Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own creativity.
Summary: first part is somewhat a prologue. 10 years after defeat of Voldemort, two people meet up once again. AU. Title comes from the Series Finale of ANGEL.
Warnings: SLASH!
A/N: Sorry if my tenses are slightly off
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I took my love and I took it down
I climbed a mountain and I turned around
And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills
Well the landslide brought me down
(Dixie Chicks; Landslide)
It's been 10 years since the battle with Voldemort. No one could really, truly forget that day- it was simply too phenomenal to be forgotten.. It was the day that the world was rid of the greatest evil ever. But at the tender age of 17 and eliminating the world of evil, it was simply too much for a bunch of teenagers to handle. Some took it better than others, some found solace in love, the comfort to know that even after all bad things, there was someone at the end of the road. Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy had this with each other, not only as friends but as lovers, and with their love, they worked together in the end by lending strength and power to Harry to finally vanquish Him and became the true heroes of the war.
But even heroes have consequences.
Draco, who refused the Dark Mark to join Voldemort's ranks, became one of the most sought out enemies for the dark side- he was only second to none other than Harry Potter and his father, Lucius, was determined to slaughter his son for the betrayal to join the family ranks. Not only was Lucius looking to kill, but he was looking to kill someone who was no longer a Malfoy due to disinheriting his once called son.
But it really is funny how life works sometimes.. because not only did Lucius NOT kill Draco, but in the final battle, Draco killed Lucius.
Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
When you think everything's okay and everything's going right
And life has a funny way of helping you out when
You think everything's gone wrong and everything blows up
In your face
(Alanis Morrisette; Ironic)
But Draco couldn't endure as much as Harry, Ron or Hermione could. They were Gryffindors.. brave and foolhardy at times. So after the final battle, he was left with nothing but turmoil. There was nothing celebratory for him; he had murdered.. and not just anyone, but his father. As much as he loathed the bastard, at the end of the day, he was still family.
So one day during the long-lasting festivities of the Defeat of Voldemort, Draco packed up his bags and vanished into the air. Leaving no letter, no trace, and leaving his love, Harry Potter.
And so it has been 10 years since then. Draco has since moved to Canada living in the big city of Toronto, working in a coffee shop, earning his small living and residing in a small flat in the heart of the city. He has since made a new life for himself, with new friends and new lovers.
It was June 5th, which also meant it was Draco's birthday and his friends were bent on dancing, partying and getting pissed drunk.
"C'mon birthday boy, take another shot of that FireWhisky.. You can't possibly be drunk already!" Rob laughed.
"How you managed to GET FireWhisky into a muggle club I'll never know. .and I don't think I want to." and with that, Draco downed another shot smoothly.
Cheers went all around the table they were sitting at. There were a total of 6 people: Draco, his boyfriend Rob, Connor, Maria, Jess and Todd. He met Todd and Jess in one of his classes in a small school for wizards and witches when he first arrived and they would always be his oldest friends, and a few years later while attending Muggle University, he boarded with Connor, Todd and Jess and met Connor's girlfriend, Maria. Lastly, he met the love of his life through Jess, who began to work with Rob just over 2 years ago, and the group has been inseparable since.
Jess whined. "Guuuuys, we cant drink TOO much tonight.. some of us still have work tomorrow and cant go in with a hangover."
"Sometimes I wonder if you really are a witch or not… Hangover Potions silly!" Todd replied rolling his eyes, but had a grin on his face.
Jess leaned over and slapped him across the head. "Hush… Child..."
"Coming from the one who was just whining… riiiiiiight." Connor cut in, snickering.
Rob wrapped an arm around Draco's waist and whispered in his ear, "Don't you love it when all they can do is bicker.. its like a 24/7 variety show.. you just cant get bored!"
Draco snorted. "I wonder about their IQ sometimes."
Maria leaned over and whispered, "Sometimes only?" and grinned mischievously.
Draco felt laughed and felt contented. He was here, celebrating his 27th birthday with his friends and couldn't ask for anything more. He leaned slightly into Rob and shifted slightly so his head was tucked underneath Rob's chin. He felt so free and able to show his emotions and so away from the confines on what it means to be a Malfoy. Well, now he was known as Draco Andrews. Simple and Canadian.
