Title: Visitor

Author: Eleret

Author E-mail: Eleret@aol.com

Category: Romance/General

Keywords: Harry, Draco, slash

Rating: PG-13 (For swearing)

Spoilers: PS/SS, CoS, PoA, GoF

Summary: Harry Potter gets a visitor that brings back the past. A short vignette I wrote a while ago and forgot to post.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Author's Note: So, I posted this a while ago on the Guns and Handcuffs cookie thread on Fictionalley, but forgot to post it here. Today, I remembered it and decided to dig it up because I felt like I should post something. And yes, this does mean that I am a fan of slash. In fact, one of the reasons that I am having trouble writing Understand Me at the moment is that I have become addicted to slash in recent months, and would now rather see Sirius in love with Remus than helping Narcissa. Also, I will probably be writing bits of more slash in the future, both m/m and femmeslash. I love H/D with a passion, I am also fond of S/R, I like P/O tremendously, I occasionally like H/R, I like Pansy/Ginny, I am one of the (apparently few) fans of Minerva McGonagal/Madam Hooch, and I like various other femmeslash as the mood strikes me. Also, if you aren't fond of slash, don't read this, don't flame it, and don't bother hating me, because frankly, I don't care. That's all.

Harry Potter sighed as he heard the knock on the door late that rainy night. He got up from the desk where he had been looking over a report on the latest criminal he was to track down, and went to the front door. Opening it a crack, he was met with quite an odd sight. Draco Malfoy, who Harry had not seen since school (five years before), was standing shivering and dripping wet on his doorstep in a very sodden sweatshirt and slacks, holding a battered suitcase.

Harry blinked, "Do you have the wrong address?" he asked politely.

Draco shook his head, "Not unless you've given up helping people in need, Potter, and settled down to be an irritable, rich old man. If so, let me just say that I knew it all along. If not, let me in and for Godric's sake get me some dry clothes!" and with that Draco barged in his front door and seated himself at the kitchen table.

Harry blinked, "Excuse me? Do you expect me to just let you barge in here and begin demanding things? I am a very busy person, Draco Malfoy, and what have you done to deserve my precious little time?"

Draco smirked, "I always knew you'd turn into an irritable old man, Harry, and now I've proved it."

Harry sputtered, "I'm only twenty two!"

Draco shrugged, "Well, then you've turned into an irritable young man. It really doesn't make much of a difference."

Harry scowled, "Look here, I'm not usually this irritable, but I don't see how you deserve my kindness after five years of snubbing me and two of fucking around before leaving me after we graduated? Could you explain your bit of logic on the subject?"

Draco shrugged again, very non-committal, "Well, you do have quite a reputation for helping those in need (a bit like that crazy muggle Robin Hood) so I supposed I'd give it a shot," and then he added in a low whisper. "I don't have anywhere else to go, Harry. I was living with Blaise but she found some fellow or other, so she's kicked me out. Always knew she was a cruel little bitch, but she did fancy the pants off me before she found out about you. All my stuff's in this case. I've got money- I can pay rent. Will you just let me stay a night?" Draco turned pleading gray eyes on Harry.

The Boy-Who-Lived sighed, "All right, but just the night. I'll get you some clean clothes."

Draco smiled, half smug and half genuinely pleased, "Thanks. So…what's for supper?"

Harry sighed with resignation, "Soup, I suppose. There's some in a can in the cupboard. Get it out and heat it while I find you some clothes, will you?"

Draco made a face, "Out of a can? How vulgar!"

Harry rolled his eyes as he exited the kitchen, calling back, "You'll survive, I'm sure. After all, I have for years. You're not in a mansion anymore, Malfoy."

No, Draco thought after Harry had left, but I'm somewhere much better.  

***

Draco fell to sleep on the couch after their dinner of canned soup. He had survived and was sleeping quite deeply. Harry sat in the armchair across from him, just watching.

Oh Draco, Harry thought looking down at his ex-lover's peaceful face, what happened to us? How did we let ourselves just drift away? So much has happened since we were together last…Could we ever have worked out? We should have tried…

Harry decided he must have drifted off because when he could next remember thinking it was quite dark out.

He awoke to a scream from the couch. Harry shot out of his chair and was by the couch in approximately three seconds. Draco was sitting up on it, panting. His gray eyes were wide with terror. For a moment, he clutched Harry's arm. Then, seeing where he was and who Harry was, he quickly veiled the terror in his eyes and sank back on the couch.

"Draco, what happened? You didn't really just get thrown out your apartment, did you?" Harry's voice was welcomingly warm and comforting, but Draco would have nothing of it.

He shook his head, "It was just a dream, Harry. Just a dream about my days with Voldemort."

Harry quirked his eyebrow in that incredibly cute way that always made Draco give in.

Draco sighed with resignation, "All right, you win. I was working as a spy for Dumbledore. Today they found me out. One of Dumbledore's men was a spy. They couldn't have done as much as Voldemort could have if he was alive, but they could do quite a bit. I was supposed to be able to leave the job next month anyway, so it's no big loss."

Harry sighed, "Draco, you're avoiding the dream."

Draco rubbed a hand over his eyes, "They…performed the Crutiatus curse on me," he shuddered and moved closer to Harry, "You've no idea. I mean, of course you have; you've had it done to you. But Harry, the pain. It's unbearable."

Harry gingerly came to sit next to Draco, wrapping an arm gently around the other man's shoulders.

Draco moved into the embrace, resting his head against the Boy-Who-Lived's chest, "I-Harry, I've always hated pain. As a kid, I was terrified of it. I wouldn't let anyone touch my broken arm when I was eight for two weeks. Finally, they had to stun me. I…I can't bare it, Harry," Now Draco was shivering, "and this was worse than anything. I though I was going to explode. It scared me…" finally Draco dissolved into shivers and stifled half sobs.

Harry let his ex-lover lean on him for as long as he wanted, "Shhh," he said encouragingly, "Everything's going to be fine. It's over now." He hoped he was telling the truth.

Draco glared up at him, and then rolled his silvery eyes, "Fucking optimist," he muttered affectionately.

Harry smiled, "You know you love it."

Draco smiled also, a sad smile, "Harry, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left you. I shouldn't have done a lot of things. I was scared. Will you- could you ever forgive me?"

Harry nodded, "I think I might be able to. We'll discuss it in the morning. Get some sleep."

Draco smirked, "You're sure you want to? We could do so much more interesting things…"

It was Harry's turn to roll his eyes, "Arrogant bastard," he said, lying back against the couch.

Draco grinned cheekily, "You know you love it, too."

Harry smiled slowly, closing his eyes, "Yes, yes I do. And, unfortunately, you do, too," and with that the Boy-Who-Lived fell asleep in the arms of his lover, Draco Malfoy.