By the end of the week, Severus was exhausted. Draco and Harry had been by far the most draining emotionally, but all three of the last teas had taken their toll on his temper, though happily every single candidate had indicated a willingness to allow him to continue Courting them. Even Lenis had engaged him in a long discussion on the pros and cons of nannies and home schooling, a discussion which helped in alleviating any remaining doubts that Severus had about eliminating the odious little twit from the running.

He was reclining upstairs on his decadently comfortable chaise and studiously avoiding the stack of cards needing to be sent when he heard the faint sound of the fire flaring. "Severus, are you here?" called Draco's welcome voice.

"I'm in the bedroom, and no, you may not seduce me," said Severus, though truly at this point he was only refusing because he was enjoying the novelty of being chased, and wanted to continue it awhile longer.

"After you've been out with Lenis? He might have rubbed off," said Draco, coming up the stairs. "Have you bathed?"

Severus laughed, relaxing by degrees. "I have not, but I shall once you've explained yourself," he said. He'd been thinking of it, but the bathroom had seemed so very far away just then.

"Well, I know you're likely heartily tired of company after a week of it, so I brought you a treat and then I'll be off to have dinner with two of my fellow hopefuls," said Draco teasingly. He produced a small pastry box from behind his back and opened it with a flourish. "Behold, I bring eclairs."

"Tempting me with your cream filling?" said Severus, lifting out one of the phallic pastries carefully.

"Whatever works," said Draco with a leer. He set the box to floating in front of Severus, then said, "Accio plate. Accio napkin," catching the results with the same effortless grace that had made him a good Seeker, back when he'd had time for such frivolities as Quidditch.

Severus took a bite, eyelids drooping in pleasure as the thick cream burst over his tongue, the dark chocolate on top melting slowly in his mouth and all of it accompanied by the lightest pastry he'd ever eaten. He chewed and swallowed slowly, savouring it, then said, "I suppose I should thank you."

"You should, but I'll take a kiss instead," said Draco teasingly, presenting his face to Severus.

"Two sweets in one visit," said Severus, then he pressed his mouth to Draco's obligingly, sharing the tastes of chocolate and cream and the warmth of affection that had been growing within him for Draco for years now. "Mmm, delicious."

"Yes," said Draco, standing and stretching languidly, obviously displaying just how much he'd enjoyed the kiss. "I'll go now, to prevent bath-time ravishment, but I'll be back tomorrow to help with all those tedious letters."

"Bring more eclairs," said Severus teasingly, taking another bite.

"I'd offer to coat myself in chocolate," said Draco with a wink, "but I'd hate for you to bite down at the wrong moment."

"Get out of here, you perverse brat," said Severus with a laugh, putting the remains of his treat on the conveniently floating plate and settling both firmly on his chest. "I have pastries to enjoy."

"I'll go ply my charms elsewhere, then," said Draco, which didn't stop him from sashaying as he walked, a movement that put him to definite advantage. Severus took another bite of his sweet and contemplated the merits of being chased versus being caught.

---

"He was tired, but in otherwise good spirits," said Draco by way of greeting, and Harry flushed and chuckled, swallowing his irrational jealousy.

"I take it Severus enjoyed the eclairs?" asked Harry, tucking his arm in Draco's elbow automatically, though he knew where most of the parlours were hidden in the mansion after a month of thrice-weekly teas. "Did he enjoy anything else?"

"Only a kiss," said Draco demurely. "I keep trying for more, but..."

Harry laughed more genuinely this time. "Perhaps if I continue to refuse to be seducible, he'll come across for you instead," he teased, though truthfully Snape hadn't actually tried so much as brought the subject up in idle conversation and allowed Harry to set his own boundaries. For all Harry knew, Snape had been relieved not to have to service at least one of his potential future spouses.

"Watch it, or I might get jealous," said Draco, brushing his nose through the hair at Harry's temple and then whispering, "Though if you let me watch, I'd forgive you both."

Harry's wistfulness was swept away by outrage and he turned bright red and laughed, giving Draco a shove and taking back his arm. "I'd like my first time to be a private affair conducted with love," he said with mock dignity, as soon as he got the giggles to subside.