"Hey Carl! Another round of beers for us!" Rob yelled out to the bartender.
"Coming right up!" Carl gave them the thumbs-up sign.
A few moments later, Carl came by with 6 beers, smiled and told them it was on the house in lieu of Draco's birthday.
"Ahem ahem. I would like to make a toast to my boyfriend who is turning OLD today. May you find richness and happiness in your endeavors… And in me of course." Rob winked.
Jess, Maria, Connor and Todd exclaimed, "Hear hear!"
Draco blushed as they all downed some beer into their system.
"Thanks guys. Don't know where I'd be without you."
Just then, Carl came by again with an amused look on his face.
"Hey birthday boy! There's some guy here to see you. Wouldn't give me his name though. Just told me to tell you to meet him at the bar." He nodded his head in the general direction.
Draco was puzzled. He didn't know that many people in Toronto despite living here for a decade. But some people at work did know his birthday so maybe they happened to see him and wanted to wish him a greeting.
He shrugged. "Alright, thanks Carl I'm on my way."
Carl nodded and went back to his job.
Rob grabbed his hand. "Be careful. You never know what freaks are around these days. Once they see a good looking man, they might just do anything to take you."
Draco looked into his eyes and saw the seriousness but the slight jest to lighten the comment. He allowed a small smile to cross his face and brushed a kiss across Rob's forehead.
"Don't worry. I'll be back soon."
He walked over to the bar and noticed a man wearing black slacks and an emerald green dress shirt which showed off a well-toned body. The man was also wearing a bucket hat and sunglasses.
'Glasses inside a club? Strange..' Draco thought. He knew he himself was dressed just as nicely, in a baby blue dress shirt and tan slacks.
He tapped the man on the shoulder and said, "Excuse me?"
The man turned around and slowly, took off his hat and sunglasses and a tumble of wild dark hair came out from underneath and vivid- but blank- green eyes stared back into his grey ones.
Draco gasped. "Harry?"
Harry stared back evenly. "Evening Draco."
"Wh… err.. Bu-… HUH!" Draco sputtered ungracefully.
He allowed a tiny twitch at the corners of his mouth to curl upwards. "I thought I'd wish you a happy birthday."
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Rob watched the stranger talk to his boyfriend. Something seemed strange. Draco looked nervous, lost, confused and amazed at the same time. That worried Rob. A Lot. Draco rarely lost his cool unless it was in matters of affection which mainly involved Rob himself and occasionally the rest of the gang. But anyone else.. he always spoke in a cool manner and a blank template on his face. However.. right now, he looks more gobsmacked than a chicken kicking a turkey's arse.
Unless… this was about Draco's past. He never heard much about it, just that he was from England and attended Hogwarts. Draco refused to talk about his past saying that was what it exactly was: a past.
Rob had an uneasy feeling of where this was going. "Excuse me, but I'm going to find out what our mystery friend has in store for Draco."
Jess teased him. "Always such a worry-wart when it comes to your loverboy." But Rob had already walked away and was slowly trekking towards Draco and his companion.
"Harry… What're you doing here… in… Canada?" Draco nervously asked.
One eyebrow rose. "To give you your birthday present."
"You came all the way from England.. to give me a GIFT!"
"Well… yes. I guess it seems more absurd when you say it out loud. Heh.." Harry looked slightly abashed. "Well.. here you go." He handed Draco a small box wrapped in green and silver.
Draco smiled slightly. 'Even after a decade, he still attaches me to Slytherin colors.' He thought.
He opened the wrapping and opened the box. Inside lay a pendant of a dragon made of white gold, emerald jewel eyes and the tailed was wrapped around a ruby red rose.
"Wow.. I.. don't know what to say. I can't accept a gift like this. It's too much." Draco insisted.
"I bought it cause I wanted you to have it…. Cause-.." Harry was interrupted.
"Draco darling, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" Rob drawled out as he snaked arm around Draco's waist.
"Right. Right. Where are my manners. Harry, this is Rob. Rob, this is Harry."
"Draco's BOYfriend actually."
