A Day At The Park
Down The Pub
Harry sat alone in a booth at the very back of the Moon and Sixpence downing a pint of Mauldons Blackadder. Looking down at his watch Harry saw that it was nearly eight, Dudley was late. In the weeks since the two cousins had run into each other in the park they'd taken to meeting down the pub once a week. Usually on a Wednesday, the pair found it made the week infinitely more bearable when they held their weekly get-togethers mid-week to catch each other up and maybe have a bite to eat if there was time.
Harry finished off the last of his ale at the same moment that the pretty, blond barmaid, who'd been flirting with him since he arrived three quarters of an hour ago, flitted over to the table. She removed his empty glass and asked if she could get him a menu. The tone of her vice made it clear that she was offering up more than what was available on the menu. Just then the door opened admitting a blast of frigid blast of November air along with the personage of Dudley Dursley.
Upon seeing his cousin entering the pub Harry ordered another pint of Mauldons for himself and a pint of Fuller's London Pride for Dudley. The barmaid smiled invitingly and made sure to give Harry an unobstructed view of her cleavage as she deposited a fresh bowl of garlic and cheese chips on the table, then scurried off to fill the order Harry had placed. Dudley watched the scene with open interest as he slipped off his leather jacket and tossed it on the seat before sliding into the booth across from Harry. Grabbing a handful of crisps Dudley nodded in the general direction of which the barmaid had disappeared.
"Nice bristols on that bird eh."
Harry replied wryly.
"Hadn't noticed."
Dudley smiled playfully.
"Hadn't noticed...shame that is…especially seeing as how she's going to so much trouble to get you to notice all those lovely bits of hers."
Before Harry could respond to his cousin's cheek the aforementioned barmaid returned with their pints.
"Here you are gents, can I get you anything else?"
Dudley's smile widened.
"I'm a bit peckish myself…what's say we have a bit, eh Harry?"
Harry shrugged and said.
"Fine by me."
The barmaid next spent the few minutes shamelessly flirting with Harry as he and Dudley placed their orders, Steak and Guinness pie with mash for Harry and Lamb Henry, jacket potatoes and runner beans and steak and kidney pie for Dudley. For starters, Dudley ordered breaded mushrooms, BBQ spareribs, chicken yakatori, garlic bread and two fresh pints. A few minutes after their orders had been placed the barmaid arrived with Dudley's starters. When she'd taken leave of the table Harry spoke.
"I thought you were in training for a fight next week?"
Dudley nodded and answered around a mouthful of chicken and mushrooms.
"I am."
Quirking an eyebrow Harry reached across the table and plucking a sparerib said.
"Oh I see eating like an up the duff bird is part of your training regimen then."
Dudley shot Harry an evil glare. Harry smiled and bit into the spare rib he'd knicked and in as innocent tone as he could manage asked.
"What?"
Dudley ignored Harry's cheek as well as his feigned innocence and reaching for a sparerib himself changed the direction of the conversation.
"Speaking of my match…how'd you like to see me fight? I've got two extra tickets to the match that you can have if you like."
Harry scratched his jaw idly.
"Hmm…I reckon it might be interesting to see you have a go at a bloke who isn't me and stands a chance of giving as good as he gets."
Dudley put down the pint of ale he'd raised to his lips and said.
"Sorry to disappoint you as this bloke won't be giving any where near as good as he gets seeing as how I'll be doing the giving."
The two cousins shared a smile. Suddenly Dudley's expression grew somber.
"I'm sorry too about all those times I used you as a punching bag back when we were kids. I shouldn't have given you such a hard time. I should've…"
Dudley's words were cut short as Harry interjected.
"Dudley that was a long time ago…"
"Not that long ago."
Harry ignored his cousin's muttered assertion.
"Things were different then Dud…we were different people…taking on issues that weren't ours to take on…"
Harry paused briefly then continued.
"You've apologized and I've forgiven you…"
Dudley interrupted.
"Have you really forgiven me Harry?"
Harry looked his cousin straight in the eye as he replied.
"Yeah Dudley, I have, I wouldn't be sitting here if I hadn't. I just wish you would forgive yourself."
Seeing the sincerity of Harry's words reflected in his eyes Dudley smiled and nodded. They saw in silence for the remaining moments before the barmaid arrived with their food.
"Anything else I can get for you?"
The attractive blonde-haired barmaid addressed Harry directly. Harry pretended once again not to notice her advances and after assuring her that her services were not presently needed he turned his attention back to his cousin, who inquired.
