I do not own any of the characters from J.K. Rowling's Potter books, and am only using them for a tale meant for entertainment purposes only.

Harry Potter: Misery Loves Company

By LJ58

Harry started to turn away when he saw the shadow near the fresh grave that wasn't far from his own parents' tombstones. Along with more than a few from the recent showdown at Hogwarts.

He wasn't sure who it was, but he did hear a very faint whimper. As if someone were just barely holding back their own grief. Someone that sounded as if they had lost everything, and had very little left to replace meaning in their lives.

Knowing very well how that felt, Harry Potter, the boy who had lived, and who had helped finally put down Voldemort, stepped out of the shadows.

"Hey, are you okay," he asked even before he saw the face of whoever was slumped beneath that shapeless, black cloak standing over the grave before them.

The flash of dark, icy gray eyes pierced Harry's own as he saw the narrow, but vaguely handsome face capped by bright, golden hair currently in disarray beneath that cloak when they turned to face him.

"What are you doing here," Draco Malfoy hissed, trying to sound angry, and failing spectacularly.

Harry stared for a moment, unable to believe that he was seeing the earlier bane of his trials at Hogwarts standing there with tears streaking his too pale cheeks, and looking as if someone had kicked him, but hard.

"I didn't mean to intrude," Harry told him, holding up both empty hands. "I just…. I was coming to talk to my folks, and…..I heard you."

"That doesn't explain why you're talking to me," Draco muttered darkly, but turned half away all the same.

Harry drew a deep sigh, and stepped forward when Draco made no effort to fight. Or argue. Or anything else. He just stood there looking pale, miserable, and completely at the end of his proverbial rope.

"I'm here because I heard you," Harry told him quietly. "I know how it feels to…..to hurt like you do. Like you are. I just wanted you to know, it does get better."

"Spare me the platitudes, Potter," Draco growled in a very unconvincing manner, not even looking up this time.

"Okay. No platitudes," Harry said, and came over to stand beside him.

Looking down, he read the headstone, and sighed.

'Narcissa Malfory, Wife and Mother.'

There were no other words.

"Oh. Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know she…..?"

"That bastard's last strike at us," he told Harry quietly, almost dispiritedly. "Mother walked into my room to clean it after we….. After we left, and she walked into a trap-spell. It should have been me," Draco sniffed raggedly. "It should have been me."

"I'm sorry, Draco."

"Why would you care," the blonde teen tried to sneer, but couldn't quite pull it off this time. Too much had happened. Too much had exposed his all too human heart. "Why would you care," he echoed more quietly.

"Because, I know how it feels to lose your mother. To wish you could do something…. Anything…. To bring them back. If I've learned anything, though, it's that she would have gone into the room willingly if she had known."

"What," Draco looked up now, staring at him in horror.

"It's what mother's do," Harry smiled weakly. "They love you. Without reason. Without reservation. I think…. I think she would have willingly died for you, the same as my mother did, even if she had not been given that choice."

Draco sniffed, and began to cry in earnest as tears finally rolled down his pale cheeks.

"How can you….? My mother would never…."

Harry risked moving closer, and risked putting his arm around him.

To his astonishment, Draco flung both arms around him, and clung tightly.

"I want her back," he wailed. "I want her back!"

"I know," Harry said quietly. "Believe me, I know."

They stood together for a long time.

Finally, Draco pulled back, and wiped the back of one hand across his face.

"If you ever tell anyone….."

"Our secret, Draco. Word of honor."

Draco sniffed again as he stared into Harry's eyes half hidden by the sheen of the growing fog on his thick glasses.

"Forgot how bloody nice you can be. Even to me, though?"

"I was never your enemy, Draco," Harry told him. "I mean, if you remember, I even tried to be mates at the start there."

"Yeah. The bigshot, friends with everyone, and…"

Draco trailed off, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry. You don't deserve that. Not now. I'm being….an idiot."

