"All it proves is that a good microphone works wonders," drawled Harry.
"Micro--"
"Amplifies voices. Kind of like a wand does for magic. All those performers were using them, I bet, and--"
Draco lifted his chin again. Honestly! Attributing Rhiannon's enchanting tones to nasty Muggle machinery. Harry probably didn't know how offensive he was being, but still . . . "Yes, your judgment on these matters is so very fine that you can't even hear the difference between Italian and German. I'm sure I'll trust you on all things operatic."
"Any more of this and I'll be setting an essay," said Severus. "Is that clear?"
Harry gave a short nod. Draco thought to do him one better, so he answered in his most gracious voice. "Of course, sir. I for one didn't mean to fill your home with . . . what did you call it? Incessant adolescent squabbling?"
It seemed to him that Severus sighed. "This is our home, Draco, not just mine."
"Oh, I know," said Draco, nodding. Hmm, Severus looked like he wondered if Draco really did know that. Which meant it might be a good time to bring up something he'd been meaning to discuss . . . "Well, perhaps if I had my own room I'd feel more like I was at home."
"No. You'll continue to share with your brother."
"Why? I think we know enough about construction now, to add another room--"
Severus practically glowered.
"All right, fine," said Draco. He'd known he couldn't sway Severus on that point. And truth to tell, he didn't care all that much, not now that he was so used to sharing. What mattered now was getting to Exeter and finding Rhiannon. "Everybody all done with breakfast? Good, then let's be off. Are you sure we can't hunt up Rhiannon straight away? No? Well then, shopping first, and after that the theatre. I can live with that. So, where to, Severus?"
All at once, the Potions Master started to look a little bit out of his depth. It was a pretty strange expression on his typically confident--or even arrogant--features. "I didn't think to look for a grocer's yesterday while we were in town--"
"Aha," said Draco, resisting an urge to point in triumph. No point rubbing it in, right? "When you said shopping, you were thinking of something more like Diagon Alley!"
"Yes, but as we're going to Exeter anyway, I think we should simply do our shopping there."
"Why should we?" Draco strove for a reasonable tone. "There's no need. And doesn't it make more sense to shop where we're all comfortable?"
Harry just had to put his two Knuts in, of course. "I'm perfectly at ease at Sainsbury's or Tesco."
"Where we're all comfortable," reiterated Draco. "I bet Severus has never set foot in a Muggle grocer's in his life. And I know I certainly haven't. So how about this: we Apparate to Diagon Alley to stock our pantry, as it were, and then after we've come back here to drop off our purchases, we'll head over to Exeter. Simple."
"Oh, no you don't." Harry was scowling. "We'll find a store in Exeter and you'll do Muggle-style shopping, Draco, so you can see how Rhiannon actually lives. Who knows, maybe we'll even run into her at the store!"
"If we do, it'll mean she's faking. How many times do I have to explain it?"
"You're the one who's faking! Intelligence!"
Draco had a good comeback for that, but Severus held up a hand before he could say a word. He had a feeling that Severus would cancel the Exeter trip altogether if any more arguments erupted, so he held his tongue.
Severus stared at him for a moment, then included Harry in his serious gaze as well. "It's best that we all become conversant with shopping in the Muggle world, in any case. In times of war, we may not be able to rely upon wizarding shops."
That made sense, so Draco nodded.
Harry was smiling broadly as he pushed back his chair. "About time I get to be the expert on something. Sounds good. So then, I think Muggle clothes are called for--"
"Yes, it's not like we went to Exeter in Muggle dress just yesterday, or like we go every week to Surrey and pretend to be Muggles there, too. Yes, we know absolutely nothing about going unnoticed--"
"I get the point," said Harry dryly. "Can you blame me if it's fun to be in charge, even if it's only of the shopping?"
In charge. Harry really did have a nerve. "Who put you in charge? I think I can figure out how to buy food, thank you very much. I did all right in the suit shop, didn't I?"
"Apart from yelling at everybody in sight and making the clerk burst into tears twice?"
"Draco," said Severus, shaking his head.
"I didn't. His eyes got a bit wet, was all. And what was I supposed to do?" Honestly, the things Harry complained about. "I'd asked for emerald green, clear as day, and he brought me a shade of tie much closer to spring grass! I should just put up with such abysmal service?"
Severus and Harry started doing it again, then. Looking at each other. All but rolling their eyes. Draco huffed. "I'll take charge of the shopping, thank you very much--"
"You'll have the butcher throwing knives over the counter. At us."
"Draco." Severus waiting until the boy looked up at him. "Have you ever purchased food before, even in a wizarding shop? Apart from the occasional sweet, that it?"
Now Draco was the one rolling his eyes. "No, of course not. But how hard could it be?"
"We'll let Harry show us how the Muggles handle such matters."
Harry looked pleased as plum pudding that he'd got his way, and was now in charge, so to speak. "All right, then. Draco, lose that robe. And Dad, you too. Actually, maybe you should change into something a little more casual. Not too many Muggles wear . . . er, quite so many layers. Especially during the summer."
Dad . . . Sure enough, the name didn't make Severus grimace, not when Harry was the one saying it. Draco scowled and marched over to the divan, where he threw himself down with his arms crossed.
Severus was back in a moment, wearing black trousers and a simple button-down shirt in a green so dark it might as well be black. He'd tied his hair back as he often did when they went to Marsha's.
Harry nodded. "So, Exeter. Let's just Apparate to right near that pool, Dad, and then look about for a likely looking store."
Dad . . . That time, Draco was sure that Harry must be saying it on purpose. Rubbing it in.
"And you propose to go at once, do you?"
Harry blinked, clearly lost. "Er . . . yeah. Well, as soon as Draco gets up off the couch."
Severus waved toward the square table where they'd eaten breakfast. After hearing enough there's no house-elf here lectures to last him a lifetime, Draco knew well enough what that gesture meant. None of them were going anywhere until the dishes were done. So, fine. Draco flicked his wand a few times to clean the plates and stack them neatly, then banished the crumbs that were scattered about. Really, household chores weren't too horrible, considering. It wasn't like they were cooking and cleaning the way Muggles did.
But now they were about to shop the way Muggles did. And Harry was going to show them how. Draco sighed, but then he decided it didn't matter. As long as he got to see Rhiannon Miller in Exeter, nothing else mattered. Concentrating on the prospect of that, he let the world melt through him until he was lighter than air and on his way towards his one true love.
------------------------------------------------------
Draco ended up on the opposite side of the road from his father and brother, but that was easily solved. He dashed across, ignoring the noise of tyres screeching and something that sounded like ducks gone insane.
Harry was shaking his head. "You don't know anything, do you? They're honking at you for a reason. You're supposed to look both ways before you cross!"