A/N: Here is the next chapter for you all. I hope you enjoy it. So here's some news: I have one story on my page that I have never finished. Guess what I'm working on right now? The story. I'm going to finish it and then I'm going to edit the first ten chapters of it and will start putting chapters out again. The story is called Forever Friends. It's where Draco and Harry have been friends since they were very young. It kind of rewrites their seven years making them friends/more than friends. Anyway, I'm going to finish it (I've said this before, but I mean it this time!). It's been like five years since I've done anything with it and that's not cool. If no one reads it when it's ready, well, oh well, at least it will be done :). Well, enough rambling, here's this story! Enjoy!

Harry and Draco sat in the main building next to each other with all of the dragon keepers. Roberto was the cook for lunch and had made a delicious gazpacho soup and some small sandwiches. They were delicious.

"Oi, Harry, who's your friend?" someone called out to him.

Harry wiped at his mouth for a moment. "This is Draco. He's from Britain," he replied.

The man lifted a bushy brow. "Never seen anyone here that you've known," he pointed out.

Harry shrugged. "I'm just as surprised as you are," he responded.

Draco shifted uncomfortably. "I came here on a missing person case and happened to run into Harry here. Purely coincidental," he added.

The man looked around the room at some of the other dragon keepers. "Missing person case?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah. I am kind of like a private investigator. I was given a missing person case with a vague description and was sent here to find them," he explained.

"Anyone missing here?" he asked the group.

"My mum would probably file a missing person case on me, but she knows I'm here so it would just be a rouse to get me home," a younger man replied with a laugh.

"You don't fit the description so I don't think it's you," Draco replied laughing with him. The man nodded.

"What's the description then?" the bushy eyebrow man asked.

"Uh, dark hair, light eyes, slim build, shorter in stature, and last seen wearing glasses," he replied.

He looked around and no one looked guilty. Draco noticed that as well which confirmed that Harry was definitely who the Ministry was looking for.

"Our families all know that we're here," a guy who fit the description replied. "This seems more like something that would happen during the summer. We have way more people here then that would be considered missing."

"It's me," Harry put out there. Everyone turned to look at him in surprise, including Draco. Harry laughed. "Scorned lover wants their key back," he replied with a shrug.

Everyone started to laugh and compliment his joke. Harry glanced over at Draco and smiled slightly. Draco smiled slightly back and then returned to eating. The conversation moved away from Draco's case then and he found himself finally relaxing somewhat. Being inside a building helped and sitting next to Harry helped even more.

XXXX

After Hermione talked with Charlie, she went into investigation mode and started looking into things at the Ministry herself. She contacted all her contacts outside her department and learned that there was definitely someone or more than someone trying to keep the old ways of the Ministry. They were a larger group than she would like, but she couldn't do much about it at this point. She had to figure out who she could trust.

After discussing her options with Ron, she decided to set up a meeting with Kingsley. She was able to get him to meet her away from the Ministry. They were going to meet in one of Fred and George's hideouts that they had purchased. She took every precaution to make sure that they couldn't be overheard or found out as to what they were doing. She sent Kingsley on an apparition expedition with flooing in between. Finally, he arrived at their planned place and knocked on the door. Hermione opened it and he walked in looking a bit ruffled. Ron was there to greet him as well.

"Miss Granger, Mister Weasley," he greeted in a gruff tone.

"Hello Minister. We're sorry for making you go through so many hoops to get here," Hermione greeted.

They walked into the kitchen and he sat down and took some tea. "Well, I imagine that you wouldn't have me do that unless it was very important," he answered.

"Yes, well, it's about Harry," Ron told him.

Kingsley looked up at him and his eyes got a bit misty. "Three years just this past week," he muttered.

They both nodded. "Well, what if we told you that he's alive?" she questioned.

Kingsley's eyes took on a suspicious look. "I would ask you if you had lost your mind," he replied.

"Then ask because it's true," Ron replied.

Kingsley looked between the two, honesty quite apparent on their faces. He sat up straighter. "Harry's alive?" he asked.

"Yes, but his accident was not an accident. Someone in your Ministry made the call to take him out and leave him for dead," Hermione replied.

Kingsley stood up angrily. "I sincerely hope you're not accusing me of making that call," he demanded.

Hermione shook her head, trying to stay calm. "No. Ron and I believe that there are people in the Ministry who are resistant to change. I believe that you are fully aware of that," she responded.

