Author's Note: This is my first fic, so any advice would be lovely! Reviews are much appreciated.

Disclaimer: I do not these characters. I am just using them. I dont own what you recognise.

Harry threw the gold coins down on the counter. "Brandy." He said, looking the bartender straight in the eye.

"Sir, I think you've had enough." Said the man nervously, eying the slightly tipsy teen in front of him.

A drunken Harry pulled out his wand. "Look buddy, you do what I say and no one gets hurt, got it?"

The bartender was quick to pour Harry a generous dose of brandy. Harry was about to throw it down, when suddenly, a gloved hand came to rest on his shoulder, and a smooth voice spoke: "Well, Potter, I never thought I'd see the day that you decide to threaten others for alcohol."

Harry whipped his head around. Standing behind him was none other than Lucius Malfoy.

"Potter, the Minister's Ball is not the time to get yourself pissed beyond belief. Come with me, please." Malfoy steered him away from the bar.

As soon as they were away from the ball, Malfoy let go of Harry's shoulder. "Potter, what is wrong with you? Do you hate your life so much that you feel the need to get drunk at every possible opportunity?" Malfoy asked him.

This really infuriated Harry. "Did you not see the papers, you idiot?" He exclaimed angrily. "You would be miserable too, if that had happened to you." He finished in a broken whisper.

"As a matter of fact, Potter, I did not see the papers. Please, by all means enlighten me." Lucius said smoothly, his curiosity sparked with interest.

"Sirius was killed by Voldemort." Tears were flowing freely down the distraught teen's face, though he did nothing to keep them in check.

Lucius was surprised to hear this, to say the least. "I had not heard." He said with genuine concern. "When did this occur?"

"Last weekend." The seventeen-year-old buried his face in his hands.

Lucius, against his better judgment, bent down to Harry's level. "I'm so sorry." Lucius said sincerely.

Harry had to physically restrain himself from burying his face in his Defence Professor's chest. Gods, grief did weird things to a person.

"I have to go." Harry said suddenly. He rushed out to the ball before Lucius could register what had happened, and was out the doors and apparated away before Lucius could so much as regain his lost balance.

That was... interesting... Lucius thought as the teen fairly sprinted from the mansion. He wandered back into the main Ballroom.

"Lucius, my friend! How are you?" Asked Cornelius Fudge.

"Oh, er, I'm fine." Lucius stuttered, less eloquent than usual. He brushed it off as shock.

"Glad to hear it!" Exclaimed the man.

But truely, Lucius Malfoy was far from fine.

Harry slammed the door to his apartment, sinking down on the couch and burying his face in his hands, shaking head to toe with silent sobs. He couldnt believe that he had just broken down in front of Lucius Malfoy of all people. But somehow, it hadnt been awkward or wrong. It had felt right in ways Harry couldnt even begin to express. Harry knew he was gay of course, but even if he was attracted to Malfoy of all people, which he stubbornly told himself he was not, he still didnt know if Malfoy even liked men. He felt better after he had had a sobering potion, but now he had the added weight of dealing with misery without the aide of alcohol.

Harry was standing in a graveyard, surrounded by black-clad figures, all wearing masks. A tall man with long blonde hair and a tight, forced smirk sunk to his knees, crawling over to kiss the hem of the middle figure's robes. "Ah, Lucius." Cooed the centre figure, brushing a finger up the man's cheek. Harry saw him shiver minutely, but his fear seemed to please his master. The figure shifted ever so slightly, and Harry stifled a gasp at his features. The man had a snakelike nose, and his face was pale and cold, with an evil leer that clearly said, "If you disobey me, I will hurt you." Harry shuddered, clamping his eyes shut to avoid looking at the monstrous sight before him.

Suddenly, the long-haired man charged forward, taking the snakelike man by surprise. he grabbed Harry around the waist and spun, apparating them both to safety.

Harry awoke with a gasp. He realised that he must have fallen asleep at some point during his grieving process, because that certainly hadnt happened in real life. Suddenly, a knock sounded on the mahogany door, effectively releasing Harry from his sleep- induced stupor. He groaned and pushed himself up from the black-leather couch, trudging over to the door in question.

Lucius Malfoy stood on the doorstep. Realising that this was the man from his dream, Harry stifled another gasp. Surely the man who had treated him with such sincerity at the Ball couldnt be the man from his dream. But it was. Then, Harry remembered the argument he had had with himself shortly before falling asleep about the man's sexual preference. Harry flushed bright red, and opened the door wider.

"Mr. Malfoy, er, what are you doing here?" Harry asked lamely.

"I have simply come to make sure you have not done anything drastic in your grief." Said the Malfoy Elder in his superior voice.

"I havent." Harry said simply, looking Lucius up and down.

"I also wanted to invite you to my manor this Sunday. Im sure that Draco would enjoy seeing you." Lucius said before he could stop himself.

Harry looked at him apraisingly. "Draco hates me, he said it himself. And the feeling is pretty much mutual, I guess." Harry shugged elegantly.

"Well, come along anyway." Lucius said, regretting not being able to control himself.

Harry speculated him for a moment. "Alright, then. What time?" Harry continued to look at him as though he expected him to laugh and say it was all a joke.

He didnt. "Eleven o'clock would be fine."

"Alright. I guess I'll see you then." Harry said awkwardly. "Er, would you... like to come in for a drink?"

"Har-Potter, it is almost midnight. I really must go." And with those final words, he turned on his heel and strode down the steps, apparating out of sight.

Harry walked back into his apartment, sitting down inelegantly on his armchair and sighing deeply. Lucius Malfoy had come to his house at midnight, just to make sure he was okay and to invite him to his manor. The thought made Harry's heart soar and sink all at once, creating a rather sickening feeling. He figured he would go to bed and think about his current predicament in the morning.