“Ilikedtalkingtoyou.Espeiallywhileyouwereinsuhagoodmood.”
“Goodmood?”Draoehoed.“Iwasdrunk,Potter.”
“Iknow,”hesmiled.“Butitmadeyou…alittlelessserious.Ilikedthat.”Thesmilewidened.
Fuk.Whatwasgoingon?ThefewtimeshehadbumpedintoPotterovertheyearshadbeennothinglikethis.Granted,Potterhadbeenfriendlybuthehadalsobeenurtandaloof.DraohadgottentheimpressionPotterwasdoingwhathethoughtwasrequiredofhim.Butthis,Potterbeingopenlynietohim,wasafirst.Anditwashorrible.Itonlymadethingsworse.
“Howomeyou’renotatworkattwointheafternoononaMonday?”Draosaidafterlearinghisthroat.“Areyoualreadyonholiday?Ididn’ttakeyouforthetypetotakeaholidayatall.”
SomethingflikeredarossPotter’sfaeashetookanothersipofhisbutterbeer.“Um,inamannerofspeakingI’monholiday,yes.”
“Whydoyousayitlikethat?”
“Likewhat?”
“So…ominously.”
Pottersighed,leaningbakinhishair.“Irarelytalkaboutittobeho.”
Draostudiedhimloselyashisfaetwistedintosomethingunreadable.Heseemedtobeonsideringsomething.Whenhefinallyspokeagain,histonewasalotgloomier.
“EversineIquitAurortraining—”
“Youdidwhat?”Draoblurted.“Youquit—What?”
“Well,tehnially,I’monsabbatial,butIthinktheyknowI’mnotomingbak.”
“But…why?”Draoasked,genuinelyshoked.
Pottershrugged.“Ididn’tlikeit.”
Draowantedtosnortandpointoutmanypeopledidn’tliketheirjob.ButPotterwasinapositionwherehedidn’tneedtodoanythinghedidn’tlike,wasn’the?Or,maybe,hehadsomanyobligationsheseretlydisliked,hemadesuretogetridofthethingshehadontrolover.
“HowdidInotknowaboutthis?”Draomurmured,moretohimselfthantoPotter.
“Oh,I’msorry,wasIsupposedtosendyouamemo?”Pottersaidinanamusedtone.
Draoimmediatelyfelthimselfblush.“Imeant…”Hetriedtoollethimself,searhingfortherightwords.“Howomenoneofthiswasinthepapers?”
“Imadeeveryonekeeptheirmouthsshut,”Pottersaid.“Ididn’tthinkitwouldwork,but…”Heshruggedagain.