Thank you for all the reviews. Very happy about those :-) And thank you Ardchoile for your beta!

xxx

'You did WHAT?'

Harry blinked his eyes several times at the force of the question and swallowed. Whatever reaction he had been expecting, this had not been it.

'Er… I got you Malfoy Manor back?' Harry repeated tentatively.

Harry couldn't have looked away even if he'd wanted to. He watched in fascination as Malfoy turned from a deathly pale white to a bright red and then some sort of puce colour in a matter of seconds. Malfoy looked like he wanted to say more, but he seemed to be choking on his words, producing not much more than a splutter of syllables. Harry would be worried about him suffocating if he hadn't seen Malfoy's chest heaving with deep breaths. Harry had a nagging feeling that he should be worried, really worried, about the blazing fire in Malfoy's silver-grey eyes. His hand went to his wand subconsciously. He pressed it lightly through the folds of his robe, taking comfort in the familiar feeling of the springy wood. Malfoy didn't look as if he was about to start throwing curses at him though. Yet, Harry added after some consideration.

'You… you…' Malfoy started. Then he let out a growl of frustration and started to pace across the room in an agitated manner.

'Look,' Harry tried reasonably, 'I don't know what you're so upset about? Didn't you want the Manor back? I don't understand!'

Malfoy swung his head back in Harry's direction with a speed that startled him.

'Did I ask you to do that? Did I?' Malfoy spat at him.

Harry bit his bottom lip and thought about it for a minute.

'Well… no? I guess not, no…' he said lamely.

That only seemed to infuriate Malfoy more.

'That's right, I did NOT! What, am I your little pet-project now?' Malfoy sneered. 'Some sort of charity case that invokes your "Saviour" reflexes?'

That was when Harry started to get annoyed.

'Excuse me, but wasn't it you that told me I had to stand up and fight for what I think is right? Wasn't it you that told me that that was my duty. Weren't you the one who said they would only listen to me? Ha!' Harry retorted.

Malfoy went very quiet then. Eerily quiet. Harry felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up and a trickle of electricity wash down his spine. He didn't think he'd ever seen Malfoy this angry.

'What I told you,' Malfoy said in quiet and precise words, 'is that you were no different than the rest of us. How in the world your teeny tiny brain could interpret that as "get poor Malfoy his house back" I will never comprehend'.

Malfoy turned on his heels and stalked out of the room. Before Harry knew what he was doing, he had followed the blonde into the hallway, grabbed his arm and spun him round.

'Wait! Alright, perhaps I shouldn't have done that, I'm sorry yeah? But come on Malfoy, at least you have the Manor back now. That's a good thing isn't it?' Harry added hopefully.

Harry wasn't prepared for Malfoy's reaction. The furious blonde grabbed Harry by the front of his robes and shoved him, hard. Harry let out an oompf as his back hit the wall with force. Still holding on to his robes, Malfoy had moved with him, standing so close now that their faces were only inches apart. His grey eyes had turned thunderous. Harry gasped as the force of Malfoy's glare hit him.

'Shut the fuck up Potter!' Malfoy snapped. 'You don't know what the hell you're talking about, that much is obvious. I am not yours to save! Find yourself some other pathetic little lost cause and leave me the fuck alone!'

'Oh yeah?' Harry snapped back, rapidly losing control of his temper. 'Funny, I don't remember you refusing my help when I picked you up and dusted you off after you were dumped on my doorstep. You think I asked for that did you?'

Malfoy's nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed.

'Well excuse me for inconveniencing the bloody "Boy-who-lived". Interrupt an all important day of silent brooding did I?' Malfoy retorted icily.

'Don't be ridiculous Malfoy, you know that isn't what I meant! I was just saying…' Harry exclaimed with exasperation.

'Ridiculous?' Malfoy interrupted with a hiss of indignation. 'I'm ridiculous now am I? What, is that instead of being a pathetic charity case or as well as?'

Harry winced, but he wasn't about to back down now.

'Stop deliberately trying to twist my words you git! I apologised for hurting your stupid pride or something, but how about you just get over yourself already and bloody well let it go! Last time I do you a favour, that's for sure…' Harry shot back.

Malfoy untangled one of his hands from Harry's robes to slam it flat against the wall besides Harry's head. Harry flinched and ducked his head in reflex.