"Of course, I'm bloody well aware of that. I've got people that I trust explicitly investigating them and building a case. We can't take this further until we have an air tight case. With this new information, well, that needs to be investigated more. I don't think we'll have as much resistance to reopening the death investigation on Harry from those who are working for me. If he's still alive, where has he been?" he replied angrily.

Ron and Hermione exchanged glances. "We'd rather not disclose that, but he is alive. He's different. They took his memories," Ron replied.

Kingsley sat down and hung his head for a moment. "Why?" he asked quietly.

"They're against change. Harry was changing the auror department. It wouldn't stop there and that made them nervous. The easiest thing to do would be to take Harry out. We found him and he didn't remember us. We sent him away for his own safety," Hermione explained choking up.

Kingsley shook his head. "Why are you coming to me now? If Harry is safe, why bring it up now? We are building a case against them and that takes time, but there doesn't seem to be a rush right now," he questioned in confusion.

"Because someone in the Ministry sent Draco Malfoy to find a missing person in the place that Harry is," Ron replied.

Kingsley looked between them both. "Did Mister Malfoy find him?" he asked in a worried tone. They both nodded. "That's not good," he whispered. "Who hired him?"

Hermione smiled slightly. "Actually, I have a feeling that Malfoy is not going to turn him in. I'm not worried that he found him. I think he'll actually be able to help him. As far as whom it was, I'm not sure. I'll see if I can contact Malfoy and find out," she replied confidently.

Kingsley looked up at Ron for confirmation. He nodded in agreement although it was a bit reluctant. "Okay, well, I will give this new information to my trusted investigators," he began, but stopped when Hermione and Ron gave him an alarmed look. He raised his hand in a calming gesture. "Not that Harry is alive, that the investigation into his death needs to be reopened. I will hold that knowledge close to my heart. I will admit that my heart feels lighter knowing that Harry is alive albeit heavier in the sense that it wasn't an accident. Thank you for the new information. I will keep you posted and please let me know if there is anything else that you learn," Kingsley continued.

He stood and shook Hermione and Ron's hands. He left and took the long way back to the Ministry. His mind was whirring with who was responsible for Harry's predicament and who knew that he was alive and how they found out.

XXXX

After lunch, Harry and Draco were walking back up to where Hedwig was at earlier that morning. They were both quiet until they arrived. Draco was less nervous this time. Harry leaned against the railing and sighed. "I am the missing person, aren't I?" he asked quietly.

Draco walked up and joined him. He sighed and looked over at him. "The more and more I'm here and based on the rest of the dragon keepers here, I think you are. However, it's possible that someone in town is the one they're looking for, but it doesn't match up with my evidence," he replied quietly.

Harry hung his head. "Somehow I feel that it is me. But I don't know who would be looking for me. I really do feel like I don't have a family, well, a true family anyway. There's something familiar about Charlie though and I can't place it. I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong," he contemplated.

"I could tell you what I know, if you'd like or we can just ignore that someone is looking for you and pretend that I'm just here on holiday," he offered.

Harry looked over at him and grinned. "That would be easier, but I never do anything the easy way," he replied with a wink.

Draco snorted. "Ain't that the truth." He bumped Harry's shoulder and rolled his eyes. Harry stood up and leaned down and kissed Draco deeply. He responded immediately and gripped his arms as he lost himself in the kiss. Who knew it could have been this way all those years? How could he have not wanted it this way?

Harry broke the kiss and rested his forehead against Draco's. "Tell me everything," he whispered.

Draco sighed and nodded. "Shall we go down to your private spot?" he asked.

Harry nodded and they started off to his hiding place. It didn't seem to take as long and soon they were sitting on the boulder table, looking out at the pond. "You and I met when we were eleven. I met you in a robe shop first. I didn't know who you were then, but I recall being quite the brat. When we met again at Hogwarts, that's the school we went to, I insulted the first person you became friends with in the Wizarding world and from then on we were sworn enemies. I was always jealous of you or your friends for one reason or another. You had two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger," Draco paused as Harry gasped and closed his eyes. His face softened as if he was remembering them.

"Those names sound so familiar and I can picture them in my head. Ron, he looks like Charlie because Charlie is his brother and Hermione has brown bushy hair and brown eyes. I…. That's who those people are," he muttered as he stared off at the pond for a moment.

"Yes, they are your best friends. You guys got into so much trouble together and were constantly conquering things throughout school. A crazy professor who was possessed by the Dark Lord, a basilisk that was released by Ron's sister who was influenced by a diary that belonged to the Dark Lord and that my father put in her hands, a traitor, cheating death when you brought the Dark Lord back to power unwillingly, a prophecy, Death Eaters, and then finally the Dark Lord himself," Draco continued.