"Trust me, I understand. Ron is probably my best friend, and even he can make me mad at him at times."

"That I can believe," Draco said with a curt, barking laugh.

"Well, I guess….."

"Potter, would you like to come over? I mean, for…..tea? Or…..something," he asked when Harry started to turn away.

Harry eyed the other boy, and studied his anxious features. Narrow, almost elongated features gave him an almost predatory visage much his father's. Still, he had a softness now that had not been evidenced at the start with the once selfish, self-important child he had been. Even he heard the near desperation in that tone, though.

Harry had done his own growing, and that final interview with Dumbledore on the other side had helped him grow all the more.

"Sure. Sounds good. Beats setting alone in an empty room while the Ministry tries to sort out the leftovers around us."

"Yeah. Yeah," Draco murmured.

"So, your dad got pardoned," Harry commented. "I mean, I heard…."

Draco nodded as he gestured, and they moved toward his waiting portico.

"Yeah. Thanks to you."

"No. Thanks to your mother. See? She was helping back then, too. Although, I'm pretty sure I still almost ended up dead," Harry grimaced. "In the end, she saved us both. It was close, though. Close," he murmured thoughtfully.

Draco said nothing to that. He simply stared at him for a while, and just when Harry was ready to say something just to fill the very uncomfortable silence, Draco cleared his throat again.

"What's it like? Being dead?"

Harry remembered the weird train station, and almost smiled.

"I think, it's different for everyone. I talked to my parents, though, and they were….at peace. I think, in the end, we all find our way back to whoever we love most, or loves us. I think, that's what matters. The love we share. In the end, though. It was peaceful. Yeah. Peaceful. And loving."

"Love," Draco murmured, and activated his portico.

An instant later, they were standing in the middle of a room Harry had last seen when he had been fighting for his life alongside his friend in the Order, trying to escape the lunatic Bellatrix, and the Death-Eaters.

"Home, sweet home," the blonde boy sighed somberly. "I'll order tea," he said, and pulled a bell rope to summon one of the house elves.

Harry glanced around, and saw a huge portrait over a mantle that showed the adult Malfoys with a younger Draco before them.

"You're still lucky," Harry told him.

"Lucky," Draco frowned at him.

Harry gestured around him.

"Well, yeah, Draco. You grew up with your family. And your mother. You had their love. Your home."

"Didn't you," Draco huffed.

Harry sighed.

"I had a closet under a narrow stairway," Harry admitted glumly.

Draco frowned, as Harry pondered just how much his life had changed since then.

"You?"

"I was raised in the Muggle world," Harry grimaced. "And my guardians were less than…..accepting of my parents, or the wizarding world. I didn't even know I was a wizard until Hagrid showed up to take me to Hogwarts."

"And here I always thought you were raised in some kind of secluded luxury. All the best, and all that."

"I guess…. I guess someone thought that would be too obvious, and chose to hide me in the most unlikely manner possible. Still, at least I did finally get to meet my parents," Harry remarked.

"But….?"

"I met them during flashes left behind. And then again when I died. Just for a moment, but it was….. It was nice."

They sat and talked for a time, and drank most of the tea, when Draco suddenly stood up, and walked over to a counter.

"We're eighteen now. Adults. Hell, Harry, we've been adults longer than anyone else will admit when you think about what we've faced. What we've done."

"Yeah, I see that," Harry agreed. "I sometimes feel older than I am, and then some," he admitted.

"Well, as adults, I intend to toast my birthday with real wine, and not some watery tea a damn house elf can't make right to save his own life," he complained.

"I'm lucky. Ginny has a rare hand in the kitchen," he said, naming the young girl he had been seeing of late.

"Hmmmm. Share a drink with me, Harry. Man to man," Draco all but ordered, and held out a sparkling goblet he had filled like his own with a dark, potent brandy.

Harry eyed the strangely fragile boy, and remembered his own time of need. He walked over, and took the glass.

"You sure this is….."

