Draco: December 20th

The Malfoy heir found himself standing in front of Harry's door at around 8am the next day after he asked him on the date. Draco even admitted that, that was what it was; a date, but he was well aware that Harry was oblivious as always.

The Blonde man had slowly come to realize his feelings for his coworker over the months of working with him and watching him passionately defend him in front of the board of governors. Draco could only wonder just how long he had loved Harry Potter, since he had thought fondly of him for years even back at Hogwarts.

Draco had now realized that he had, in fact, had feelings for Harry since they were still students; But had chocked them up to hatred and other negative emotions, in his stubborness and niavete.

Knocking on Harry's door Draco decided that he would act like normal, not wanting to ruin their friendship by pushing Harry until he was ready. He would allow Harry to make the first official move but would try to instill the notion of a relationship in the oblivious Gryffindor's head.

Knocking again Draco realized that there was no noise coming from inside the other man's suite. After some more knocking Draco went to go knock on Hermione's door knowing that she might have an idea where the Brunet was.

As he knocked Draco could hear voices from inside, one male, one female before the door opened showing Harry in the same clothes he was in the night before.

"This is not what it looks like," Hermione says quickly as she notices the shocked look on the Malfoy's face, "Neither Harry nor I have ever slept together nor would we ever. We have never felt like that for each other." She explains smiling at the blush crawling up Harry's cheeks at that.

"I-I passed out drunk here after getting back from speaking to Ginny." Harry explained softly rubbing his eyes sleepily as Hermione hands him the hangover potion she'd been trying to give him for 10 minutes.

After downing it he heads back to his room mumbling about showering and being ready in thirty minutes, as Draco turns to Hermione.

"You know that wasn't what I was thinking right?" He asks the witch who is eyeing him quizzically, "Even if I was It isn't my business."

"You're right, it isn't. Though I said that not to put you at ease but rather to help your case with Harry, he might be brilliant in Defense or even as an auror but he is very slow with relationships. If I continue to treat you like someone he is dating or as a potential he could eventually come to realize that you are and have been flirting and trying to create a relationship with him." She pauses to smile at the Blond man who is staring at her blankly, "I know the flirting started off innocent and platonic but now if you want any chance with Harry you might need some help and I will help you. I also know two other's who would be willing to help but I'll let you find that out for yourself." She ends softly smiling fondly at where Harry had disappeared.

"Why are you doing this?" Draco asks quite calmly almost envious for how much the witch obviously loves Harry.

"Because you are good for each other. You make Harry think and push him to be better while supporting him and talking him out of stupid ideas. like the time he wanted to bring a Dragon to Hogwarts to teach how to deal with magical fire and you talked him out of it. Make no mistake he is good for you too, you used to hide behind that mask of yours all the time and now you only use it when dealing with your emotions like yesterday with the prophet. Harry also gets you to enjoy life unlike anyone else ever will, he has almost a childlike way of looking at things but its still tinted with his gained maturity that is amazing to behold. Also I know Harry hasn't told you about his childhood yet but let me explain that it wasn't silver platters and rose petals like the reporters make it out to be, I think you could help him deal with that."

"Thank you, I know that must be hard for you to say" Draco says sincerely as he smiles at the older witch who is staring at him like a science project.

"Not as hard as it will be for you if you ever hurt him, if that ever happens I will make you wish you were never born. " She says cheerfully before closing the door behind her.

The blond stares at the door, his eyes wide, "Are all of his female friends completely bloody mental?" He says before heading down to breakfast to wait for his date.

Before Draco makes it to the Great Hall he feels two arms sling over his shoulders dragging him into a nearby classroom and slamming the door behind him.

When he turns around he sees the Weasley twins leaning against the door to the classroom with matching cheshire grins, "Missed us?"

With this Draco revised his original statement thinking, 'Are all of his friends bloody mental?"

/

Harry: His rooms

Once in his rooms Harry swallows the Hangover cure and slowly starts to get ready as he fully wakes up muttering things like, "Bloody Malfoy and early mornings," or "Damn him and his ability to cause awkwardness."

