Disclaimer: The Characters and all reference to events prior to this story are the property of J.K. Rowling and Co. I would love to own Draco and Harry and if I did there is no way Harry would have married Ginny but sadly I dont, so he did :(

A/N: First ever fic longer than a one-shot. It starts out pretty angsty but I PROMISE it gets less so and more romancy coz I'm a silly romantic at heart. Of course there will be angst still coz you cant have a good romance without angst and I personally HATE stories where everyone ends up happy and in love. Rated M for future situations just in case.

To differentiate:

Dreams

Thoughts

"He's so beautiful don't you think?" The blond man leaned over the crib smiling at the blond baby within. Just two days old and it was so clear to all those around that he would grow to be the spitting image of his father.

"Mmmm... Definitely one of the most beautiful boys I've ever seen" A dark haired man commented as he came up behind his blond love. He wrapped his arms around the taller man and pressed a kiss to his neck.

"Worth all the pain?" the blond man chuckled, remembering the curses flying from his loves lips as he struggled to bring the baby into the world.

"You try pushing a thing that size out of an orifice never designed for that kind of torture and see how sweet and loving you feel" He was in no mood for teasing today, it had been a hard 9 months to bear followed by a gruelling 12 hours of labour before the beautiful boy was born. However, looking down at the sleeping bundle he couldn't help but think it was all worth it. A sentiment he was sure not to share with his lover as he was quite enjoying the sympathy so far.

Emerald green eyes locked onto Silver and they smiled.

"I love you, my phoenix" Those silver eyes shining happily as he gazed upon his dark lover.

"I love you, my dragon" The darker man whispered as he pulled his love close and pressed their lips together.

Harry awoke with a start. It was a dream he was sure, but the feelings continued to wash over him, contentment, love, joy, lingering pain but oh so worth it. A welcome change from the nightmares at least, he thought to himself as he settled back to sleep, almost wishing for the dream to sweep him away again. No such luck this time as another nightmare flashed through him, he saw Fred Weasley fall lifeless in the midst of battle, beyond salvation.

It had been mere months since the end of the war. Hogwarts had been rebuilt and those students who were due to complete their seventh year as the battle began, had returned to finish their schooling. The wizarding world was re-grouping and they all needed to be as prepared as possible to help pull their lives back together. Surprisingly, the students had all managed to recover somewhat from the events of the previous year, a testament to the resilience of children. Perhaps in a last ditch attempt to salvage some normalcy, old rivalries had been refreshed. The lions in their tower despised the snakes down in their dungeons; however none were so shallow as to think them all death eaters. After confronting the true evil of Voldemort and his army, the difference between evil and petty rivalry were suddenly so pronounced it would be an insult to those who had lost their lives to see evil in mere children.

So the Slytherins sneered, spouting their superiority now in terms of money, culture and connections, no longer linked to blood and breeding after the horrors of the war. The Gryffindors replied with shouts of the bravery of their lions and their quidditch prowess. The rivalry was hollow, insults seemed lacking, but it was necessary to make them feel like children again, to help them forget just how much they had grown.

There were two boys however who just couldn't seem to revive their old selves, both had seen and done more in one year then they should ever have thought in their entire lives. They were bound together in a shared misery, brought about by wholly different events but the same in the end.

Harry had lost more people in the short 18 years of his life than most would ever have found in a lifetime. All those who should have loved him, cared for him and held him through the aftermath were taken from him and those that were left were so filled with their own grief that they were unable to help with his. The ultimate Gryffindor, he soldiered forward, he laughed when those around him laughed, he studied when the silence started to close in and through it all he smiled, while his heart was screaming for someone to feel his pain.

Draco was too busy with his own pain. Many of those he loved had made it through, but some of those he so desperately needed had fallen in the end. His godfather had died senselessly, using his last moments for his final selfless act and now Draco felt so alone. His mother and father fussed over him, constantly checking his body for injuries but physically he was the perfect specimen he had been raised to be. Inside he was tearing himself to shreds but kept it hidden from the world, he could not fall down, he had to be strong for those he'd wronged. Draco knew he had hurt more people in his 18 years then most would ever love in a lifetime. Bill Weasley was forever scarred because Draco was too weak to fight the will of the Dark Lord. Fred Weasley, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Lupin, Vincent Crabbe, Severus Snape and many others had all fallen in the end, and it was his fault. If he hadn't allowed the Death Eaters to infiltrate the school, Dumbledore could have saved them, but he was dead too and it was all Draco's fault.

The worst of it all, the ultimate pain, was Harry Potter. Draco had taken his mentor from him and so forced him to face an evil he was not strong enough to stand. Now he was just a ghost of his former self. No one else seemed to notice that something was lacking in the saviour, but Draco had always noticed Harry, and now he could see his pain written all over his face, in the way he walked and the silent tears falling down his face when he thought no one could see. Draco saw... and it was all his fault.

A/N: I love Draco and so of course I don't think its REALLY his fault, but that's how he feels. Draco is very angsty here but he will still be the same guy, we all know he is capable of feeling guilt as evidenced in HBP so I dont think its OOC. Stick with me people, the story develops :)

Hmm.. just noticed its very short.. oh well.. its really just an introduction. If you would like more description of feelings, events etc. in the future, let me know, if you would like less, let me know, if its just right, let me know :)

Reviews make me feel all warm and fuzzy and make me want to write more. :) (that was a not so subtle hint... did you all get it?)