Draco laughed. "She is more watchful than mouthy, but don't turn your back on her. She can be dangerous with her wand."
Harry smiled. "What do you think of Astoria, Draco?" He asked curiously, wondering if everyone had trouble with their betrothals.
Draco frowned. "I've never really thought about it. Our parents brought us together for playdates when we were children and then, when I went to Hogwarts I sent her the occasional letter and now that we're both in Hogwarts, we sit down after dinner once or twice a week to talk for an hour to fulfil the terms of the contract." "That's not really what I asked. Do you even like her?"
"She's not too bad I suppose." Draco answered. "She's nothing like Daphne, thank Merlin, but she's not very talkative either. I have to struggle to get her to say anything. I don't think she's that interested in me."
Harry rolled his eyes. "I remember what Hermione was like with Viktor Krum. He liked her because she was the only person in Hogwarts who wasn't fawning over him. After all, he was an international Quidditch player. But she was really embarrassed and shy and it took him a while to get her to talk. Do you know what Astoria likes? Perhaps if you talked about her interests then you'd have more luck."
Draco shrugged. "She reads Witch Weekly, she likes keeping up with the latest robe colours, cuts and patterns, and I think she once said she likes interior decorating." "Please tell me that you don't just talk about yourself when you're with her."
"Well, she doesn't talk." Draco scoffed. "What am I supposed to talk about?"
"How about shutting your mouth and letting her talk?" Harry suggested with a grin. "If she likes interior decorating, show a bit of bloody interest."
"But, I don't have any interest!" Draco answered.
"That's not the point at all." Harry said. "It's called being supportive and showing that you care about her thoughts and interests, that's why Rabastan and I are having trouble. Because he isn't listening to me and he's brushing aside my thoughts and feelings. Just, try asking her how she is or how her day has been once in a while."
Draco nodded thoughtfully. "Alright. I'll make the time to do so tonight. But don't try to distract me, I will be getting that potion onto your hair."
Harry laughed and nodded. "Okay, I'll let you do as you please with it, but if I don't like it, I'm putting it back to normal."
"Your hair will never be normal." Draco said seriously.
They were interrupted by the arrival of the house-elf with a bowl of food in each hand.
"Thank you, Pimsey." Harry said kindly while Draco just scoffed and snatched his bowl.
"You're too soft." Draco scoffed at him.
"You're an utter bastard." Harry replied. "It won't kill you to be polite once in a while."
Draco rolled his eyes, but he ate his lunch and Harry dug into his own bowl of fancy beef stew with warm, fresh bread rolls. He would stay in his rooms with Draco and he'd get ready for the party tonight. He was a little apprehensive about everything, as he knew he'd have to be on his best behaviour, which meant behaving like a pureblooded lord of two influential, prominent houses. He sighed. He'd have to behave as he did in the Wizengamot meetings and that was going to be difficult for him to maintain for more than a few hours, less than that depending on how bored he was or how other people acted towards him. It was going to be a long, exhausting night.
Harry was dressed in the softest, most sumptuous and expensive dress robes that he'd ever imagined himself wearing. They were a brilliant red colour and made from brushed cotton. They were light, but warm and with a fitted black shirt and tailored, smart trousers on underneath, they looked wonderful.
He and Draco had spent most of the afternoon talking to one another and laying out a plan of action, which had mostly just been Draco talking, thinking up increasingly ridiculous ideas while Harry laughed until his stomach hurt.
Draco had helped him get ready, had paired the black on black underclothes before laying the red robe over the top for a glare of colour to stop him from looking like he was attending a funeral, or worse, like Snape's mini-me.
The earthy red made his cheeks look more flushed than they actually were as it picked out the warm undertones of gold in his skin and he just looked healthy, youthful, and full of life, he thought as he stared at himself in the mirror.
Draco had dumped a load of potions into his hair, one to make it soft and shiny, another to make it more tamed and a final one to style it. Harry had to hand it to Draco, he could definitely become a hairdresser if he wanted to. His hair looked shiny, sleek, and was styled to be tousled instead of just plain messy. Draco had tried to make it lay flat and when that had failed he had tried to slick it back, but when that hadn't worked either he had compromised and worked with Harry's natural hairstyle to make his hair look a little windswept. Harry rather liked the effect.
"Are you ready? We're going an hour early to catch up with the other 'kids'." Draco told him, rolling his eyes at the stressed 'kids'.
"Yeah, do I look okay?" He asked nervously.
"You look perfectly presentable, now come on. I need to try and catch up with Blaise before we greet Pansy."
They met Narcissa in the receiving room and she straightened out both of their collars, even though they didn't need it.
"You boys behave at this party, do you understand?"
"Yes, Mother." They both answered respectfully. "Draco, you go through first and you wait for Harry on the other end, do you hear me?"
Draco nodded with a smirk that was aimed at him and Harry rolled his eyes, but he was glad. The last thing he wanted was to be lost in an unfamiliar manor house, he'd only just gotten used to Malfoy Manor.
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