Hearing a tapping on his window he allows the unfamiliar owl into his room and takes the letter from it. After reading the first few lines he tosses Ginny's failure of an apology out the window along with the owl (who had already bitten him twice for not replying).

Returning back to his morning routine Harry smirks as he finally decides what he is going to get Draco for Christmas. His smirk turning into a grin as he imagines how much Draco will hate how elaborate and thoughtful it will be.

Harry sighs as he continues to think about the gift once more, only one problem coming to mind the fact that they are now illegal. In his hogwarts days the item in question had been perfectly legal but after some incidences where it was used for nefarious purposes it had been outlawed. Fortunately as a former Auror Harry knew how to get one but he would still have to pull a few strings.

Once again his thoughts are interupted this time from knocking on his door, "Coming!" He shouts as he finishes brushing his hair for the last time now done getting ready.

Opening the door he stands dumbfounded at the sight in front of him, the twins down on their knees holding a wrapped box above their heads.

"We are here to apologize for our pranks and our sister," Fred starts with a frown at the last part, "Please take this gift as proof of our sincerity." George finishes for his twin standing and practically shoving the present into his hands.

"I'll accept this as long as it is not another of your pranks." Harry tells them narrowing his eyes at the two men who are now both standing.

"It's not a prank, now open it!" Fred practically yells at him his eyes eager and full of almost childlike excitement.

"Fine…." Harry says doing as he was asked (ordered) to do tearing off the well wrapped gift. Once it was opened he pulled out a silver cuff with designs woven into the silver.

"What is it?" The younger man asks examining the designs curiously.

"That is a magical wrist band, they are super rare. With that band you can do magic without your wand as long as it is within a certain distance from you."

"Well thank you." Harry says with a smile going to hug the now forgiven men in front of him.

"Now we will let you go as we have things to do, todaloo." The say disappearing in what could have been apparation if Harry hadn't known it was impossible.

Shaking his head he heads down to the great hall taking his seat besides Draco, if Harry had been on alert he might have noticed the matching wristband on Draco's wrist but with as preoccupied as he was it promised to be an interesting day.

/

Fred Weasley: Weasley's wizarding whizzes

As soon as they had returned to the shop Fred poured the new surveillance they had collected that day into the Pensieve. The twins grinned at each other before dipping their noses in.

They had seen the Pensieve memory from Ginny the day before and were suitably frustrated with their little sister, but that is only been one reason to give Harry and Draco the gifts that day.

" I'm so glad we thought to attach the surveillance charm on to Ron so he would pass it onto Hermione, now we have her side of things too" George mentions as they grin further at each other, " and now we know that Draco is in love with Harry."

"That could definitely be used to our benefit, though it might also make things more difficult because now he might be watching closely for medeling. I am also glad that through the wristband we were able to finally attach a survellance charm to Harry, that'll make things a lot easier since we will have both sides to work with." Fred mentions tapping his finger on his chin.

"You are not insinuating that Draco Malfoy could foil our plans are you?" George asks looking at his brother with what is close to fear.

Fred pauses for a minute to think of how to phrase this, "Im not worried about Draco per se I'm worried about what would happen if her were to tell Harry about our medeling before they were fully together. You've seen how he can get with things like that since the war, he fights dirty be honest with how they figh I'm also worried about what they could accomplish if they were to work together."

"I know what you mean, no one has seen hide nor hair of any of the Greengrasses since it was found out their involvement in the war. The fact that they killed Remus and Tonks destroyed Harry and therefore he destroyed them. Wasn't Draco betrothed to Astoria Greengrass?" George asks thoughtfully.

"That's true, he was before they fled to France to avoid Harry. Do you think that was part of Harry's reason?" Fred breathes out flipping through one of their intel books.

"Not on the surface but he tends to keep things buried inside himself, it's entirely possible he has lurking feelings for his former rival." George answers plopping down on the couch, "I believe we should enlist the aid of Hermione."

"I agree, we will speak with her first thing tomorrow, I believe that we should bring something to calm her, maybe a gift idea for Draco." Fred muses sitting next to his brother and putting his legs on his twins lap.

"Sounds good to me, now lets get started setting up our little… trap" George says getting up and psuhing freds legs off him to get to work.

