A Life of Lies

Chapter 1 - A Surprise Meeting on a Crowded Street

A/N - Okay so a couple of things I need to say. This fic is going to be about 10 chapters long and it's based on the Rascal Flatts song "He Ain't the Leavin' Kind".

It's slash obviously, and it's my first ever slash fic so here goes… Constructive criticism is always good! ;)

It's rated M for later chapters, I'm testing the waters, I'm not used to writing graphic sex scenes! XD

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter or any of it's characters, it's all JK!

"Daaaaaaad."

Harry Potter turned to the voice he knew so well, his 8 year old daughter Lily was standing by a shop window with her arms crossed, "I want to go into quality Quidditch supplies." Lily said.

Harry glanced at his watch, "We don't have a lot of time Lils." He said, but when her face fell he caved and sighed, "Alright go in and have a look, I need to go and get some stationary before the new term starts at Hogwarts, I'll meet you in the shop in 5 minutes."

Lily's face lit up, "Thanks Dad!" She said, skipping into the shop, she'd gotten her way like she always did with her Dad. Harry smiled and turned to cross the crowded street to get some new parchment and ink for the 1st of September when summer ended and he had to go back to his job of teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts.

As Harry crossed the street he tried his best not to bump into anyone but it was the middle of August and there were people everywhere buying school supplies so that proved difficult and he had almost made it across the alley before he bumped into a man walking out of the shop he was going into. In the middle of the crowded alley they both stopped, apologising at the same time.

Harry looked up, he recognised that voice, he knew it well, "Draco." He whispered when he saw the blonde man staring back at him. He looked very similar to when Harry had last seen him so long ago, his hair was a little longer, not slicked back like it had been, his piercing grey eyes penetrated Harry's own green ones, and Harry said quietly, "It's been 10 years."

Draco didn't say anything as he stared at his ex-arch nemesis, amongst other things. Harry looked down when he heard a small voice whisper, "Daddy…"

Holding Draco's hand was a young girl who looked a few years younger than his own daughter, she had Draco's blonde hair and blue eyes she'd clearly inherited from her Mother. Harry was surprised, but he didn't have reason to be, this had been the plan after all and he had kids too, well, one kid.

Draco picked the young girl up in his arms and walked away without a word, Harry watched him leave, slightly shaken by the meeting. He didn't know how long he stood there for but a small hand tugged at his trousers and he jumped, he looked down to see Lily standing there, "Dad, what took you so long? I've been waiting ages." She complained.

Harry tried to pull himself together but he must have failed because Lily frowned, "Dad, are you okay? You look kind of weird." She said.

Harry took a deep breath and smiled down at his daughter, "I'm fine honey." He said and he grabbed her hand, forgetting about his office supplies he said, "Let's go home."

Lily seemed a little confused but she didn't say anything else as Harry walked to the apparation point and apparated to the doorstep of Grimmauld place, he and Lily entered the house, Lily ran off upstairs to play with the new chess set she'd gotten that day in Diagon Alley and Harry snuck past Ginny in the living room to go and stand on the balcony that led off from what had once been Buckbeak's room, after today's events he needed some air.

Astoria Malfoy was annoyed, ever since her Husband had come home from Diagon Alley with their eldest daughter Neve, he hadn't looked at her, Neve or their younger daughter Kathy. He had been avoiding everyone all day and when Astoria eventually found him hiding out on the roof of the mansion where he knew she wouldn't find him for a long time, it was late and dark.

"How did you find me up here?" Draco asked, as she sat down next to him on the dirty roof.

"I figured that you'd be in the last place I decided to look." Astoria said logically, she made a face, "I had to go through the attic to get up here."

"I think that's the first time you've ever set foot in the attic since you moved into the mansion 10 years ago." Draco said lightly, he was looking out at the night sky rather than at her.

Astoria sighed, it wasn't like Draco to be so closed off, "I don't know what's wrong with you Draco but you haven't looked at the girls or me all day."

Draco frowned, looking down at his hands, it seemed like he was trying to decide whether to talk to her or shut her out, "I saw Harry today." He said finally.

Astoria's face fell, "Harry Potter?" She asked, Draco just nodded to confirm her worst fears.

They sat in silence for a moment, neither of them really knowing what to say, but Draco knew that his wife had to know the truth, whether she liked it or wanted to hear it, he'd have to tell her eventually anyway, "I saw him for the first time in 10 years Astoria and I just walked away with Neve, I didn't say a word…" He trailed off thoughtfully, "He has a daughter too I think, I saw her walking towards him as we were leaving."

There was more silence, Draco chanced a glance at Astoria and saw that she was upset, fighting back tears, "You still have feelings for him." She said, and it was a statement rather than a question.

"I shouldn't." Draco admitted, "It's been 10 years." He looked back out at the night sky, sighing deeply.

