After their meal, they went back to the small alley and Harry side-alonged Draco to another alleyway close to the theatre. Harry bought popcorn and Draco bought three boxes of sweets.

The theatre was small, its folding seats were worn, and the floor was sticky from spilt drinks. About a third of the theatre was filled when the light dimmed, mostly older folks with grey and white hair.

Harry kept glancing over at Draco whenever the screen was bright, watching his expression and wishing that he'd put his arm on the armrest so Harry could hold his hand. He ended up missing quite a lot of the movie and what he did see made him wonder if he should've picked a different one, one that ended happily ever after.

Draco was very quiet after the lights came back up, standing up and heading outside without a word.

"Draco?" Harry followed behind, "What'd you think? About the movie?"

Draco glanced back at him, studying him and then looking away, "I'm going home."

"Wha-" Harry started, but Draco was already striding away. Harry had hardly caught up when he was in the alleyway and apparating away in a swirl and a snap.

Harry hesitated for a second then took a chance and apparated to the end of Diagon, spotting the colour of Draco's cloak and the magic on it, shifting his eyes away. Harry hurried after him, dodging the late evening crowds heading home, back to Draco's building.

Draco was two flights up when Harry started up the steps, but he closed the distance, Draco spotting him as he paused to open his door.

"Wait-"

"Take a hint, Potter!" Draco said, hurriedly shutting the door.

Harry did not. He took that last set of stairs two at a time, raising a hand to pound on the door- which softly clicked and swung open as the wards recognised him.

Harry took a deep breath and stepped inside.

Draco frowned furiously at him.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked.

"What's wrong?" Draco repeated, throwing his cloak over the back of a chair, "That movie-"

"Casablanca?"

"Yes," Draco snapped, "Were you trying to tell me- that it would never work out? Were you trying to let me down nicely? Was that it?"

"What?"

"Because Rick and Ilsa couldn't be together in the end, she stayed with Laszlo," Draco said, his back stiff, all his nervous energy pressed into the stillness of a wound spring.

Harry rubbed his neck, "Am I Ilsa in this scenario or Laszlo?"

"Both!" Draco shouted and just as quickly pulled back.

"Well... there wouldn't be a conflict then, if I were both," Harry said.

"No, because there's still the war and Rick is no good for either of them!" Draco said stomping his foot.

There was an answering thump from the flat below, and Draco's whole face began to take on a red tinge.

Harry quickly cast a silencing charm on the floor, "Draco-"

"Why did you even take me out if-" Draco froze, "This is Rick and Ilsa in Paris, isn't it? Just a diversion before you leave without warning, without bothering to tell me-"

"I've never seen the movie before," Harry interrupted, "I didn't know what it was about."

Draco stopped, gripping the top of the couch like a lifeline.

"And the war is over, and you're- you're not Rick, you're you and I don't think there's anything at all wrong with you," Harry said, taking a step toward Draco.

Draco leaned away from him, and Harry stopped.

"Don't laugh at me," Draco said.

"I'm not. I won't," Harry said, "This isn't a diversion either. I'm just- Did I do something wrong? Say something?"

Draco frown pressed thin, his brow close together like he couldn't decide between angry and upset, "Why don't you ask?"

"Ask what?" Harry said.

"Anything!" Draco snapped, "About why I'm here, or what I'm doing or my family or friends, our past- fucking anything! You only ever want to talk about stupid safe things; food, books the weather-" he paused trying to catch his breath.

Harry shifted his weight uncertainly, uselessly, lost.

Draco filled the silence with a voice that was entirely too small."...what was I supposed to think?"

Harry pushed his glasses up and rubbed his eyes before letting them fall back onto the bridge of his nose, "I... I like you. I like being with you," he said hesitantly.

Draco's mouth pressed into a thin line.

"I guess... I knew we'd have to talk about all that eventually. I didn't think we wouldn't," Harry said though he hadn't really given it a lot of thought, "I just wanted to enjoy this-" he waved between them, "-whatever it was. It was nice not having to think about the war and everything in the past for once and just be happy and fancying someone who's fit and... I thought might like me?" he finished weakly.

Draco stood quiet for so long Harry couldn't stop himself from fidgeting.

"Go." Draco pointed at the door.

Harry opened his mouth and then changed his mind, taking a step back and then out the door.

"Wait here."

Harry turned back around.

Draco had half closed the door, "Just wait right here," he repeated before shutting the door.

.

.

Harry waited. Eventually sitting on the top step of the landing, staring at the opposite wall long enough he started imagining faces in the off colour paint.

The door clicked. Harry shot to his feet as it opened.

Draco chewed on his bottom lip and silently gestured for Harry to come in, heading back inside to the kitchen.

Harry followed him and had a mug of tea pushed into his hands as Draco passed, going over to his sitting area. He dropped himself in the corner of the couch, pulling his feet onto the cushions and cradling his own mug in both hands. Harry gingerly sat down on the opposite end.

"Don't laugh," Draco said.

Harry shook his head.

Draco ducked his head, half hiding his expression with his tea, "I feel like an idiot."

"No. I... I didn't mean to make you worry," Harry said.

Draco groaned, squeezing his eyes shut.

"What?"

"Is that some sort of Gryffindor affliction, saying sappy nonsense?" Draco asked peevishly.

