Harry Potter entered the dark, cold shed, not sure what to expect. Looking around, he sighed. Of course he’s not here yet. He sat down on a conveniently placed wooden box and proceeded to wait expectantly.

The person he was waiting for arrived exactly fifteen minutes later. Harry had spotted him as soon as he had Apparated outside, his light hair glistening in the moonlight.

“I wasn’t sure you were going to show up. Frankly, I thought-� Harry was interrupted by a harsh outburst.

“Thought I might have laid an ambush, Potter? Played some kind of trick on you?�

“Well, Malfoy, I mean-“

Draco shook his head. “It doesn’t seem likely that I would want to meet you, does it? Believe me, I’m not quite sure this was the right idea…but I had – let’s just say – a lot of pressure.�

“You’re being obtuse. Again, I might add. Your letter to me was one of the strangest things I have ever received.�

“Yes, well, I wasn’t about to let your dear wife read it and figure out what I was going to reveal, was I? If you really thought I would confess one of my darkest secrets to you in a letter, of all things, you must be more sadly deluded than I had originally thought,� Draco drawled, his expression blank.

Harry pushed down the urge to pull out his wand. “I’m going to give you one more chance, Malfoy, and then I’m leaving this place. I swear. I have no particular need – or want – to sit around and listen to you insult Hermione and me at the same time in this dinghy shack.�

Draco was silent for a minute, then replied rather obliquely. “It used to be a strip club, you know.�

Surprised at the sudden change of topic, Harry wondered what it was Draco really wanted. Go with the flow, Harry. He’s sure to tell you what he wants sometime soon. “Wait, really? I hadn’t realized that the wizarding world had strip clubs.�

“At the risk of losing what you so eloquently put as ‘one more chance,’ I’m going to point out that there are probably oceans of books that could be written on the topic of things you don’t realize, Potter.�

That’s it. “Okay, that’s enough of the chitchat, Malfoy. Let’s get down to it. I have no illusions about the possible reasons you might have called me here. Obviously, you’re in some kind of trouble, decided to swallow your pride, and finally settled on asking me for help. What is it? Malfoy Manor not have enough money to pay your newly freed house-elves?�

Draco smiled – it didn’t reach his eyes. “We don’t own any house-elves who want to get paid, Potter. Those belong purely in the Muggleborns-only category of my life.�

“Muggle-borns? Muggle-borns? If Hermione was here, she might have had a heart attack at your use of that term – don’t you usually go for the insulting approach?�

“I usually went for the insulting approach, Potter. Past tense, for those of us who were too busy being adored by the entirety of the wizarding world to pay attention in grammar class.�

“Don’t talk about being adored to me, Malfoy. I saw that cover.�

“What cover?� Draco seemed truly surprised, but Harry knew better.

“Please. I know you know what I’m talking about. The cover of Witch Weekly, of course. ‘Most Eligible Bachelor’? Really?�

Draco smiled again. “I would like to take this opportunity to point out that those pictures were candid. I still looked good in them, of course. On the plus side, I didn’t even have to defeat Voldemort to get in the magazine.�

“You say his name now, hmm? Interesting. By the way, I know you’re avoiding the topic of why we’re actually here.�

“And yet you don’t do anything to change the flow of this conversation. That’s interesting, too. You’ve changed since the last time we…met.�

“We met across a battlefield, if I recall. You seemed to want me out of the way, for some reason.�

Draco looked exasperated. “Look, I wrote to you – and the Daily Prophet, I might add – about that…�

Harry made a dismissive gesture with his hand. “Yeah, yeah, ‘I made a terrible mistake’ and all that. Not all of us forgive as easily as the rest of the wizarding world apparently has, you know.�

“I do know. Believe me.� Something about Draco’s words struck Harry as being significant.

“So what is it you want? You can’t want more influence at the Ministry. For Merlin’s sake, aren’t they installing the new Malfoy Atrium sometime soon?�

Draco smiled for a third time. Three smiles in one conversation? Harry wondered. He’s really turning on the Malfoy charm, isn’t he? His thoughts were interrupted by Draco’s reply. “They are, actually. It’s rather nice, if I do say so myself. Very artistic – not very Slytherin.�

“Oh, the idea is Slytherin enough, I should say. So what’s lacking in your life right now? You’ve got a bloody gigantic house, a terrific job at the Ministry, more money than you know what to do with, and enough contacts to fill a couple thousand address books. What else could you need help with? From me, of all people?� Harry couldn’t keep the sarcasm from his voice.