"Just lift the damn cup, Potter," the blonde growled, and held his own up.

"All right. You….have a toast?"

Draco stared at the goblet held up near his own, then at Harry.

"Nothing pretentious. Just…. To life. Let us never look back, and regret," he said solemnly.

"That's a good toast," Harry smiled.

"I read it somewhere once. Took me ages to really understand it. Now, I do. Now…. I do."

"Then, Draco Malfoy, to Life," Harry clinked their glasses. "May we never look back, and regret."

"Good one," the blonde nodded, and put his goblet to his lips, and drank deep.

He gave a hard sigh, and stared at the half empty cup.

Chuckling that Harry had drank less than half what he had, and was wheezing, and gasping.

"Lightweight," Draco grinned now. "Okay, now you give a toast."

"Didn't I just do that," Harry rasped, eyeing the blonde with blinking, watery eyes behind his thick glasses.

"Not like that sweet-wine they serve at Hogwarts," Draco grinned, and topped off both their glasses even as Harry just stared at the dark liquor. "Well? Toast, Potter. It's bad luck not to do it."

"Okay. Okay. Uh, to the future. May it ever bring our dreams fulfilled."

"Right. A little corny, but….not bad," Draco said, and lifted his goblet.

Harry lifted his, grimaced, and drank again.

"Okay, my turn," Draco nodded, topping their glasses again.

"Should we be drinking….?"

"You going to leave me to drink alone," Draco scowled.

Harry sighed.

"No. No, Draco. I guess I can…..stay a bit longer."

The Slytherin teen grinned now, and regarded Harry.

"How about….to friends. Even the unlikely ones," Draco grinned at him, and again clinked their glasses.

"To friends," Harry nodded. "Even, and especially, the unlikely ones," Harry drawled.

"Especially?"

"Yeah. Because they help us find ourselves, and help us grow. Let's face it, Draco, I have had the most unlikely friends of all time since I came to Hogwarts. You're not even the strangest."

Draco stared at him. Sniggered. Then laughed.

"To friends," he said again, and drank again before urging Harry to drink with a gesture at his glass.

Harry drank.

HP

Draco woke up to find Harry laying next to him, still asleep. As naked as he was as he shoved the sheets back, to find himself disturbingly unclothed.

He stared at him for a moment, then sighed, and climbed out of the bed, and reached for a robe. He padded into the bathroom, showered, and belted a robe back around him.

Of all the things…..

Of all the people…..

He shook his head, and walked over to a chair, and sit down, staring at the sleeping teen in his bed.

His bed.

"I'm not a bloody fag," Draco muttered sourly. He glanced over, saw the overturned glass left on Harry's side of the bed. "Drunk. That was all. We got drunk. And…."

Harry moaned.

He rolled over, and put a hand to his head, groaning louder.

He blinked owlishly, and grit out, "Did another Dementor get me?"

"Worse. Dad's brandy," Draco grumbled. "It was some fancy Muggle brand. Cost heaps."

"I feel….."

Harry suddenly blushed.

"Uhm, Draco? Why are you in my room…?"

"My room. My house. My bed," Draco cut him off.

"So," Harry asked, looking abruptly pale. "I wasn't dreaming about….?"

"I bloody well wish you were," Draco huffed.

Harry closed his eyes, that hand still raised to his head, and groaned anew.

"Well, one thing's obvious."

"What's that," Draco demanded.

"We are never, ever, on pain of death, ever going to mention this one."

"Agreed," Draco nodded curtly.

"So, we….. We just drank too much," Harry decided, sitting up.

"Pretty obvious, isn't it, you git," Draco huffed, unable to help remembering as his mind grew clearer, and his metabolism took care of the last vestiges of confusion on his part.

"Yeah. Yeah, it is," Harry said. "Mind if I borrow your shower?"

Draco pointed to the door in question.