/

Harry: Great Hall

After they finished breakfast Harry and Draco headed out the gates to the apparation point so they could go to the fair. Surrounded by the students heading home for the break Harry and Draco joke around with their students until it was time for them to leave wishing them all a happy holidays.

Taking Draco's arm Harry allows him to take them as he has never been there before. Harry shudders as he feels the familiar pull and disorientation that he had always hated, though not as much as floo.

Harry looks around at all the Muggles and Wizarding folk frequenting the large market, filling it with all sorts of colors in a kaleidoscope.

They slowly make their way through the fair picking things up for their friends and family, also noting things that interest the other as potential gifts. It was probably a good thing that there was a stall to convert galleons to muggle curency so that way they could shop all the tables, though Harry did have to give Draco a crash course in muggle shopping.

"How do you know all this?" The blond wizard asks after Harry finished purchasing all their items from one of the many tables.

"Well I was raised in the muggle world, I didn't know I was a wizard until I was 11." Harry explains looking at a jade necklace that Mrs. Weasley might enjoy.

"Why were you raised in the Muggle world?" Draco asks fully turned toward Harry in his sudden shock at the information that his assumptions were wrong.

"I had no wizarding family left after my parents died and my godfather was in prison for their murder so I was sent to live with my mothers sister Petunia and her muggle family. As you probably have heard my mother was muggle born and they were my only family left." He explained deciding to get the pretty necklace and to add charms on it when he got home.

"That's very surprising that the ministry would allow you to be raised outside of the wizarding world…" He muses softly looking over another necklace for Pansy.

"It wasn't up to the ministry, it was up to Dumbledore as he was my magical guardian or at least that's what my inheritance papers explained when I got them from Gringots." He says looking over a Phoenix feather quill.

Picking it up he twirls it around in his hand, "This reminds me of Fawkes, I haven't seen him since before the war was over."

Sensing that Harry was changing the subject Draco flowed with it buying a present for Blaise, "Wasn't that Dumbledore's Phoenix?" He asks examining the quill as well.

"Yeah, did you know that in our 2nd year I would have died if it hadn't been for him?" He asked Draco setting down the quill.

"Really?" Draco asks slightly shocked as they move onto the next section of tables.

Harry goes onto to tell him about the Chamber of Secrets and the Basilisk, and how he pulled the Sword of Gryffindor out of the Sorting Hat.

"My wand is also made with the tail feather of a Phoenix, my original was taken from Fawkes but when my wand was destroyed I had it remade better and now it has a different feather." He explains twirling his wand.

Draco smiles and listens to Harry ramble, enjoying learning about his friend and love. He also starts formulating what he plans to get Harry for Christmas.

They spend more time shopping and talking before taking a break to eat, stopping at a stall selling some foreign delacasies that Draco requested he try. Somehow Harry is able to convince Draco to get on the Carrosel with him as well, sitting on the spinning horses together.

They seem to be having an amazing time together until as always something has to go sour.

As they exit the crowds about to head home they are surrounded by several wizards pointing their wands at Draco, after a moment Harry notices that they are wearing Auror robes. Harry slowly lowers his wand, which had automatically risen at the threat, "What is the meaning of this?" He demands not recognizing any of the Aurors.

"We apologize for interupting your afternoon Captain Potter, but Draco Malfoy is being arrested on suspicion of using the Imperious curse. So please allow us to take him peacefully." The lead Auror requests as surround him closer.

"This is ludicrous where is your proof?" Harry asks refusing to step aside until he has more information.

"As you are very well aware we are just in charge of the arrest, not the case if you would like more information then you will need to talk to the head auror over the case. Now step aside Captain or we will be forced to use force." The auror says pointing his wand at Harry.

Harry glances back at Draco for a moment and doesn't move until Draco nods, telling him to, "I'll get to the bottom of this Draco, I promise you. You will not be there very long." Harry says fimly as they take his friend away.

Apparating out of the marketplace Harry heads back to the Professors floor where he knocks on Hermione's door, needing some help.

After a significant pause where he hears shuffling and whispering Harry sees a mused Hermione open the door.

"Where is Ron?" He asks with a large smirk as he glances over her appearance.

