Drug of Choice

Chapter 3

Why Me?

Life is just one damned thing after another.

- Elbert Hubbard

Harry Potter had grown up over the years. He was almost as tall as Draco, maybe lacking by two inches. His face had actually taken a strong chiseled form and his hair seemed to be somewhat tamer, though it still hung in his framed emerald eyes.

Harry extended his hand and Draco took it almost willingly. Neither man attempted to break the other's hand, though it was a well-known fact that both had considered it.

Draco was stunned. Why on earth would Harry Fucking Potter come to Draco God Damn Malfoy for real estate? The answer was far beyond Draco. He could not wrap his head around it.

"So," Draco started, though he did not know what to say next. "Let's head inside then shall we?"

Harry nodded and Draco took that as he cue to finish off his smoke. He flicked the remains of his cigarette onto the ground and breathed out slowly. Draco hoped that the fact that he was trying to sell a house to his childhood rival would not throw him off his game.

"As you can see, this is a large lot," Draco said, gesturing towards the expanse of land in front of them. "This home comes complete with an extremely large backyard and a pond. There are seventeen acres of land for you to develop or build on," he mentioned as they walked towards the house. "Also, notice the large garden surrounding the front gates." Draco pointed out a few lovely rose bushes.

Harry didn't seem to be listening to a word Draco said. His eyes were searching all the top floor windows that could be seen from the front of the house.

"How many bedrooms are there?"

"There are seven bedrooms including the master."

"Baths?"

"Including the master, there are four."

Draco watched as Harry nodded. Why on earth would he need so much room? The last Draco had heard, Harry was single. Last year, in fact, Harry was bachelor five. There was no way he had created such a large family in that amount of time.

"Well, then, let's go inside," Draco insisted as they reached the front door.

He unlocked the large, wooden door and pushed it open, allowing Harry to step in first.

There was a large staircase in the front room of the home, winding upwards and splitting to form two paths as it lead to the second floor.

"Would that be safe for children?" Harry asked upon seeing it.

Draco knew to answer this in a way that would make the staircase look positive but failed completely. "You have kids?" Draco asked, stunned.

Harry looked at Draco as if his eyes had just fallen out. "No!" he defended rather harshly. "This isn't for me. I'm buying it for a friend's anniversary present."

"The house?" Draco asked, perplexed

"Yes. Well, no. Not now. I don't like it. It doesn't suit them at all."

"Would you like to see another property, then?"

"No," Potter said looking as if he was in pain for a moment. Draco wondered if he was thinking. I want you to build me a house," Potter said with a grin.

"What?" Draco asked, shocked. He thought it odd to be selling property to Harry Potter, but building him a house was asking too much. That was something Draco reserved for extremely high ranking clients. Though, Draco assumed that to any other seller Harry Potter would be number one on that list.

"Yes, I like that idea. They would like that idea," Harry babbled while looking at Draco as if he were the most wonderful thing in the entire world.

"Potter, what are you on about?" Draco asked him. He was starting to get a little annoyed.

"I don't know why I didn't think of it before. But I'll have to send them off. Ginny can do that. It will work."

"Potter, have you lost your mind? Stop your rambling and make an attempt to talk sensibly." Draco was loosing his patients with Potter. His voice alone was beginning to give Draco a head ach.

"Oh, sorry," he said, not sounding the least bit apologetic. "I've got an idea. But I need you to be able to work quickly."

Draco had no idea what the boy was on about. Really, he was making no sense.

Harry looked at Draco with the same blank look Draco wore on his own face. Both stood, looking stupid, until Draco had the sense to snap out of it. 'If you would slow down one God damn minute I will attempt to understand you, Potter."

"Sorry. I need you to build me a house in less than a week," Potter said without looking at him, as though he was thinking while speaking. "I have the perfect place. I just need to make sure no one is around. It has to be kept quiet. No one can find out about it. That would ruin the surprise."

"Less then a week? Potter, do you know how long it takes to build a house? You're off your rocker."

"I have no idea what it takes to build a house or how long it takes, but I really need this done. I'll pay you what ever you want."

"Okay. Let's talk sensibly. You get the go ahead to build on the property by tomorrow and I will take care of the rest." Draco had no clue what made him agree. Perhaps it was the chance to build for a big name that no one else had gotten a hold of yet. That would help business more than anything. Not that business really needed help, but it was never a bad idea.

"How do I get the go ahead to build?"