"And what does this mean for us Draco? For Neve, Kathy and me?" Astoria asked, still fighting the tears that threatened to fall, Draco looked at her, feeling guilty for the pain in her eyes.

"Are you going to walk away?" Astoria asked, and she sounded more broken than Draco had ever heard her.

Draco frowned, he shook his head immediately, "No, of course not Astoria. I love you, I'd never leave you and the girls, you're my world."

"Your world?" Astoria asked with a bitter laugh, "You might love us Draco, but you love Harry Potter too."

Draco opened his mouth to deny it but found that he couldn't, his voice caught in his throat, Astoria barked an angry laugh and stood up on the rooftop, "If you aren't walking away, then I am."

Draco stood too, "Astoria stop! We need to talk about this, you can't just leave, I haven't done anything wrong!"

"I don't think there's anything to talk about Draco." Astoria said as she moved toward the hatch leading down into the attic, "I need to do this, I can't be with someone who loves someone else." She went down the hatch and slammed it shut.

"I don't love him!" Draco shouted, but it was too late. Astoria had cast locking charms on the hatch and he couldn't get back in, the mansion was 5 floors high, there was no way he could jump off, for 20 minutes Draco tried everything to get off the roof but he stopped when he saw Astoria leave with a suitcase and his two daughters, 7 year old Neve and 5 year old Kathy, he shouted but they couldn't hear him and in the blink of an eye they'd twirled and with a crack were gone.

"Harry, why are you so quiet? Lily said you were acting odd when you went out today." Ginny said gently as she sat down next to her Husband on the sofa. Harry had a book in front of him but he wasn't reading it, he was staring blankly ahead, lost in thoughts and memories. Ginny's voice had pulled him out of his reverie and he glanced at her, getting his head together, "I saw Draco Malfoy today, with his daughter, she looked a few years younger than Lily. It just made me realise that it's been 10 years Gin."

Ginny reached over and took his hand sympathetically, she didn't really understand the problem but she could tell that it was bothering him, "Why was seeing Malfoy so hard?" She asked, and Harry bit his lip, he glanced at the fire, "I can't talk about it." Harry admitted, and at the perfect moment the fire roared to life and Hermione Granger stepped out of it.

Hermione smiled at them both and sat down on the armchair across from them, "I'm glad you're going to tell Gin, Harry." She said, happily, but Ginny could see hesitation in her eyes.

"Tell me what? Harry's what's going on?" Ginny asked, frowning at this strange occurrence.

Harry sighed deeply, "Ginny, something happened 10 years ago before you and I got together, something I was afraid to tell you about, I was afraid if you knew you'd leave me, the only people who ever knew were Mi, and probably Astoria, you know Draco's wife?"

Ginny nodded and said quickly, "Yes, we work together at the Ministry, just tell me Harry, I'll try my best not to get angry, I swear." She said, her hand tightening around his.

Harry looked to Hermione for help, Ginny followed his gaze and looked at Hermione as she said, "10 years ago after the final battle do you remember Harry vanished for 3 months?"

Ginny nodded, of course she remembered, she'd been worried sick, "Yeah, and you all said it was because he needed some time alone after everything that had happened."

Hermione nodded back, "That's what I told everyone because Harry didn't want anyone to know the truth." She admitted, and she continued, "Harry saved Draco's life, he was nearly killed with the fiend fire and Harry saved him, after that Draco and Harry kissed."

Ginny was startled by this but didn't let go of Harry's hand, Hermione looked at Harry, she felt Ginny needed to hear this part from him, "We didn't really know what it meant, but we went away together, those 3 months I was with Draco in Europe and Australia, we were looking for Hermione's parents too of course and we found them like you remember."

Ginny nodded, trying so hard to take all of this in, Harry looked down, "We thought we were in love, but we knew what we were doing was wrong, he was a Malfoy, he needed a trophy wife and an heir, and I was always in the spotlight, if it had ever gotten out…" Harry trailed off, shuddering at the thought, "So we said goodbye and we hadn't seen each other since, until today."

Harry was surprised by Ginny's reaction, her hand remained in his, "I'm not mad at you." Ginny said, reaching up and kissing him on the cheek, "I think sometimes a person can love more than one person at the same time." She explained, "I loved you so much my whole teenage life, but I loved Dean just as much when I was with him."

Harry smiled softly at her, kissing her lightly on the lips, "Thank you." He said, her acceptance meant more than he could ever say to her, "I love you."

From the sidelines Hermione smiled, she was glad at the way Ginny had taken the news, she was very mature about the whole thing.

When Harry went to bed that night he thought about Draco, about where he was living and why he had moved back to England after spending the last 10 years in Scotland. He knew he shouldn't be thinking about him but today had shaken him up and he couldn't help it. Harry sincerely hoped for the sake of he and Ginny's relationship that he never had to see Draco Malfoy again.

TBC.