"I take it things are going well with you and Hermione then."
Harry looked up over his glasses and failed miserably at concealing the smile that erupted across his face as answered.
"Couldn't be better."
Dudley eyed Harry shrewdly.
"And what exactly does that mean?"
Harry shrugged and spoke around a mouthful of pie and mash.
"It means that considering my breakup with Ginny, hers with Ron, our…erm…estrangement from the Weasleys and Hermione's wanting us to go slow things are progressing nicely. We're taking some time to get to know each other."
Dudley eyed Harry with an astounded.
"You're taking some time to get to know each other…why in bloody hell would you need to get to know someone you've known since you were eleven? That's the barmiest thing I've ever heard of."
Harry smiled ruefully as he thought how similar Dudley's comment sounded to something that Ron would've said about the matter.
"Its not nearly as barmy as it sounds."
Dudley eyed Harry skeptically. Seeing the look, Harry elaborated.
"You'd think that knowing each other as long as we have that we'd know everything there is to know about each other…but in these last two and a half months I can honestly say I've gotten to know loads of things about Hermione I'd have near guessed before."
Still looking skeptical Dudley queried.
"Like what?"
Pushing aside his empty plate and signaling the bloke behind the bar for another round of drinks Harry said.
"Well for starters I've learned all about her life before Hogwarts and her family as well…she never talked much about her folks at school…not that I asked."
"Okay so you know how she was as a kid and all about her mum and dad…what else?"
"Umm…er…I've learned some other things…little things that you don't take note of sometimes…like her favorite color is blue…she likes to go out plodding around in the rain…she's a right fine cook when she takes a mind to be…she's really actually quite funny…and she's got the most beautiful eyes I've ever bloody seen…"
Dudley chuckled.
"You've got it bad."
Coming round from his momentary lapse in thought Harry asked.
"Huh…what?"
Shaking his head from side to side in laughter as he pushed his own empty dishes away Dudley replied.
"I said you've got it bad for this girl."
Harry smiled as fresh pints were placed before he and Dudley and said.
"I've had bad before mate and its never felt quite so good as this."
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"So I'll leave the tickets with the attendant…the match starts at seven but you'll want to get there a bit earlier to get good seats. Melissa's usually there by six or so…I'll have her on the lookout for you two…you are bringing Hermione aren't you…is she a fan…do you reckon she'll enjoy it?"
Harry nodded as he yanked the zip up on his jacket as he and Dudley stepped out into the cold night air.
"Yes I'm bringing Hermione to your match Dudley and I'm pretty sure she isn't a fan of the noble sport as your dad calls it but I reckon she'll sit through it well enough. I imagine she'll think its about as bad as Quidditch."
A wistful look spread over Dudley's face.
"I'd like to see this Quidditch of yours sometimes."
Harry smiled.
"It'll take a special request from the Minister of Magic to make that happen but seeing as he's a friend of mine I'll see what I can do getting us some tickets to the upcoming Puddlemere United match."
Dudley beamed at Harry.
"That'd be great."
Harry and Dudley made plans to switch their Wednesday night at the pub to Friday night following his match. Instead of a night at the pub, they figured they might as well make it a proper dinner, as they'd have Hermione and Melissa along. Harry and Dudley said their goodbyes and Dudley headed down the stairs to the underground and Harry made his way to the nearest secluded alley where he promptly apparated to Diagon Alley. He'd promised Hermione that he'd run by Flourish and Blotts to see if the books she ordered had come in.
Once Harry had collected Hermione's packages, he stopped in a few other shops to pick up a few odds and ends he needed himself. Loaded down with parcels Harry headed for the Leaky Cauldron, from which he planned to floo to Hermione's to drop off her things before heading home. As he turned the corner, his mind already on seeing Hermione, Harry walked smack into a bloke coming down the cobbled sidewalk who, was likewise preoccupied and loaded down with parcels. Parcels spread across the sidewalk in all directions. Both Harry and the man he'd run into spoke at the same time as they attempted to suss out whose packages were whose.
"Sorry about that, couldn't really see where I was going…"
"Wasn't really looking where I was going either bit preoccupied…"
At the sound of the other's voice both men stopped talking and found themselves staring into familiar faces. Harry cleared his throat.
"Hello Ron."
Ron replied tonelessly.
"Hello Harry."
A/N: In case anyone is curious or knows of the place, the Moon and Sixpence is the name of a
British style pub in Portland Oregon.
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