"It's more a me affliction, I think," Harry shrugged, I'm not very good at relationships, so I tend to just say whatever comes to mind. It's better than when I was at school. Then nothing came to mind, and I just stood there like a berk."

"You're still a berk," Draco turned round so he was leaning against the armrest, knees pulled up to his chest like a second barrier, "Pansy would have laughed at me, and Blaise probably would've mocked me. Theo would've been condescending, he is very good at condescending."

"Do you see them much?" Harry asked.

Draco shook his head, "They moved to Paris after the war. Pansy and Theo came back once for the holidays."

"Would you have gone with them if it weren't for the parole?"

Draco ran his thumb along the rim of his mug, eyes fixed on his hands and the steam rising from his tea, "...You don't have to ask."

"I want to know,' Harry said, "You don't have to answer. We'll get to it, to everything, right?"

"...I stayed at the manor for a while," Draco glanced up at him, "but when it wasn't giving me nightmares, I wasn't able to sleep at all, so I moved out. I would have probably gone to Paris then, if I could."

"What about your mother?" Harry asked.

Draco sighed, "She moved out of the manor when I did. I think she only stayed there for me. We have a cottage on the coast. She comes to visit most saturdays."

Harry nodded, taking a cautious sip of tea that was sweeter than it usually was.

"Run out of questions?"Draco prodded.

"Can't a bloke have a bit of tea in peace?"

Draco raised his eyebrows.

Harry made a face at him, "Shut up, I'm thinking."

Draco started to smile, trying to hide it behind his cup.

"So, what about you? What are you going to do in the future?" Harry asked, "I mean, if you want to do anything."

"I've been studying. I'm going to test for half my NEWTs this year and the other half next year," Draco said.

"Half and half?"

"I was going to do all eight at once," Draco said, "but Mother said it might be too stressful, and I didn't want to worry her."

"Yeah, eight could be just very slightly overwhelming," Harry said, sarcasm edging his words.

Draco ignored him and went on, "And when the lease runs out on this flat in a few months, I'm going find a flat in muggle london."

"I like this flat."

"I do too. It's not the flat I have a problem with, its the people. Getting yelled at and spit on by people who don't even know me- no thank you," Draco said wrinkling his nose.

"People spit on you?" Harry asked with a frown.

Draco hesitated, "Only one, but you have to admit once is plenty."

Harry nodded, "If people are being horrible then-"

"Where do you live? Do you have a flat?" Draco asked, "Is it in Diagon or muggle London?"

"I have a flat," Harry said with a smile, "I think it's all muggle except for the small floo fireplaces, they can take calls, but they aren't big enough to come through. I wanted to be able to talk with Ron and Hermione if they ever floo-called from Australia. But the best part is it's a ten-minute walk from the Ministry."

"You're a wizard, you could apparate in a second," Draco said.

"It a nice walk, I like it."

Draco fought down a smile, "Of course you do."

"What's that mean?"

"It's just very... you," Draco said with a shrug. He raised his cup like he was going to take a sip but didn't quite manage, pressing the white ceramic against his mouth as his expression fell.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

Draco looked down at his tea, his hair falling forward and hiding his eyes, "Today was a mess; dinner was a disaster, and I utterly ruined the movie."

Harry's brow furrowed.

"I- I understand if you don't want-" Draco's words caught in his throat. He swallowed hard and tried again, "I understand if you don't want to go out with me again."

"What? Why wouldn't I?" Harry said, "I thought it was brilliant."

Draco looked up at him in disbelief, "How was any of that brilliant?"

"Because I got to spend it with you," Harry said.

Draco stared at him, a flush spreading from his cheeks to the tips of his ears.

"Next time, I'll make sure to pick a movie with a happy ending, and we'll go early enough to visit your favourite cafe. Or we could do something else, whatever you like," Harry said, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed. He did his best to muffle the feeling with more tea.

Draco put his mug on the top of a stack of books, "Take your shoes off when you come over from now on."

"Oh. Right. I didn't want to presume-"

You're not presuming, I'm telling you," Draco said. He tucked his legs under him, getting on his knees and trying to move closer. The sudden shift caused the cushion to sink alarmingly, Harry towards Draco, Draco towards Harry, Draco grabbing hold of the back of the couch and Harry's arm out of instinct as Harry valiantly tried to keep his tea from spilling on them or anything else.

"Is your arse made of lead?" Draco said breathlessly as he very carefully managed to sit down. Their shoulders and hips were pressed tight together where they were falling against one another.

"I told you your couch tried to eat me," Harry said.

Draco shook his head and held out his hand, "Give me that."

Harry handed over his mug, and Draco set it on the floor out of the way.

"Err, I-" Harry's mind went blank as Draco slowly wet his lips.

"I'm going to kiss you now," Draco said quietly, his gaze fixed on Harry's mouth.

Harry swallowed hard, "...I'd quite like that."

"Good," Draco slid his hands over Harry's shoulders, his fingers brushing the nape of his neck and making Harry shiver. He pulled Harry close, kissing him hard like he might never get the chance to do it again.

Harry grabbed a handful of Draco's jumper and pulled him even closer.

Draco pulled a breath away, murmuring, "I do like you."

Harry couldn't help smiling, "Say it again?"

Draco made a face at him and kissed him again which was answer enough for Harry.