Harry's eyes widened as images started to make more sense with what Draco was saying. "The Dark Lord?" he asked in confusion.

"Voldemort," he whispered, shuddering at his name.

Harry's eyes widened and he looked away from Draco for a moment and closed his eyes. "Yes, that all sounds so familiar and puts more images together," he replied in awe.

"You saved the Wizarding world when you defeated him. You're a hero, Harry," he finished.

Harry shook his head. "I'm not a hero. I had a lot of help," he responded. He gasped as he looked over at Draco in surprise at his words. "I remember that."

Draco nodded. "Yes, you did, but ultimately, you are the one they see as the ultimate hero because you defeated the Dark Lord with your own hand. I don't agree with that, not anymore anyway, because I know how much help you had. I didn't at the time. The rest of the Wizarding world has put their sole focus on you as the hero. They worship you, even more so than they did the time before that you defeated him," he explained.

Harry scrunched his brows in confusion. "I defeated him more than once?" he questioned.

Draco nodded and then looked over at him with a sad look. "The Dark Lord heard a prophecy about someone who was born the same day and year as you. The prophecy basically told him that whoever it was would end up destroying him in the end. He chose you as the person it was about and he tried to kill your whole family. He killed your parents and then tried to kill you, but somehow the curse backfired and he basically disintegrated. His body was destroyed, but his soul or whatever it was that he had went away, but he was not truly dead, that's how he was able to come back later. People were so relieved and worshipped you then. Wizarding children grew up learning about you, even the families who supported the Dark Lord. I think I knew more about you than you did before you found out you were a wizard," he explained.

Harry nodded. All of this made sense to him. He helped bring his dreams and nightmares into focus and helped him make connections. "So we were enemies just because you were a brat and made fun of my first friend?"

"Ah, well, I was a prat. Complete and utter, spoiled rotten, prat," he began. He looked over at Harry who was lifting his brow in question. Draco shrugged. He could admit it now, albeit very reluctantly because he still didn't like to admit when he was wrong. "I was also Lucius Malfoy's son, the right hand man of the Dark Lord. Pure-blood ideals and morals. Everyone should worship and envy me. I was everything that you weren't. That's why we were enemies," he continued.

"You're making that up. That doesn't sound like you at all," Harry pointed out.

Draco laughed. "Ah, yes, well, I had a big dose of humble potion at the end of the war. Not literally, of course, but I realized a lot of things, actually that was before the end of the war, but either way, I learned a lot and realized how wrong I was. I like to believe that I'm better now," he responded thoughtfully.

Harry reached over and squeezed his hand. "Based on what you're telling me, you must be better if I'm even talking to you or kissing you," he replied with a wink.

Draco blushed and rolled his eyes. "Well, I will take the compliment then," he replied.

"So if I have this complete life away from here, why am I here? Have I always been a dragon keeper?" Harry asked after awhile.

Draco frowned and shifted his weight nervously. "It's speculation as to why you're here. I wouldn't want to tell you unless I knew I was more than right," he replied quietly.

Harry nodded. "Very well. Listen, um, I need to be alone right now. Can I catch up with you later?" he asked quietly.

Draco stood up straight and frowned over at him. He reached out and set his hand on his arm. Harry didn't flinch away. "Are you going to be okay? I just unloaded a bunch of stuff on you. I don't want to just leave you like this," Draco said in a worried tone.

Harry looked over at him and smiled softly. "I'll be okay, Draco. I appreciate you telling me. I just need to process it all," he replied.

Draco frowned slightly, but nodded. He jumped down from the boulder and then leaned forward and kissed Harry's cheek. "I'm staying at the inn that's in town if you want to come by later. Otherwise, I'll come back tomorrow, if that's alright," he said.

Harry nodded and smiled over at him. "Alright, I'll see you," he said. Draco nodded and turned and left him be. He had no idea what to do with himself now, but it seemed that he would need to send a status report and contact Hermione. Maybe talk to Charlie again.

XXXX

Draco made it back to the main building and found Charlie talking to some other keepers. He looked up when Draco walked in and frowned slightly. He walked over to him, picking up on his mood. "Where's Harry?" he asked quietly as he gestured into an office area, the one that Harry had come out of that morning.

"He's in his private spot. He asked me about his past, Weasley, and I told him," Draco said, sounding heart stricken.

Charlie's frown deepened, but not about what Draco had told Harry, more about his tone. He sounded devastated. "Well, how did he take it?" he asked.

