Chapter Text
1. Hogwarts Third Year, 2010
Harry's eyebrows twitched in annoyance as he waited impatiently for his-he checked his wrist watch-forty five minutes late best friend to arrive where they agreed to meet at. He huffed irritatedly as he was bumped into again. He was short and small, this he understood very well. But don't people have eyes or something to navigate themselves?! Merlin damn it all.
All in all he concluded that Athena's Lane was NOT a place to be idling in, what with it being near constantly packed with harried wizards and witches getting about their business. Harry swore that if Tom didn't get there within the next five minutes he WILL leave, Tom and his feelings bedamned-
"Harry!" called a familiar voice from somewhere behind him. He whirled around in the direction of the voice. His hands were balled into fists resting on his hips, mouth just opening to give Tom a lecture on punctuality and its importance. Then he saw the thing the older wizard held in his hand and his jaw shut closed with an audible click; he also saw the sheepish grin said teen had on his fucking ridiculous face.
"You were late because you went to get your fucking caffeine fix from Starbucks?!"
"Err... Sorry?"
"Apologetic people aren't supposed to grin when saying sorry, Tom." he replied, feeling decidely unimpressed at his taller friend.
"There was a long line, Harry. I HAD to get my coffee. You know what I'm like in the mornings without them." it irked Harry that the bastard didn't look the least bit guilty over making him wait for forty minutes past the time they promised to meet.
The unimpressed feeling was intensified double fold at his reasoning. He really hoped his face was making it very clear to Tom just how not amused he was.
"And you couldn't have messaged me on the diary to tell me this so I could have, oh I don't know, ducked into a shop and waited for you there instead of continuously going in and out of shops in case you came and didn't see me?"
"Umm..." Tom rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. NOW looking somewhat guilty. Harry was still angry though.
"Yeah, thought so." he sniffed, glad that he won an argument with the damn Slytherin once in a while. He looked away from his somewhat dejected looking friend, and, no. He did not feel guilty for puttting that look on his face. The red eyed brunette deserved it. He did. No denying that, he waited FORTY FIVE MINUTES like an idiot out on the streets. He even skipped breakfast because he thought he was late and...
Bloody hell, it doesn't matter. He sighed then turned around saying "C'mon, if we want to get to Sarah's concert we better hurry. She'll skin us alive if we're late."
He turned to face his friend then, when he found that said friend was nowhere to be seen. Huh. Odd. When did he move?
Wait.
'He left me behind!' this was realized with no small amount of indignance, make no mistake. Harry internally growled as he stalked in the direction of the small amphitheatre his friend's band was going to play in. He saw neither head nor tail of his friend as he walked.
Harry swore he would Bat Bogie Hex Tom when he saw him at the theatre. Oh the nerve of that buggering bas-A hand pulled at his arm and spun him around suddenly. Hastily he aimed his wand, ready to fire off the Stunning spell and-
He was met with a Starbucks Take-Away paperbag.
"I figured this would do for an apology." Tom began, grinning like the Cheshire Cat himself. "I got you the Flourless Chewy Chocolate Cookie you like so much."
Harry raised an eyebrow, "Did you just apparate back to the shop or something?"
Tom scoffed, "No, of course not. That would be wasting time. I got it along with my coffee, just for you."
There were no butterflies in his stomach, nope. No siree. "Then where did you go?"
"Disillusionment Charm." he simply explained to him. Looking for all the world like it was a no brainer answer. "The best way to get you out of your anger is to surprise you."
Tom raised an eyebrow, and grinned his stupid crooked to the right grin, looking at him from under his lashes with his damning eyes.
"Did it work?"
Let it never be said that Harry could deny Tom's earnest looks. Maybe someday, but that day was not it.
So he sighed resignedly, took the offered bag of treats and smiled at the idiot. "Nope." he sing songed and quickly turned on his heel to walk in the direction of the amphitheatre where Sarah's band would be playing. "Looks like your birthday present this year is a flirting guide for dummies, Tommy." He didn't look back once but he hazarded that he would see Tom gaping at his back, eyes full of disbelief.
"Harry!" he heard yelled behind him, sounding all too afronted. He couldn't help it. He threw back his head and laughed hard .
Served him right for making him, Harry, wait for forty five minutes without a good reason other than coffee.