Harry nodded, and blushing slightly, tried not to face the blonde teen as he quickly scooped up his clothes, and then padded for the bath with his clothes held before him. Thankfully, he remembered to snatch up his wand, knowing he was going to need it, too.

Even as he moved, he felt odd aches, and unexpected soreness in places he preferred not to think about. Still, even as he moved, he found himself realizing he didn't feel…..all bad. In fact, some of the night had been…..nice.

The thought made him blush all the more.

Draco didn't even turn his head as Harry rushed to the bath, and disappeared inside, shutting the door for good measure.

Fifteen minutes later, Harry came out after cheating a bit, and using his wand to clean, and dress himself. Feeling almost normal again, he walked out, and noticed that Draco was still sitting in the chair, still wearing his robe, and yet to move.

"You okay," Harry asked.

"You can actually ask that? After we….? We…..? I don't even know why we did that! Drunk, or not, we….. I'm not a bloody fairy, Potter," he swore hotly.

Harry stared at the still miserable blonde, and remembered the night before when he first impulsively hugged the teen, and tried to help comfort him as they had started getting overly maudlin as they all recalled just how things had gone so bad, so fast, and what it cost them all.

Then, they had been hugging each other, and one of them, even Harry wasn't sure, kissed the other. It went off from there.

"Can I say something without you getting too upset?"

"Upset," Draco snorted. "I pretty much popped your cherry, Harry, and you're worried I'm upset?"

Harry blushed, and sit on the end of his bed, trying not to remember how he had been the submissive partner for most of the night. Draco had not so much been dominant, aas needy, and kept his arms wrapped around Harry most of the night.

"I think we both needed….something last night, Draco. I think we weren't even sure what it was ourselves. Whatever it was, or is, or might be, I'm just glad I could…..help you."

"You're kidding me?"

"No. I'm not," Harry said quietly. "I think I already told you I know how it feels to be on the outside looking in all the time. We'll keep this one quiet. I sure don't want to share it with Ginny," he smiled blandly. "Or anyone else. But, Draco, I hope you know, I am willing to be your friend now. If you like," he nodded. "All that other….. It's over. Done. And we're all mates, after all, when it comes down to it. Or, I'd like to think so."

"Just like that," Draco asked quietly.

"Just like that."

"You don't mind the fact we…..? That I…..?"

"Well, we were both obviously willing, and I certainly can't complain. Still, let's not ever share," the young wizard told his unlikely peer, and more unlikely lover.

"Absolutely not," Draco grumbled. "And don't think I want to…..repeat it."

"One time thing," Harry nodded his agreement. "After all, I'm seeing Ginny now."

"Oh. Her."

"You know, you have some fans, too. If you give yourself a chance, I think you'd find you have more friends, too."

"You're too nice for your own good," Draco complained. But he was thinking of Daph's younger sister, who had been hanging around a bit of late. She was silly, but kind of cute. "Too nice," he murmured.

"I've heard that one before, too," Harry said. "I'd better go now. I do have to meet Ginny for lunch."

"Harry," Draco growled abruptly as he rose to his feet when Harry stood up again.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. I mean, for talking. And…..stuff. It did help."

"Anytime, Draco."

"Just don't think it means we'll be seeing much of each other," he sniffed, feeling an unexpected knot rise in his chest.

"Never," Harry smiled faintly. "This one will definitely be our secret."

Draco nodded. "I better get dressed. I have….things to do, too."

"See you later then, maybe. Just….don't ever think you're alone, Draco. We're all from Hogwarts, after all. Mates for life," he said, and headed for the door.

Draco watched him go, still confused by what he remembered of the previous night.

Of his own opinion of Harry that had yet to fully evolve.

And by the nagging fear he had liked sex with the unlikely teen far more than he should.

"Need a date. That's all. Been wound up too long with those stinking Death-Eaters," he complained as he considered the Slytherin girls he knew. And Daphne's sister. "Just need a date," he decided, and decided to go out that day, and amend that very lack.

End…..?