Draco seemed to have caught the underlying frustration in Harry’s words. “Take a wild guess, Potter. It’s not like you’re going to figure it out on your own, but it’s amusing watching you rack your brains to figure out what I’m lacking.�

“Seriously? You summoned me here in your imperious Malfoy way to play a guessing game? You’ve got to be joking. Why am I even here? I should’ve taken Hermione’s advice and ignored the letter.�

For the first time, an expression close to anger crossed Draco’s face. “I knew you would’ve shown it to her. What part of ‘this meeting is about a top secret matter that is not to be discussed with anyone at any time’ did you have trouble grasping? I should’ve made my letter clearer – maybe put a ‘CONFIDENTIAL’ sign on it in large red letters,� he finished sarcastically.

Harry decided to ignore the sarcasm. “Oh, please. Hermione would never tell anyone we were meeting. I trust her with my life.�

“I’m sure you do. Too bad this is about my life,� Draco replied irritably.

“Come on, Malfoy. Whatever you’re going to ask couldn’t possibly be something I have to keep secret from her. Who are you afraid she’s going to tell, anyway? Ron?� Harry watched, amazed, as Draco tried to hide an involuntary expression of fear from his face.

His expression blank again, Draco said, “I knew this was a bad idea. Okay, you know what-“

“Hang on,� Harry interrupted. “Ron? You’re afraid Hermione might tell Ron?�

“Or anyone else she knows, which – in case you’ve forgotten – includes every single person who has ever wanted me dead or, at the very least, tortured within an inch of death,� Draco finished smoothly.

“Don’t try to cover it up with sarcastic comments, Malfoy. I saw the way your face blanched at the mention of the word ‘Ron.’ What do you want to keep secret from him, anyway?�

Draco looked resigned. “Well, that’s actually – uh – the thing.�

“Draco I-can-speak-eloquently-for-hours-because-I’m-so-amazing Malfoy just stammered over a sentence? This must be worse than I thought.�

“It’s not really bad. At least, I don’t think so. It’s actually great – the best thing that’s ever happened to me, at the risk of sounding more cheerful than a ‘proper Malfoy’ should, as my father might have said.�

This is so strange. Harry wondered why Draco seemed to be ambivalent on the issue of whether or not to get to the point of why he had called Harry to this place. “Your family would have restrictions on cheerfulness, Malfoy. That actually does not surprise me at all.�

“Do you want to hear what I called you for, or would you like to spend the rest of our time here also insulting my family?�

Smiling, Harry replied, “The second prospect does sound rather appealing, but I think I’m going to go with the first option.�

“Fine.� Draco didn’t seem to want to continue.

“Okay, well?� Harry was curious now. What could Draco possibly be hiding?

“I’m trying to get my words together, Potter. Don’t get your knickers in a knot.�

Harry remained silent, letting Draco think. After a while, he couldn’t contain himself any longer. “Okay, it’s been thirty seconds, and while it’s very reassuring to hear you mumble words to yourself and thus inform me that you’re not asleep, I’d really like to know what’s going on.�

“I’m in love with Ginny.� Draco rushed through the words, as if trying to get them out all at once.

Harry was quite literally flabbergasted. “Wha-but-no-wait-WHAT?� Harry couldn’t believe what he had just heard. No way. NO way.

“Oh, good, you still have a voice. From the way you stared at me and then spluttered for a good minute, I was afraid I had shocked you into permanent silence.�

Oh, he’s not getting by with sarcasm now. “What the BLOODY hell are you even talking about? In love? With Ginny?�

“Yes,� said Draco simply.

“You are so lucky I am forgiving enough not to curse you out of existence, Malfoy. What do you want me to do, anyway? Put in a good word for you? Because nothing I say will ever make Ginny think of you in any way other than a big, fat, slimy git, in case you’re wondering.�

Draco seemed amused at Harry’s suggestion. “You don’t have to put in a good word for me, actually. I think I managed that part on my own quite well.�

“…what?� This is getting worse than I had originally imagined, and that was bad enough.

“She’s in love with me, too. I asked her to marry me yesterday, actually,� Draco said matter-of-factly.

“Please tell me she didn’t say-“

“Yes.�

“Oh my god. This is a nightmare. I have got to be dreaming this. Why would she want to marry you? You’re disgustingly ambitious, ruthless, downright evil, fought against her in the bloody War-“

Draco interrupted with his characteristic drawl. “When you’re done with all the lavish praise, feel free to throw in a question or two if you’re curious about the whole thing.�

“Oh, I’m not curious. I’m angry.�

Draco’s eyes glittered. “Yes, well, I thought you might be. Then again, I still have all my limbs intact, so I can see why Ginny suggested I speak to you and not Ron.�

Harry looked even more shocked than before. “Ginny suggested you speak to me? The scheming-“

“Tut tut, Potter. Do I have to remind you she’s your best friend’s sister?�

Harry had had enough. “Shut up and don’t talk to me while I process this.�

“Okay. Take your time.� Draco actually fell silent; a phenomenon Harry suspected happened about once a century.