"That is what you need to worry about, Potter, not me"

"I understand that, but I don't have any idea what you're talking about."

"You figure out how and you will have a house in a week. Good day, Potter." With that Draco popped away leaving the Boy-Who-Lived grinning like the Cheshire cat.

Draco popped into a small office full of sound and scurrying people. He knew this office quite well considering he had been here six years in a row.

"Draco, dear. Over here if you will." called a blond woman with big hair in an overly sweet voice.

Draco couldn't help but cringe as she waved him over. Doris owed him for this. He was never doing this again, not if he could help it.

"Hello, Gretchen."

Draco kissed her hand doing the best he could to avoid the numerous glittering rings.

"With charm like that, Draco, it's a wonder that I keep getting the chance to see you every year. I'm shocked no one has picked you up yet." Gretchen flirted, batting her eyelashes.

"Mr. Malfoy. Punctual as always, I see."

"Doris, darling, how have you been?" Draco couldn't help the sarcasm that dripped from his tongue.

The first time Doris had interviewed Draco for Witch Weekly she had asked him if he were gay. Since then Draco had not been able to let it lie. He would always put on an act for her. It always seemed to make her smile and was a sight he would not deny himself.

Doris had to be sixty, though she would never admit it. Draco was almost positive that she used an age covering spell everyday to hide her old face. If not, then she was damn good looking for an old lady. She had perfectly straight long blond hair that fell to the middle of her back and evenly lined white teeth to follow the pattern.

Even though Draco loved to be in Doris' company he wanted this day to be over more than anything. Only a few questions to answer and he would be done, he could go to bed.

"If you want to come into my office, Draco, we can start your interview. You're still single?"

"Yes," Draco answered, trying to be polite, but having a hard time, considering the headache he felt coming on. "You told me something about there being a twist this year, want to tell me what it is now or do I have to sit through this damn thing first?"

She smiled at him for a second, considering what her answer would be, before giving a sigh and an even bigger smile. "No, you're going to have to answer my questions before I tell you anything about it. Sorry."

"That's fine with me. Go on and ask me your questions. I want out of here as soon as you can release me."

"You know that this is not a mandatory thing, don't you? If you hate it so much, you don't have to keep saying yes to our calls."

"It's good for business. You know all about that don't you, Doris?"

She gave a pressed smile and a tiny nod. "Yes, I do know how that goes. But as you said, off with the first question."

Draco sat there with Doris for well over an hour going into detail for the sake of seeing Doris smile. He knew that none of it would make it into the article. Not giving a damn either way, he watched the clock for the better part of the hour and gave up before it reached the half. Doris knew that she was dragging him down and didn't feel any need to stop, as far as Draco could see in her features.

"So, how many women would you say you run through in a month?"

"I guess you could say that, from time to time, I am a cereal dater. If I am with someone it's not for long. I move on quickly."

"So, you're saying you'll run through the ladies until you get bored then lose interest for a while?"

"Yes."

"Just for the record, Draco, what about guys?"

"You already know the answer to that, Doris."

"But what of our readers, Draco?"

"I am not gay." Draco couldn't keep a smile off his face. Doris was convinced that he was a poof. It was funny in an odd little way, a way that Draco did not want to think about.

Fifteen minutes later the interview was over and Draco could not get out of the door fast enough. His headache had progressed and his brain was in the process of splitting his head open and climbing out. All that was left now was the twist.

"We came up with a wonderful idea to sell to male readers as well as women, so we decided to do our very first Women You Cant Get Even Though They Are Single edition. Twenty top men and twenty top women."

Draco had caught onto the idea the second she started explaining. It wouldn't kill him to do it, but he was going to fight it the whole way.

"Once the issue is released, you'll get to see the woman that is equal to you on our countdown and then we, Witch Weekly, will give you a call and arrange a date for the two of you. How does that sound?"

"You know that I don't like it, Doris, but for you, I'll do it. Can you give me a little peek at who it's going to be?" Draco adopted his best 'I know you love it when I talk like this' voice.

"No, I can't do that. But I can tell you that she is a healer, comes from a large family, she loves children, she wants a puppy, she has studied abroad in Germany and makes more money than the average working male." She gave him a happy smile, like a mother that had just found the perfect woman for her son.

"That still doesn't give me a name."

"That's the point. It's a blind date almost. You know what that is, don't you?"

"Yes, Doris. Have a good day." With that, Draco stood, kissed Doris on the cheek in his best gay impression, gave a disarming smile and left.