'That's it, isn't it?' the blonde said, his voice heavy with contempt. 'You expected me to be grateful didn't you? You thought I'd fall to my knees and sob my little heart out because the mighty Harry Potter condescended to help poor little old me. Ha!'

'Well yeah, actually I did!' Harry shouted, fully angry now. 'You were tossed out of your home and I got it back for you. I might have expected a little gratitude. Stupid of me really, it is you we're talking about here. Should have known that massive ego of yours makes you incapable of saying a simple "thank you". You might choke on the words!'

A mixture of emotions flicked over Draco's face in quick succession. Malfoy, Harry was quick to correct himself, it was Malfoy's face. There was anger, frustration and a lot of confusing emotions that Harry had trouble deciphering. He became uncomfortably aware of exactly how close Dra- Malfoy was. He couldn't look into the man's eyes without his own eyes almost crossing and their noses were so close they were nearly touching. Only after Harry gulped his breath to inhale some much needed oxygen did he realise he'd been holding his breath. The fight had got Harry's blood pumping. He could almost hear the thumping of his heart and found himself wondering if Malfoy's heart was beating as furiously. Without thinking about it, he splayed a hand over the left side of Malfoy's chest and waited. Harry's eyes widened and his mouth opened slightly as he felt the steady heartbeat first skip a beat and then speed up noticeably.

Malfoy choked and Harry looked up, retracting his hand guiltily. Draco- oh fine, Draco it is than, Harry thought irritably, Draco looked at him without blinking. His eyes had a pained expression that left Harry feeling confused.

'Draco…' Harry started.

Malfoy moved back from him as if slapped. He turned his back on Harry and bowed his head. Harry clasped a hand over his mouth as he realised that he just called Draco by his first name. He contemplated trying to take it back, but decided that that would probably only make things worse. Besides, I don't want to. Harry jolted at that thought. He seriously didn't understand himself sometimes. Why did it matter so much if he called Draco by his first name or last anyway? He didn't know why. But he knew that it mattered. And not just to him apparently. Harry eyed Draco warily.

'Are you alright?' Harry asked softly after a long moment of silence.

Draco shrugged, hesitated, and then nodded. Harry didn't think the blonde was going to speak again, so he pushed himself off the wall and took a step back into the large living room. The sound of Draco's voice halted him.

'It should have been me,' Draco said finally, sounding defeated.

'What?' Harry enquired, feeling confused. Draco did that a lot lately, confuse him, Harry thought absent-mindedly.

'I'm a Malfoy,' Draco said, by way of explanation.

Harry furrowed his brow.

'Er… yes?' he said carefully.

Malfoy turned his head and shot him an annoyed glance.

'I'm a Malfoy? The place is called Malfoy Manor for a reason?' Draco elaborated. 'I should have been the one to get the Manor back. In fact that thought was all that kept me sane for most of the time I was held captive'.

Malfoy shrugged helplessly.

Realisation finally dawned on Harry. He could kick himself for his own stupidity. Of course Draco had wanted to get the Manor back himself. Needed to in fact. It didn't matter how much more difficult it would have been for Draco to accomplish what Harry had so easily. That wasn't the point. Harry had given Malfoy some much needed confidence and power back when he gave him back his wand. And now, with this thoughtless action, he'd taken it all away again.

'I'm sorry,' Harry said, meaning it this time.

Draco smiled at him. The smile made his eyes light up which caused a funny reaction somewhere in the pit of Harry's stomach.

'It's alright,' Draco said quietly, also meaning it Harry thought. Draco's silver eyes flared up again which caused Harry to feel another one of those funny reactions.

'Don't do it again though, shut me out I mean. I need to be involved. Promise me,' Draco insisted.

Harry did.

xxx

'I guess we should have anticipated that,' Luc said thoughtfully.

Harry nodded. He and Luc were wandering round a farmers' market about twenty miles away from the estate. Stéphane was making the rounds in the small towns in the area, promoting their new wine. Harry had taken the opportunity to visit the popular market and Luc had happily tagged along. Harry had just finished telling Luc about Draco's unexpectedly violent reaction last night. Of course Luc wasn't nearly as surprised by this as Harry had been.

Luc stopped at a stall selling cherries, testing a few before buying a whole crate.

'He's alright with it now though, right?' Luc asked, as they moved on to the next stall.

