring up the whole invitation to Malfoy Manor for dinner if he didn’t even want to hear any of the Weasleys talk about Draco?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“You’ve got to be joking, Draco,” Blaise said, sipping at his sniffer of Draco’s expensive brandy. “There’s absolutely no way that you’re having the entire Weasley family over here for a dinner with you and Narcissa. I refuse to believe it.”

“Blaise, darling, you’re not helping,” Pansy snapped, patting her best friend on the arm. “Draco, are you sure that you can’t back out of this?”

“No, it’s bloody traditional to have the families meet at this point in the courting process,” the blond said woodenly. “When I sent the invitation, I thought that I’d have to deal with the Weasel and Granger, or the Weasel’s parents. I never really thought that he’d want to bring the whole family.”

“Well,” Pansy drug out the word as she thought, “perhaps someone will mention that and you’ll be spared?”

“I don’t think I’m that lucky,” Draco answered. “You two have to be there. Mother’s sent a letter to Aunt Andromeda, inviting her and Teddy that night as well, since they’re like family to both parties.”

“Of course we’ll be there, darling,” Pansy said, earning her a dirty look from her fiancé.

“But my mother is-”

“-Introducing us to her new beau the night before Draco’s dinner, Blaise.”

“Fine, of course we’ll be there, darling,” the dark-haired wizard snarked. “Wouldn’t miss it for all the Galleons in your vault.”

“Nice to know that I have such supportive friends,” Draco said, wishing that it was already the day after the dinner. It couldn’t come too soon in his opinion. “Now, Pansy, I need your help with Harry’s next present.”

“Certainly,” she said, smiling widely at her friend.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Draco couldn’t help but pace as he waited in the front foyer of the Manor with his mother, aunt, cousin and best friends for Harry and his “family". Tradition stated that during the courting process he had to give his intended space between gifts and dates. So, while Draco had desperately wanted to write to the other man and demand exactly whom he was bringing along, he’d resorted to obsessing over what he could possibly give as a gift. Thanks to Pansy’s help, he’d picked out something tasteful and simple, something that he was sure that Harry would like. He carefully put his hands into the pocket of his dove grey robes as he paced a groove into the marble flooring, the feel of the velvet box soothing his tattered nerves.

“Really, Draco, must you pace like a caged animal?” Narcissa chided gently, hiding a smile behind her hand as Teddy started to follow behind his cousin.

“Yes, Mother, I must,” Draco snapped, rubbing the box anxiously.

“Really, ‘Cissa, leave Draco alone,” Andromeda said sweetly, winking at her grandson. “He has every reason to be nervous. He and Harry don’t have exactly the best history.”

“That’s putting it mildly, Aunt Andromeda,” Pansy said, sounding just as sugary. “Draco did some fairly awful things to Potter, not that he didn’t return in kind, but this is completely different territory for my dear, dear friend. Potter might actually tell him no, and the thought is terrifying.”

“Pansy, if you shut your mouth, no one will think you’re stupid,” Draco snapped, squeezing the box in his hand so tightly he could feel the velvet flake off into his hand.

“Draco, being an arse isn’t going to help your case today,” Blaise said coolly, wrapping an arm around his fiancée as she continued to stare at their friend in disbelief. “In fact, I’m inclined to believe that it will do just the opposite.”

“I know, Blaise,” Draco snarled, whirling around to face his friend, his mother and aunt forgotten. “I just want everything to go perfectly.”

“Master Draco,” Mipsy squeaked, “yous guests is being here.”

“Show them in, Mipsy,” Narcissa said smoothly. The elf disappeared with a crack and she turned to her son. “Draco, manners.”

“I…understood, Mother,” he replied calmly, earning himself a proud smile from his serene mother. He took a deep breath, steadying his nerves and put his mask of disinterested attention on the door.

When Harry walked in, Draco's heart began pounding in his chest and his mouth grew dry. The dark-haired wizard was dressed in formal robes of forest green with gold piping, bringing attention to his famous eyes and the stylish glasses that now graced his face. He had Granger on one arm –looking pretty in her pale blue robes and her hair pulled back into a severe bun– and Ginevra Weasley on the other –in tasteful, but stylish gold robes with her fiery red hair flowing around her. George Weasley also accompanied the three, whispering to his parents, who looked uncomfortable and out of place as they stood in the grand entrance.

“Welcome to Malfoy Manor,” Draco said after Narcissa had nudged him forward. “Harry, allow me to formally introduce my family to you and yours.” He took his mother’s hand and led her to stand before Harry and the Weasleys. “My mother, Narcissa.”

“Lovely to see you again, Narcissa,” Harry murmured, taking her hand and placing a chaste kiss on the back of it. “Thank you for having me over to your beautiful home.”

“Thank you, Mr. Potter. It is wonderful to see you in good health once again,” she replied happily.

“Cousin Draco, me next,” Teddy chirped, pulling on Draco’s robe with a goofy smile. Draco returned the smile, picking up the young boy.

“Of course, you know Teddy Lupin,” Draco said.

“Hi there, Teddy,” Harry said happily, flashing a warm smile that made Draco have to swallow before he could continue with the introductions.

“My aunt, Andromeda Tonks,” the woman nodded regally and Draco went on, “my best friend, Pansy Parkinson, and her fiancé, Blaise Zabini.” Pansy gave a perfect curtsey while Blaise gave a lazy nod of his head.

“Um,” Harry said nervously. “Allow me to introduce my surrogate parents, Arthur and Molly Weasley, their children, George and Ginny Weasley, and their daughter-in-law and my best friend, Hermione Granger-Weasley.” All of Harry’s party gave curtsies or bows as their names were called.

“Well, we have a little time before dinner is served,” Narcissa said calmly. “We will be eating out on the back patio as it is a lovely evening.”

Draco watched as both Harry and Granger gave relieved sighs. He could have smacked himself when he remembered the last time that either of them had appeared at the Manor. It had been more than less than pleasant. “Would you like a tour of the gardens before dinner is served, Harry?”

“Actually, Draco,” Pansy said with a devious smile. “Blaise and I would like to talk to Potter, if you don’t mind.”

He turned to glare at his friend, but was pulled by Ginny Weasley. “Actually, that sounds like a lovely plan, Parkinson. George, Hermione and I would like to talk to Malfoy as well.”

TBC

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Wooing the Reluctant