Draco shrugged. "He said that things made more sense now. He said that his dreams and nightmares connected more now and it seemed that he might remember things. I told him about your brother and Granger and he described them and made the connection that you're Ron's brother. He seemed shocked and surprised, but after sitting for a bit, he told me he needed to be alone," he explained his tone worried.

Charlie smiled slightly at him. "You said he is in his private spot?" Draco nodded absently. "He's never taken anyone down there," he continued.

Draco nodded again as he worried his lip. "Yes, I know, he told me. Why?" he asked picking up on his tone.

"You are the first person to get through to him since he's been here and believe me, many have tried. He is quite popular with the visiting dragon enthusiasts," he replied.

Draco bristled at this and looked around for these invisible threats. Charlie laughed a bit at that. "He hasn't had any sorts of relationships since he's been here?" he asked in disbelief.

Charlie shrugged. "I think he's had experiences, but nothing earth shattering. No one has appealed to him the way you have. Probably from your history," he replied.

Draco smiled slightly. "Well, then I guess, go me," he said with a chuckle.

"Look, I know you didn't know Harry very well as a child, but Ron has told me that when he needs to sort through things, he wants to be alone. He knows where you're staying so he'll seek you out or you'll come back here. Don't worry about it too much. Harry's strong. He'll get through this just like everything else," Charlie assured him.

Draco nodded. "Alright, well, thank you. I'm going to head back to my inn. I'll send a status report to the guy who sent me here and contact Granger. Hopefully, I'll see you tomorrow," he replied.

"See you later," Charlie said to him.

Draco started to leave and then he turned back around. "Hey, that Vinnie guy," he paused while Charlie nodded. "Who brought him here?"

Charlie shrugged slightly. "I know it was a couple of aurors. He had worked in the Department of Mysteries, I think. He was just struggling to stay human, so they brought him here. Harry was gone when he came here," he explained.

Draco frowned. "Is he under the wards here? I heard Harry tell him that he was supposed to stay in the southern mountains."

Charlie frowned thoughtfully. "Well, not these ones, no. We have special wards for him. If he wants to, he can change and go wherever he wants. But, if he saw Harry at some point, he wouldn't have remembered it outside the wards," he replied.

Draco frowned. "Yeah, but couldn't he have seen him and floo called or sent an owl out of here?" he asked.

"No, because he would have to know him beforehand. He'd meet him, but not make the connection," he replied.

Draco nodded. "Well, alright. I will see you later then," he replied. He turned and left.

XXXX

Draco made it back to his inn and sat in his room for several moments looking out across the mountains. So much had happened that day and he just didn't know what to make of it all. Harry was alive. Living and breathing and they had a second chance. Harry had kissed him, several times. He still wasn't sure what to think about that. It was definitely not something he would ever expect from him.

He sighed and shook his head. He turned from the window and penned a letter to Theodore Edgecombe. He hoped he could give just enough, but not reveal that he'd found their missing person.

Mr. Edgecombe,

I arrived at the planned location last night. I've spoken with a few people in the town and will continue to ask questions over the next couple of days. Do you have any more details that you can give me about the missing person? Do you have a contact here that might be able to give me more information? I will send another status report should anything new come up.

Sincerely,

D. Malfoy

He pocketed the note and then walked over to the fireplace and kneeled down. He wanted to fire call Hermione and talk to her about what he'd seen and what was happening and if she knew. He sighed, unsure how to contact her. He stood again and decided to send her an owl instead.

Granger,

I really need to speak with you. Let me know how we can make that happen. Thank you.

Sincerely,

D. Malfoy

He pocketed that note and then walked out of his room. He walked down to the front desk and waited until someone came out. The man from the night before came out and smiled at him. "Ah, Mister Malfoy, how are you fairing today?" he asked

"Fine, thank you. I had quite the experience up at the dragon reserve today," he replied.

The man nodded. "Yes, it's always an experience, but it's exciting nonetheless."

Draco nodded. "Can you direct me to the post?" he asked.

"Of course. You're going to go out the inn and to the right. The post office is at the beginning of the town on the left," he explained.

Draco nodded and thanked the man. He walked out of the inn and started down the road, heading in the direction he had come from the day before. He found the post building and walked in. He whistled for an owl and one flew down and landed on his arm. He pulled out Edgecombe's letter, double checking that it was his and sent it off. The other letter, he tied to another bird and sent it off to Hermione.

He watched them fly away for a moment and then went back up to the inn. He didn't think he'd see Harry the rest of the day. It bothered him immensely, but he had to give him space to think.