'I think so, yes,' Harry said.

Luc eyed him suspiciously.

'Something else is wrong, isn't there?' he asked sharply.

Harry sighed. Luc was way too perceptive for his own good sometimes. He was much like Hermione in that respect.

'It's nothing really,' Harry tried, walking up to a stand selling all kinds of jams, happy for the distraction. After some careful consideration and some fanatical haggling he stepped away from the stall with his new purchase dangling along in a cheap plastic bag. He looked at his friend to see him looking back patiently. Harry sighed again.

'Oh alright! It's just that Draco got so angry, he pushed me up against a wall,' Harry explained, rubbing the large bruise at the base of his spine thoughtfully. 'We were fighting, with words I mean, and then suddenly he went all quiet,' Harry continued, combing a hand through his unruly hair.

Luc looked back at him with a blank expression, so Harry continued: 'It was, I don't know… weird. And very tense. He looked at me in a way that made no sense to me. And then, when he smiled like that…' Harry shrugged. 'I can't really explain it'.

Luc looked at him with a silent little smile that made Harry feel uneasy.

'What?' he asked defensively.

'You like this Malfoy, don't you? This Draco I mean,' Luc said smugly.

Harry flushed.

'Well yes ok, so I like the bloody git. He's alright. So what?' he responded, almost aggressively.

Luc held his hands up in mock defence.

'Hey, fine by me Harry. I like him too. He's interesting, smart, funny... Not bad to look at either,' he added, eyeing Harry sideways.

Harry gave a non committal sort of grunt.

'I suppose,' he agreed reluctantly.

Luc whipped his head round to look at him directly and narrowed his eyes.

'Well... This is a surprising turn of events I must say. Didn't see that one coming, I admit,' Luc mumbled.

'What are you talking about?' Harry asked, feeling just as confused as he had last night.

Luc opened his mouth to speak, thought for a minute and than closed it again.

'Nothing Harry. Don't mind me,' Luc finally said. He laid his hand on Harry's shoulder and patted him gently before moving off to a stall that sold different kind of vegetables.

'What?' Harry called after him in irritation. 'Luc, what is it?'

But Luc didn't respond.

xxx

When Stéphane dropped Harry off at the estate, Draco was waiting for him on the bottom step. He stood up as he saw Harry walk toward him.

'An owl came for you this morning,' Draco said, as soon as Harry was within speaking range. 'I think it's from Granger'.

Harry took the envelop Draco held out for him and nodded as soon as he recognised the neat handwriting.

'It is. Let's see what it says'. Harry ripped open the envelope and unfolded the parchment. After a moment's thought, he indicated for Draco to join him in reading the letter. He'd promised he'd include Draco from now on after all. When he saw Draco's eyes light up as they had last night, he was glad that he had.

They read the letter in companionable silence. It was short and carefully formulated. Hermione must have been worried that the letter would be intercepted somehow. Basically, it just told them that all was going well. She wrote that she had found quite a few "contacts" but mentioned none by name. She also reaffirmed their scheduled meeting, three days from now at Malfoy Manor. Harry looked at Draco anxiously as he read those last lines. Draco didn't take his eyes off the letter, but nudged Harry's shoulder in silent reassurance. Harry smiled and kept smiling until Draco finally looked back at him.

'So… I guess I'll be going home than,' Draco pondered.

'I guess so,' Harry agreed. 'Are you alright with that?'

'I am,' Draco said with a quiet confidence that gave Harry a warm feeling.

Draco's eyes flicked back to the steps he had been sitting on when Harry arrived. He jerked his head in their direction.

'Is that where you found me?' Draco asked quietly.

Harry nodded. Draco looked at the steps with sharp eyes, as if willing them to show the vision of him lying there.

'Let's go inside,' Harry suggested gently, placing a hand in the small of Draco's back and leading him inside.

Draco went with him without protest. As Harry closed the door behind them, Draco stopped and cleared his throat.

'Thank you… Harry'.

A new wave of that warm feeling rushed through Harry at the sound of his first name coming from Draco's lips. He made a mental note to think about that later. For now he just smiled at Draco and said: 'You're welcome… Draco'.

xxx

My compliments to some of you reviewers who anticipated that Malfoy/ Draco would be er... less than pleased ;-)

Reviews still very much welcome!