"It's nice to meet you Rob." Harry smiled amiably and stuck his right hand out to shake. Harry was a hard person to read but if you knew him as well as Draco did, you would notice the small hidden emotion of surprise in Harry's eyes.
Rob eyed the hand suspiciously but after a moment's hesitation he shook Harry's hand. The shake was firm but friendly between the two, as if testing each other.
"So Harry, you know Draco?"
Harry smiled but held his eyes with a piercing gaze, first at Draco then back to Rob. "Ah yes, I just came by to drop off a birthday present." He waved his hand in the direction of Draco's hands where the gift lay.
Rob plucked the gift out Draco's hands despite his protests. He looked at the intricately carved dragon and rose and took notice of the delicacy and beauty of the pendant.
"Pretty neat. Where'd you pick this up?" Rob asked.
"Oh.. just somewhere in England." Harry replied vaguely.
Rob's eyebrows shot up. England. Draco's past. He was from Draco's past. 'Interesting…' he thought.
Draco kept quiet during the small talk. He didn't know quite what to do or say. But he had to say something before things got out of hand.
"Hey Rob, I'm just going to step outside with Harry for a minute and have a chat. I'll be back in a few alright?"
Rob didn't want him to leave though. Not with someone who probably hurt him in the past. "I don't want you to be alone with him. This could all be some… dodgy scheme!"
Harry looked amused through all this.
"Dodgy? Can you NOT connect the dots? Harry.. England… the one and only Boy-Who-Lived Harry Potter! Why in the WORLD would he come here to hurt me? If it was that frivolous, he wouldn't travel halfway around the world just to fuck around with me!" He said incredulously.
At this point, Rob's eyes popped out. 'Harry Potter!' his mind screamed. 'What the bloody…… ' His eyes traveled to Harry's forehead and he now noticed the faint lightning bolt scar.. It was hard to spot but now he could see it after specifically searching for it. He stared at it for a few moments.
When he looked back to Harry's face, he noticed he now looked annoyed.
"Yes. I'm bloody Harry Potter. Now can you stop gawking at my scar. It's really not becoming of you nor is it as fascinating as people make it out to be." He said scathingly.
Draco guffawed at this. "You really haven't changed much! Still hating it when people look at your scar."
Harry's face pinched. "yeah well you would hate it too if a million girls chased you screaming "Marry meeeeeeeeee!" while your running as fast and far as possible!"
Rob looked relieved at this. That meant he had no romantic involvement with Draco. He can't be gay if he's always surrounded by women!
"Yes well, unlucky for those million girls that you're gay." Draco smirked.
'NO… NO!' screamed Rob's mind. 'He's GAY! HARRY POTTER IS GAY!'
Harry simply grunted in reply.
Rob decided to nip this in the bud and nip it NOW.
"Well it was a pleasure to meet your acquaintance Harry Potter, but Draco and I really must get back to our friends. Drop by another time. Cheerio!" and he entwined his hand with Draco and started to drag him away.
Rob turned around one last time to smugly grin at Harry Potter and claim that Draco was his and only his but when he looked back, Harry was gone.
Draco was surprised at Rob and was so surprised he couldn't think of any protests until they finally sat back down with everyone.
"So, who was the dark, broody hottie?" Jess slyly asked.
"Harry Potter." Rob said tensely.
Stunned silence greeted them. "Whoa… for real?" Connor said.
"Indeed. Speaking of which, why'd you drag me away from him? I didn't even get a decent conversation out of him." Draco glared.
"He said he came to drop off a gift. He did and his mission is complete." He stubbornly replied.
"Where is it anyways? I want it back."
Rob handed back the pendant to Draco, who quickly fastened it around his neck. Rob didn't appreciate the gesture.
"Who was Harry to you? Why must you drop everything, including me when Harry freaking Potter comes! Just because he's famous, is that it?"
Draco got angry at first but his eyes softened though there was a hidden emotion behind it. "He was my .. lover. During the last few years at Hogwarts. I helped him defeat Voldemort. You never heard about my involvement because almost no one knew and the people that did know about my involvement knew I didn't seek glory and fame. But it doesn't matter because I left. Too many bad memories. And now I've found all of you. Rob, you're so important to me. I wouldn't leave you because something in the past came back. Don't even think that."
