4/ Just the beginning

Draco has always hated apparating, nearly as much as he hated travelling via floo, but it was convenient and much quicker than using his broom. Draco didn't realise they had landed and was still gripping Harry tightly until Harry spoke.

"It's alright, there's nothing in here that will bite" he looked pensive "well... hard" he added with a small frown, then laughed as Draco quickly pulled away looking slightly scared and attempting to hide the colour flooding into his cheeks. Harry snapped his eyes to the floor as he realised that yes, he has been ogling his ex-enemy and was most certainly not thinking how beautiful Draco looked when flushed. Before he embarrassed himself however, Harry hung his coat on the stand and made his way towards the kitchen.

"Tea?" he called back to Draco.

"Please" came the reply as Draco followed Harry down the narrow passage way and into the kitchen.

It was fairly modest in its decor and only a few of the cupboards talked back. The oven complained when it got over 150 degrees and the kettle sang at the most inopportune moments. But Harry had learned to live with it and has even found it a comfort at times. Draco however found it all incredibly alarming and refused to go anywhere near anything that moved or talked when they were not supposed to. Harry found it all too funny that Draco had grown up surrounded by Death Eaters and yet seemed to be afraid of a few kitchen fittings. He watched as Draco sat gingerly, tactically avoiding the biting chair and took the mug of tea that Harry offered him.

Harry sat down opposite him and took a sip of his own tea.

"Tell me?" Harry said, suddenly.

"Tell you what?" Draco asked, cautiously avoiding eye contact.

"What I don't know, of course." Harry gestured towards him and he sighed.

"You deserve to know I suppose" Draco said reluctantly, but to Harry's surprise, continued.

"Where to start? After the war I guess... I ran. From everything. From the Aurors, the Death Eaters – or what was left of them. From my home, my family. I stayed in a run-down motel in Minnesota where I hoped no one would know me. There I had a chance to think about everything. What I had become disgusted me. I tried to rid myself of my identity..." at that Harry noticed that Draco ran a hand over his left forearm and could only imagine what Draco had done to attempt to rid himself of his Dark Mark that had not only scarred him but tainted his life.

"Well," he continued "as you would expect it didn't work. At one time I was contemplating suicide but that would have meant that I had been beaten by life and I am still a Malfoy and we do not let things like that beat us! But then they found me, the Aurors. They hunted me down and took me to Azkaban to await my trial. And there you were, in all your..." he gesticulated wildly and sighed, "hero-y-ness?" he frowned. "I don't know. But what I did know was that as soon as you said you wanted to speak in my defence I know I was a free man. I relive it every day you know. My past."

Harry nodded. He knew only too well what Draco was going through. Every time he closed his eyes he saw the flashes of curses that had killed his friends.

"I still don't understand why you saved me though?" Draco said, bringing Harry out of his day dream. "That's twice now and what have I done to deserve it? Nothing at all, apart from being an over pompous, pretentious arse."
"Well," said Harry, "At least we agree on some things"

Draco smiled weakly and for the first time Harry noticed how much older he seemed and how tired. Draco stood "Would you mind if I availed myself of your facilities?" he asked politely. Harry smirked, perhaps he wasn't as pretentious but he was still a pompous arse.

"Of course you can, good Sir!" Harry said with a mock bow to which Draco half-heartedly scowled. "Up the stairs, first door on your left."

"Don't take the piss." Draco muttered as Harry straightened up. Draco turned on his heel and stalked up the stairs.

Harry collected the mugs and started to wash them – by hand – in the sink, gazing out as his garden. Draco's voice behind him made him jump and drop the mug he was holding.

"Don't you use magic for trivial things like this?" He asked as he suspended the mug in mid-fall. Harry plucked it out of the air and put it away,

"No." Harry replied, "Cleaning spells aren't that effective on china. They seem to give off an aroma of strawberries that I haven't managed to counter yet." He sighed. "I'm working on it."

Draco raised his eyebrows in scepticism.

"Well..." He said and coughed awkwardly, "err... thanks for the tea. I guess I should get going now. It is getting late and I wouldn't want to take any more of your time. Goodness knows our saviour has many important appointments to attend." Although Draco's face had curved into a smirk, Harry could see a hint of playfulness in his eyes.

"Oh yes, very busy. The dahlias need planting out and my hydrangeas need watering. It's been unseasonably dry these past few weeks."

Draco looked stunned, "So that's what you do when you're not saving the world or creating mini-Potter-heroes... gardening!?"
"Mmhmm, I like gardening, peace of mind and all that. Would you like to help me prune the roses?" Harry asked.

"Ohh well, as tempting as that offer is, I really must leave. Such a shame I know, but I am sure you can work things out with just one pair of hands."

Harry managed a suitably put-out expression. "Well, if you insist. I'll show you out."

At the door Draco put on his knee-length trench coat and looked at Harry.

"Well, thank you." Draco said and held out his hand. Harry looked down at it and in that moment he saw an eleven year old version of himself and Draco all those years ago, but this time without so much as a hesitation he gripped Draco's hand in his. They both let out a breath they didn't realise that they were holding in. Draco smiled at Harry before releasing his hand and stepping out the door.

"See you around, Potter." He said over his shoulder.

"For Merlin's sake, call me Harry!" Harry replied.

"As you wish." Draco smirked, turned on the spot and disapparated and Harry was left, staring at where Draco had stood, wondering if he would see him again.