A Drarry AU: Harry Potter disappeared after the war. Five years later, Draco Malfoy runs into him in the most unlikely of places. A coffee shop in New York.

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Harry Potter universe.

Word Count: 1230

It's often said that in situations of high stress when a person feels like their life could be in jeopardy they invoke a certain instinct. A fight or flight instinct, but what about when one is frozen in place? What kind of instinct does that invoke? Harry was never sure why that particular thought crossed his mind in that moment. His therapist often said that whenever a person was faced with a stressful situation they would often rationalize it as best they could by thinking of something that was normal. The fact that an animal's instincts were what he considered normal worried him but not as much as the presence of the man in front of him did.

Harry wasn't even sure that this was real. He'd seen faces of those that he had known before in his waking like but never so vividly and they had never spoken to him before. The sound of his voice though expressed the same amount of shock that Harry himself was feeling. Without even thinking he reached out as if to touch his arm. The jingle of the bell that was attached to the coffee shop door that signified when a customer came in was what jolted him out of his stupor.

Yanking his hand back he took two steps backward. His mouth opened as if he wanted to say something but nothing came out. He closed it, turned around completely and left the shop without a second glance. Harry was halfway down the street when he heard a shout from behind him. "Potter!"

He didn't stop and quickened his pace. If he didn't pay attention to it it would just go away like all the other visions. It isn't real. It isn't real. He chanted over and over again in his head, silently willing the voice to go away.

Only it didn't. It was persistent. Then suddenly there was a hand on his shoulder stopping him in his tracks. A real hand, not an illusion and that's when he finally came to terms with the fact that this was indeed real. That only scared him more.

Slowly he turned around to face Draco. The first thing he noticed was the pink in his pale cheeks. Probably from having to run to catch up with him. The second was the other cup of coffee that was clutched in his hand. "You...forgot...this." He panted, holding it out for him.

Harry's arm reached out stiffly to take it. Mechanically he said thank you and nothing else, simply stared at Draco while he caught his breath. When he finally did neither of them said anything. They just looked at each other awkwardly.

Draco spoke first. "Bloody cold outside isn't it?" He sniffed and Harry noticed that his nose was slightly pink from the chill in the air. He nodded and motioned with his head that Draco should follow him. He was still having a hard time figuring out how to talk.

There really wasn't that much to say between them. When Harry had left he had gone with the intention of never seeing anyone from the wizarding world ever again and to literally bump into Draco Malfoy in a coffee shop had not come to mind at all. In any case there was no going back and changing the past now. Well he could but he didn't have a timeturner and the last time he'd used one had been so much work. He wasn't really sure he was up to it anymore.

No what he needed to do was focus on the matter at hand. How in Merlin's saggy pants was he going to explain his absence for the last five years. Not that he thought Malfoy cared but he figured he ought to tell someone other than his therapist.

In their walking they didn't exchange words once. Draco not to far behind Harry, occasionally taking sips of his coffee, he had actually just been about to ask where they were going when Harry started to go up to the stairs of a building. "You live here?" He asked curious. There was only a nod in answer.

Harry trying to stay calm stuck to his normal routine. He stopped to check his mail, he checked the mail for his neighbor and elderly woman who couldn't come out from her apartment very often because she was in a wheel chair. Then making sure that Draco was still behind him he started up the stairs. There was a perfectly working elevator to their left but he wanted to prolong the conversation as much as he could.

When they got to the floor his apartment was on Harry unlocked the door, motioning for Draco to go in without him, speaking for the first time since the coffee shop. "Er, go on in and make yourself at home. I'll only take a minute."

Draco nodded and did as he was told leaving the door open fractionally behind him. Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. How the hell was he going to do this? Pushing the thought aside he knocked on the door next to his. From inside he heard someone tell him to come in and he turned the unlocked door knob. Mrs. Hennessy was in her living room, knitting a scarf. Her face lit up when she saw him. She put down her work and rolled over to him. "Harry! How are ya sweetie?" He couldn't help but smile, her accent always managed to do that.

"I'm good, Mrs. Hennessy but I can't stay. I've got a guest over. I was actually just dropping off your mail." He held it out and noticed that his hands were shaking. She put her hands over his stilling them. His eyes closed for a moment and he took a breath.

"You sure you're okay?" She asked, peering into his face, worry apparent in her own. "Yes...yes. I'm fine. I'll be back okay? To help you with dinner."

For a moment it seemed like she was going to press it further but she didn't say anything just sat back in her chair with a half forced smile. "I'm making your favorite. Meat loaf."

He laughed while making his way to the door. "I'm looking forward to it." He called over his shoulder. Once he was back in the hallway he shut the door behind him with a small click. He went over to his own apartment, stepping in before he could stop himself. Something rubbed itself against his leg and he almost jumped until he realized it was his cat. A sigh of relief escaped him and he made his way farther in. "Draco?" He called out quietly.

"In here." He followed his voice into the living room. His cup of coffee had been placed on the table as if it was just any normal day and he was coming in from work. How wrong he was. Harry sat on one of the opposite couches and leaned forward with his arms resting against his thighs, a position so similar to the one he'd been in when he had destroyed his room at Grimmauld place. His eyes closed for a moment as he prepared himself for what was about to happen next. "I don't even know where to start." He whispered.

"Start from the beginning." Draco whispered back.

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and if you celebrate something else then I hope that went well for you and if you don't celebrate anything and this is just time off for you then I hope you're having a lovely break because you deserve it! I hope you all have a happy New Year and that you enjoy yourselves then too! Best of luck in 2015!