Rob relaxed at this. "Alright. Sorry. I just overreacted."
"I know you did. It's okay. I would've too."
"DUDE you were lovers with Harry Potter? THAT'S HOT." Todd threw out laughingly.
Something in your eyes, makes me wanna lose myself
Makes me wanna lose myself, in your arms
There's something in your voice, makes my heart beat fast
Hope this feeling lasts, the rest of my life
(Chantel Kreviazuk; Feels like Home)
Draco woke up the next morning to the doorbell.
He groggily woke up, threw on a pair of sweats on top of his boxers and a t-shirt and answered the door.
There stood Harry Potter dressed casually in a white sweater and jeans.
'God, he still looks as amazing as ever…' Draco thought. He shook his head.
"What can I do for you, Potter?"
An eyebrow rose at the sudden use of his last name. "Just thought I'd say goodbye before I head back to England. But apparently, my leaving is not even welcome as I thought it would be."
Draco looked at him blankly. "You're leaving already?"
Harry nodded. "I've gotta head back to work. I only took a day off so I should leave now. Aurors and all.. always so strict about taking time off. I've intruded too much anyhow."
Draco continued to stare at him. And stare. And stare. Until his eyes filled with fury and confusion as all these lost emotions came flooding into him.
"You came all the bloody way here just to hand me some gift and LEAVE! Not even a time to talk, a time to reminisce or catch up! Who the hell do you think you are?"
Harry looked at him coolly. "Well, I was hoping we would've been able to talk last night but your boyfriend decided I wasn't worthy of it."
"It's not my fault you decided to come running back into my life, Harry."
"Don't forget that YOU'RE the one that ran away 10 years ago. Without even a single notice or peep from you. I've spent years looking for you all over Europe and the States. Between work work and WORK.. I still spent every weekend apparating, flooing and researching possible places you could've gone too!" Harry shot back.
Draco was stunned. "You spent 10 years looking for me? Are you crazy?"
Harry shrugged. "Crazy I'm not. Only a fool. A Fool in love."
"Impossible. You cant still be in love with me. Its been 10 years. Haven't you gotten on with your life." He scoffed back.
There was a tense silence for a moment.
"I never met anyone else I wanted to spend the rest of my life with." Came the soft response.
Draco couldn't think of a reply.
Harry ran a shaky hand through his already messy hair. "I can see this was a mistake. You already got on with your life. I still haven't. You obviously have someone who cares a great deal for you and you for him. Draco, I'm glad you found the solace you needed in life, something I could never give you. Not with whom I am and who you were in England. I hope you're happy. Even if it is without me." Harry offered a sad smile and a look of longing in his eyes. "Take care, my dragon."
With that said Harry apparated out not even letting Draco reach out to him one more time, to just feel the reality of it all.
Draco didn't know how long he stood there. It could've been 5 minutes or 2 hours.
But at the end, he came to a conclusion. It hit him like a ton of bricks. No matter how hard he tried to run and hide, Harry would always be the light at the end of a dark, terrifying tunnel. He may have found comfort and solace here, but he would never find the fiery true love he found with his old lover. Giving it up the first time was a mistake. But giving it up a second time would just be plain stupidity. As much as he loved Rob, he wasn't IN love with Rob. He felt bad thinking that especially after last night's conversation.
But the truth at the end was….
Home was wherever Harry was.
After packing his bags and finding his way conspicuously to England, he rapped on Harry's door. When it finally opened, he flung himself at the surprised green-eyed boy and kissed him with as much passion and feeling as he could muster. Harry didn't respond to the kiss at first, but slowly he moved his mouth with Draco's and let his pent up emotions free. They both used their hands to feel each other; the hair, the neck, the body to make sure it was all real and not a dream. Neither could stand it if it were all a dream and to only wake up alone once more. But it was all real and true, neither hallucinating but still not daring to let go.
They had finally found the reason why there was always an empty aching in their hearts.
They finally found each other once more and were destined to never let go ever again.
Finally, due to lack of air, they looked up from their embrace and stared into each other's eyes.
Stormy grey met sparking emerald.
"I love you.'
"… And I you."
END.
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