After a minute or two, Harry asked, “Are you actually in love with her? Because if this is some sort of scheme to make your family a respected part of the wizarding world again-“

“It is not. I’m actually in love with her,� Draco said. Harry couldn’t suppress an indignant snort. “What’s that snort about, anyway? Don’t believe I fell in love?�

Harry looked as if he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Actually, no. I don’t believe that you fell in love. Not with Ginny, anyway. If you ever got married, I was expecting it to be more to someone on the lines of-“

“Pansy Parkinson?�

“You stole the words from my mouth, Malfoy.�

Draco sighed. “Let’s just say Ginny has a lot more to her than any other girl I’ve ever met.�

“We’re not just saying anything. Tell me why you love her.�

Draco actually looked astonished. “What?�

“Go on. You heard me.� Harry was rather enjoying seeing Draco look uncomfortable. Surely this is the best way to see if Draco’s really in love. Harry almost choked on the thought of Draco and Ginny on a date. What had possessed her, anyway?

“You want me to tell you why I love Ginny Weasley?�

“Yes.�

“You know I wouldn’t be doing this unless I was desperate, Potter, don’t you?� Draco asked, his expression irate.

“Yes.� Harry waited patiently for Draco to continue.

Draco opened his mouth as if to refuse to say anything else, then thought better of it. “Well, I don’t know. Everything about her…�

Harry sighed. “You’re trying to get out of this – I can feel it. I’m not talking to Ron about this until I get a straight answer, Malfoy.�

What Draco said next threw Harry off a little. “You know the way she runs into the water the first second she gets to a beach just to get her feet wet?�

“Uh, no, actually, but go on.� Harry tried to ignore the revelation that Draco and Ginny had apparently been to beaches together.

“Well, she does. That’s when I realized I was in love with her. She’s funny, charming, witty, honest, loving-“

Harry couldn’t handle this new love-struck Draco. What was wrong with this man? He was supposed to be a Death Eater, for Merlin’s sake! “Merlin, stop. You’re nauseating.�

Draco ignored Harry. “-caring, sweet, did I mention funny? Responsible, ambitious, organized, talented, great at Quidditch-“

“Okay, now I know you’re just winding me up. Shut up, Malfoy.�

“Well, you were the one who asked.� Draco looked as if he might laugh.

“I’ll have to think about it, Malfoy. And, especially, talk to Ginny.�

“But you’ll think about it?�

“Yes, I will.�

“Definitely?�

Harry seemed irritated. “If I say I will, I will, Malfoy. You don’t have to make me promise or anything, you know.�

“And one more thing-“

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell Hermione. Not until I’ve decided what to do about this…situation, anyway.�

“You say situation like it’s a bad thing, Potter.�

“Don’t start with me, Malfoy. It’s hard enough trying to comprehend the levels to which you must have changed in order to even consider uttering the words ‘I’m in love with Ginny.’ Don’t remind me that you’re still a big, fat-“

“Slimy git?�

“Once again, you stole the words from my mouth, Malfoy.� For some reason, Harry found himself smiling.

“I did not think this conversation would end this way, I have to admit. Maybe talking to you wasn’t such a bad idea after all. Damn. I’ll have to tell Ginny about how you reacted. She’ll gloat for the rest of her life.�

Harry lost his head for a second. “Tell Ginny? Ginny? Stay away from her, you-“

“Potter. She’s my fiancé,� Draco reminded.

“Bloody hell. Indeed she is. How am I going to put this to Ron? ‘Oh, by the way, Draco Malfoy and your sister are getting married, and they wanted to let you know’? I’m a dead man for even talking to you. Thanks, Malfoy.�

“No problem, Potter. Anytime you need a helpful crisis injection into the smooth stream that is your life, please don’t hesitate to let me know.�

Harry smiled despite himself. “You know, I really cannot believe you had the nerve to call me here and say all these ridiculous things and expect me to believe you.�

Draco smiled, and this time it did reach his eyes. “Actually, I thought you were going to refuse me outright.� He seemed to be telling the truth.

“You know, I would’ve said the same thing, had I heard what you were going to ask before this conversation. Now, I’m not so sure.