“I know that you two have not had much experience as businessmen, but the meetings are usually conducted in places with a different kind of atmosphere,” Draco commented, pointing to the flickering candle in the middle of their table.

The romantic lighting illuminated the identical smiles that stared back at him.  

Draco shook his head ruefully; it would not be the first meeting where the other person had another agenda in mind, but he doubted the twins were trying to close the deal by trying to get in his bed.

“And why did I have to be here?” Harry grumbled from beside him, unfolding his menu.  

“You’re a partner and need to be present for important decisions,” Fred informed him, smiling widely.

“You didn’t need me there when you affiliated with Draco,” he pointed out.

“Because we knew you would agree to bring Draco into the fold. Keeping it in the family and all that,” George added, nudging Harry.

Draco smiled when Harry just shrugged his shoulders and concentrated on selecting a meal. Deciding to get down to business, he began to fill them in with the details of the renovation

“The expansion will begin tomorrow. The materials have all arrived this morning and the workers and spell casters should have it ready for the grand opening on Friday,” Draco told them, taking a sip of chilled water.

“You did tell them not to touch anything else, right?” George asked.

“I did. They are only doing the structural work as instructed on your plans. I told them that we would personally see to the arrangement of the store’s merchandise.”

Draco turned towards Harry in to response the soft nudges the man was making to his side. “What are you getting?” Harry asked, pointing to his menu.

Draco leaned forward into him to choose a selection and couldn’t resist deeply breathing in the rich scent of Harry’s favourite cologne. He didn’t notice Harry enjoying his own scent, but the twins did. “This is fine,” he said softly, pointing. 

Harry nodded and motioned for their waiter and then, almost as a second thought, turned to the twins. “You guys are ready to order, right?”

“Yeah, we’re ready.” They both delivered sly grins, but Harry did not react beyond narrowing his eyes at them.

“See, I told you our blond brother could handle it,” Fred told George.

“I knew he could, but did he remember…” George asked, trailing off. 

Both turned to him, auburn eyebrows waggling comically.

Draco sighed. “Yes, the hidden passages are going to be added for when you decide to launch your adult line.”

“With the separate entrance?”  George asked eagerly.

“Yes and the age line,” Draco reminded them. “You don’t need to end up in front of the Ministry for peddling pornographic wares to underage wizards.”

“You’re going to sell porn?” Harry asked, startling the waiter who was taking his order.

Fred and George waited until they gave their orders and the waiter had walked away before they addressed his question.

“Not porn,” Fred corrected.

“Potions and toys,” George said proudly.

“So this is your contribution to the company?” Harry teased. “What kind of things are you going to sell, Draco? Whips, chains, all kinds of toys?” His lips curled into a deviant smirk.

“Yes, Harry, all kinds of naughty things,” Draco deadpanned, damning himself for the heat colouring his pale complexion.

“And you’ll have to test out the merchandise with Draco before we can put it out.”

“It’s only fair,” Fred agreed with his twin.

“Sounds reasonable,” Harry agreed, looking sideways at the blond.  “Does your new line include costumes?” he teased, smiling at the thought of possible role play.

Draco rolled his eyes but smiled ruefully. “They are not opening up a sex shop, Potter. It’s simply an extension of their services with an adult flair. Hence the need for an age line to prevent the entrance of minors.”

“Who are we to deny the future generations the chance to get their rocks off?” Fred wailed melodramatically.

“We must, brother. Otherwise they’ll shut us down.” George patted him consolingly on the shoulder.

“Okay, enough of that you two. So we agree that we will meet on Tuesday to overlook their work? And I imagine the Weasley clan will come on Wednesday to help settle in the store?” Draco asked.

After receiving nods, he leaned forward. “Now, why are you spying on number three’s date with Wood?”

Harry followed Draco’s gaze behind him where he recognised a bright head of red hair belonging to Percy, who seemed to be accompanied by Oliver.

“Whatever do you mean?” George asked with false innocence.

Draco rolled his eyes. “So you’re telling me that it’s just a coincidence that Wood and number three are behind that fern?”

“Oh, wow! Look at that, Fred! It’s Percy and Oliver.”

“Who knew they would be here?” George pondered aloud with an exaggerated expression of surprise.

Caving into Draco’s look of disbelief, they spilled.

“We just wanted to make sure that our hard work did not go unrewarded,” Fred shrugged.

“But so far, it’s been a complete bust,” George complained.

