Draco and Harry quickly fell in to a routine of sitting together at night after Teddy was asleep and just enjoying another presence in the room. They would read different books, sometimes listen to the radio, or skim through a newspaper. Soon they found themselves talking too.

"Why did you and the Weasley girl end things?"

"What, oh Ginny and I?"

"Yes."

"It just wasn't right. She's like my sister. I call her parent's mom and dad now, and I stayed at their house every Christmas and some portion of most summers, and her brother is my best friend and it was too weird I just didn't feel quite right about it."

"How'd she take it?"

"Not too badly considering she's had a thing for me since we met."

"That long?"

"Apparently, but it's all for the best, she's at her last year of school after repeating the year she lost to the war, and then she's been drafted to play Quidditch professionally. She'd never be around and we'd spend all of our time missing each other."

"And who wants to be tied down when you have all the fanboys she'll get?" Draco grinned.

"Right and besides there is Teddy to think about, he throws a huge wrench into my dating life, as if that wasn't complicated enough to begin with."

"The whole hero thing doesn't help?"

"It would if I just wanted someone to shag, but that's just not me."

"What a waste."

"Would you really shag all of those crazy witches throwing themselves at you."

"Oh Salazar no. I like integrity, and a challenge."

"You never seemed the type despite your reputation at school."

"Lies and wishful thinking was all there was to that part of my reputation."

"I figured as much. There wasn't much of your reputation that was true was there?"

"No, not much at all."


The next night it was Harry starting the conversation.

"You're doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"Staring at your Dark Mark."

"No I'm not."

"Lies, you're staring at it again. I can feel your self-loathing from over here."

"I just want it off." Draco conceded.

"It's magical it doesn't come off."

"But I hate it. I didn't even want it. I just didn't want my parents dead."

"Maybe it doesn't have to come off. Maybe you can make it blend in."

"How?"

"Get more tattoos, like muggle ones. Get a whole sleeve of them, well you'd have to get two sleeves you would look unbalanced the other way."

"Get more tattoos?"

"You'd look pretty badass. It would look hot with all your new muscles." Harry's face reddened "What I meant to say was you'll be turning some girls' heads."

"I'm sure that's what you meant Potter." Draco said turning a bit red.

"Oh course it was."


"So what's your life plan?" Malfoy asked one night while they were coexisting in the living room.

"You mean what am I going to do now that the trials are over and I have been granted custody of Teddy?"

"Yeah, basically."

"Well after the war and the whole 'Chosen One' debacle I turned down tons of interviews and book offers saying I didn't want my words twisted by another person and I want to be able to think over exactly how much I want to reveal so I told the reporters I'd write a book."

He shook his head. "I don't want to write a book, and every time I try to start at the beginning I get flashbacks to my mother's death, or to the Dursley's abuse and I start to wonder how I'm fit to raise a kid, and then I get all depressed."

"It's stressful and frightening, knowing everyone will know all of my secrets if I write the thing, and no one will believe half the things I write, and they won't stop hounding me for the truth, but they're hounding me now. Wanting to know what's going on with Teddy, why I'm not in Auror training, why I'm not dating, when the book is coming out, why I spoke positively for some Death Eaters, and so many more things."

He took a deep breath and looked at Draco with complete honesty "Can't the man who just defeated the Dark Lord have a second of peace?"

"No I suppose not. You mean a lot to people. You brought about the end of their fear. You made them safe again. And not just that you're a mystery with all of these crazy news stories and your rugged good looks everyone wants to know more."

"My rugged good looks? Really Malfoy?"

"Hey it was just an observation."

"That's what they all say."

"Anyways potter, would you like help writing your book?"

"Anything so I don't have to write the bloody thing."

"I could help you, I do like to write."

"Do you really?"

"Yes I very much do."


"Where should I start?" Harry asked the next night as Draco sat by, quill at the ready.

"Where ever you are most comfortable, we can always change up the order."

"Okay well the first time I knew I wasn't just any wizard was the day Haggrid took me through the Leaky Cauldron on my way to get school supplies before first year. I had learned I was a wizard late the night before but as I walked through the pub and people stopped to stare recognizing me on sight, shaking my hand and welcoming me back I knew I was different."


More Darry for you, they're starting to get closer to feelings. They'll get there eventually they're stubbornness will make it take a while though.