I will come back to you

Chapter Seventeen

He turned, casting a final glance at the sea, and walked to the house “If you write a code of conduct, ninety-five of the hundred rules will include your favourite Gryffindor, won’t it?”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” The variation of French curses the blond whispered with it were incomprehensible and he figured it was wiser to ignore it. “you’re not my favourite Gryffindor.”

With a faint chuckle, Harry opened the front door. It created a soft creaking sound. The candlelight added a warm glow to the living room. Draco flicked his wand to the grate, igniting it. “Can you quit cursing in French?”

“No,” Draco placed the cloak near the door and sauntered to the counter with a measured pace, legs quivering while he dropped down on the chair. “it bothers you, doesn’t it?”

“Sort of,” Harry mumbled, fishing out the pocket watch and placing it on the kitchen counter, on top of the novel. He hadn’t finished it yet. “you want a cup of tea?”

“Yeah, sure.”

He poured the water into the kettle and placed it on the stove, igniting it with a wave of his fingers, fishing out the tea leaves and one lemon. “No sugar in your –” Draco was staring at the watch “night tea, right?”

Draco whispered a ‘yes’ with a chuckle while one of his fingers traced a small circle on the pocket-watch and he said, “You’re familiar with my tea preferences, why are you asking?”

“I wouldn’t want you to –” He paused mid-sentence when Draco’s fingers circled around the artifact with an odd glint in the eyes. “Draco,” It was a warning tone. “Put it on the counter.”

“No,” Draco said in a trance, the thumb tracing small circles on the artifact, inspecting it with a strange interest which caused Harry to think of one ring to rule them all. “it’s not an ordinary watch, is it?” He wanted to comment on how it wasn’t a watch. “if it’s not one, what is it?”

Not a fucking watch, for starters. Yet, Malfoy couldn’t find out what it was, considering the truth of the artifact was a classified information. “Malfoy, put it on the counter –” He earned a ‘no’ in response. “Christ, Malfoy.”

He snatched the artifact in a swift movement with a curse. “I warned you –” He paused when a low growl escaped Malfoy’s mouth, the flicker of malice crossing the features. “Draco, you weren’t –”

“I want it,” Draco whispered with the venom laced in the voice, eyes fixed on the artifact, the corner of the mouth curling into a sneer. His fingers flexed. “only for a minute –”

Harry covered it with his fingers. He could feel the warmth underneath the fingertips. It was pulsating. Almost similar to a second heartbeat. “I warned you not to touch it.”

A frown creased Draco’s forehead. The odd glint had faded. The eyes were unfocused. Confused. It was one of the effects. “I – what?” The voice was small. “what is that –” He stopped short, sighing, mouth twisting as he fought to find the right word. “what is that thing?”

He placed it in the pocket and Draco’s eyes drifted to it, as though the gold artifact was visible through the fabric. It was warm. “It’s – nothing.”

“It’s not nothing.”

“Malfoy.”

“Potter.”

“It’s not your concern, Malfoy.” He was nervous. Nervous at the prospect of Draco Malfoy finding out what it was. Nervous of the effect it had on Draco. A similar effect. “I’d rather you not pry into the object –” He placed a strainer over the cup and poured the tea through it with a curse. “it’s – it’s not ordinary.”