Draco snorted and led him into what Harry privately thought of as the Halloween Parlour, a room done in rust, orange, brown, black and gold, with a distinct theme of pumpkins and even its own ghost, who was at this moment discussing something with Gaerwn.

"Harry, good to see you!" said Gaerwn, with the air of a man rescued from one of Binns' more boring lectures.

Harry took pity on him and stepped forward. "Gaerwn, I trust you're doing well? And Mrs. Malfoy, you're looking lovely tonight. Practically opaque."

The ghost fluttered her fan and gave a little curtsey, then turned back to Gaerwn. "I see the live company has arrived, so I'll take my leave. There's bridge tonight, ghosts versus portraits, and I want to be on my game."

"Of course. Thank you for keeping me company," said Gaerwen, giving a little bow. She turned and floated off, and he flopped back in his chair with a sigh. "Are all your ancestors that boring?"

"Most of them," said Draco unrepentantly. "Now that we're all here, you can show me your gift!"

Harry settled onto the loveseat facing Gaerwn; all the furniture was orange cut velvet with a pattern of pumpkins, and it caught and tugged on the velvet of his robes, making him shift and fidget until he could get comfortable. "Show us," encouraged Harry. He hadn't brought Dobby, but he felt an explanation would do in his case.

Gaerwn flushed a little and reached into his pocket. "Now, you have to understand that I collected certain memorabilia before I ever met you, and I know you held onto yours so this was the closest he could get to a real piece of the tournament, and it likely cost him a pretty pile of Galleons," he said, torn between looking Harry in the eye significantly and having his gaze slide guiltily away.

"It's all right, Gaerwn, I promise not to make fun," said Harry.

That seemed to be the right thing, because Gaerwn pulled his hand out and uncurled it to reveal a model that Harry had seen only once, the tiny, animated Common Welsh Green that Fleur had pulled from the velvet bag, the number 2 still hanging from its neck. It stamped and blew smoke, then curled up in a ball and glared balefully, an activity that Harry's own model of a Hungarian Horntail spent far too little time at. Harry had lost a couple of pairs of socks before he'd bought a display case for the thing, using the shredded garments to line it.

"Wow, she sold hers?" said Harry, which seemed a stupid thing to say. "I remember being jealous that she pulled the quietest of the lot."

Gaerwn shrugged. "Snape said he got it through a legitimate dealer. Maybe she cleaned out her attic?"

Harry chuckled. "I suppose it makes sense. I don't have a lot of stuff, period, so it's not hard to make room for mine. You should see it sometime."

Gaerwn turned slightly pink and tucked the tiny dragon back in his pocket. "I looked at it when we were at your place before the gallery, actually, since it was on the mantle and all."

"Oh, right!" said Harry, grinning to show he wasn't upset. "I forget you've been by the flat. It's loads better now, though, since Snape got me a house elf."

"Really?" said Draco, his voice holding a note of disbelief.

Harry anticipated his undoubtedly politely worded question and said, "Apparently Dobby's been pining for me up at Hogwarts, so now I have my very own house elf, though no house to speak of yet."

Much to Harry's relief, Draco laughed. "So you end up with my old elf, and I get Crouch's. The world's a strange place."

"At least they're both happier now," said Harry. Harry's tendency to leave his dirty dishes and laundry scattered about the apartment sent Dobby into fits of ecstasy, and Harry had even let himself be talked into ordering some proper furniture for his flat, so it looked a lot more like someone actually lived there. "You guys should come to my place for tea next time, actually, he'll be thrilled to have people to cook for."

"We should," agreed Gaerwn. As if of one mind, he and Harry both turned to look at Malfoy. "So, what about you?"

Harry's curiosity was further piqued when Draco reacted to the question by blushing. "It's, er, sort of personal, I mean, not sexual or anything, but..."

Harry was so surprised to see Draco flustered about anything that he couldn't formulate a response, but Gaerwn stepped in and saved them all some face. "It's all right," he said, reaching out to lay one of his big hands over Draco's knee. "I know you've known him a long time, you don't have to tell us if you don't want to."

"It was... he returned something I thought I'd lost, from my childhood," said Draco, and though Harry was dying of curiosity, even he had enough tact to let the matter drop.

Instead, he looked over at the table and asked impishly, "Do you have eclairs for us, or is Snape the only lucky one?"