“Why?” Draco asked. His view was obstructed by the fauna and he wasn’t able to tell much from their expressions.

“Because Percy’s been talking about some manifesto they are trying to push in the Ministry for the past thirty minutes,” George said with a sigh.

“It’s what he finds interesting,” Harry shrugged, moving his hands to allow the waiter to set their meals on the table.

“It’s what he rambles about when he’s nervous,” Fred corrected.

“Shite!” Fred cursed suddenly pressing his hand against his left ear.

George mirrored his action with his right.

“What?” Draco asked.

“He just asked Ollie when he was going to get a real job!” Fred told him, hitting the palm of his hand to his forehead.

“He needs help.”

“How do you know what they’re saying?” Draco finally asked.

“Extendable Ears,” Harry explained.

Fred pulled a flesh coloured string from his ear and showed it to Draco briefly.

“They invented it to eavesdrop on conversations. They probably set it up before they sat here,” the Quidditch player said and went back to eating his steak.

“Oh, Perce. You idiot!” Fred groaned.

“We have to help him,” George declared, looking at Draco.

“I’m not getting involved in this,” Harry declared, tearing off a piece of his bread.

“Harry, if we don’t help Percy he’ll end up with Clearwater again and then you can explain to his children why their mother wears his bollocks as earrings,” Fred warned.

Draco’s head inclined towards him. “Pardon me?”

“Penelope did a real number on him,” Fred confided seriously.

“He was her personal marionette,” Greg added, pulling on illusionary strings and Fred strangely seemed to follow the motion of his hands.

Draco was distracted for a moment with their perfectly choreographed motions before the previous statement really caught up with him.

“What was Clearwater doing exactly?” Draco asked curiously.

“Making him into her father’s political tool,” Harry said spitefully, taking a swig of his butterbeer. “Her father’s a law wizard and he would have benefited from having a complacent son-in-law in the Ministry.”

“They’re broken up right now but unless he is able to take a chance with Oliver, he’s going to go back to her like all the times before,” George delivered his prediction in a sombre manner not befitting his usual jovial nature.

“And he’s blowing it right now. You know how Percy gets when he’s nervous. He starts acting holier-than-thou and he’s going to push Oliver away,” Fred complained.

Draco nodded slowly with understanding, and he was about to speak his agreement to help them when Harry beat him to it.

“I’m not going to play matchmaker,” Harry warned. “You get Percy not to act like a pretentious arse and I’ll get Ollie to give a date another chance.”

“Draco, will you help too?” George asked.

“I’ll assist you. Number three does look pretty pathetic,” Draco agreed, catching the dejected way Percy stared at the table and how Oliver’s gaze was focused straight ahead. 

“Perfect.”

Both of them men rubbed their hands together enthusiastically and Draco grew a little apprehensive wondering what he was getting himself into.

X x x x X  x x X

Harry watched the lean limbs stretch, fingers curling on top of the pillow. His eyes watched every detail as the silk of Draco’s pyjamas moulded to his body with his contortions.

“Goodnight, Harry,” Draco murmured.

“’Night,” he replied, watching Draco curl on his side and hearing his breaths even out as he fell into a deep sleep.

Harry lay on his back, thinking about the past couple of days. He had received good news from the doctor. His condition did not seem to stem from any physical factor. Dr Stern believed that the stress of his new marriage and his subsequent reaction to it were what was causing him undue stress and affecting his physical reaction.

While he planned to seek out the doctor that Stern recommended, he figured that if he tried to begin restraining his temper and taking the situation in stride, the problem could go away on its own.

In truth, it wasn’t hard to get along with Draco. The man had a sharp wit and was genuinely good company. His house elf was a disrespectful wanker, but even he was pretty amusing when he was not muttering under his breath.

Tomorrow they would begin to work on the newly renovated shop and begin to test the water regarding the Percy and Oliver situation.

Harry rubbed his temples tiredly. Although he didn’t believe in interfering with other peoples’ lives, he could not deny that Percy’s situation with Penelope brought out similarities to what happened with Marietta. But unlike himself, Percy did not learn from the experience and walk away, but continued to allow her to use him.

He could not stand by and let the injustice continue. Percy may be annoying at times, but he was family.

When Draco turned over to face him and shuffled into his side, Harry simply pulled him closer and closed his eyes, giving into sleep.




A/N:  Thank you for reading, I'm not going to ramble on with apologies for my severe lack of updates but instead say that I am already working on the next chapter and hope to have it out next week :)