"What do you mean?" She asks batting her eyelashes and smiling before faking a yawn, "I was taking a nap."

"So that's why your hair is flying every which way, you have a hickey forming on your collar bone, and your robes are on inside out, oh and might I mention that is a mens shirt." He lists pointing at each tell as he mentions them.

Moments later Ron opens the door all the way not looking much more put together than his girlfriend, "DId you need something or are you just here to give us a heart attack?" Ron asks grouchy.

"Actually I came because I need some help, Draco was arrested as we were heading back to the Castle." He mentions giving Hermione a look before watching Ron's expression.

Ron grimance's but doesn't comment as they have discussed Draco before, "Come in and tell me everything!" Hermione exclaims picking up books on her way to the kitchen table.

So Harry does explain as much as he can and include's his idea's for the rest of it, "The problem is that I know they have no proof so i'm not sure how they got Kingsley to agree to this.…" He leaves off.

"I don't know mate but this does not sound good for Malfoy or the Ministry." Ron mentions sipping on his cup of tea.

"I'm guessing you are going to the ministry?" Hermione asks him softly glancing through her wizarding law books as she waits for his answer.

"Yeah but I have to stop at Gringotts to pick up bail money, since I don't think I have enough on me." He explains softly thinking.

"Well let me come with you and when we get back with Draco I will call a friend of mine who is good legal council to come help us out, I met him in college and he's great at his job." She says standing and sending all her books away

"I'll meet you guys at the ministry after i've gone to Gringotts, and you two have changed." He says with a chuckle walking out.

/

Harry: Ministry of Magic

It doesn't take him long to get the money just going to one of his vaults that is the quickest and filling a bag, when he arrives at the ministry he sees Hermione and Ron waiting at the entrance to the security area.

They get through quickly and painlessly as soon as Harry started throwing around his name and status, not wanting to waste any time when he needed to get in to help Draco.

This kept both Ron and Hermione in a quite state of shock, watching their friend transform into something else, the closest they would later be able to relate him to was a lover scorned.

In his focuse Harry doesn't quite realize that when they are led to the person in charge of the case they were led straight into Kingsley Shacklebolts office.

Since the last time he saw him, Kingsley has barely changed in all but mannerism. Harry notes some of the differences as they are all invited to sit in the chairs across from the gorgeous mahogany desk.

"Harry, its very nice to see you. How have you been?" Kingsley asks offering them tea, to which all three refuse.

"Drop the Bullshit Kingsley, you know why i'm here and I want answers. I told you that if I ever had to come here on personal reasons again you would regret it, especially after the last time." Harry explains his voice cold and uncaring.

"Im very aware of that fact Harry, but my HANDS were TIED in this matter. After the article that the prophet released there was an outcry and there was nothing I could do." He says softly, his words careful and consise.

"Then we have a problem, I have brought bail and you will let him out. We will be back for the trial and to clear his name, you know i'm true to my word." Harry asks his suspicions rising at Kingsley's odd actions.

"That will be fine, PLEASE accept my apology in this. I'm pleased to see you here even if you are here to SAVE someone once again. Maybe next time once this is all cleared up you can come to see ME." He says softly glancing occasionally over Harry's head.

Before responding Harry pauses to think on what he truly said, please save me, what the hell was going on here, "I would like that, and you DO know that I have a NEED TO SAVE people who deserve it. It's been awhile since we had time together just me and YOU." Harry enunciates those words enough that another auror would pick it up but not anyone else.

Kingsley nods and smiles, "Then let me have my secretary gather the paperwork so that way we can go through with the bail. I will need you to fill out some forms and then turn in the bail money temporarily."

Harry smiles in return knowing that he needed to ask a question to allow Kingsley to answer without endangering himself, "Did you end up buying that house you were looking at?" Harry asks picking that term as it had been part of their personal code for whether there was a problem or not.

"YES, but im not sure how I like it still even though ive been in it almost two years." He explains as the secretary brings the paperwork in.

Once Harry confirmed that there was a problem for sure he got working on the paperwork quickly, keeping up a small conversation with the minister of magic to keep up appearances.

He finished quickly and as Kingsley checked it and filed the paperwork and money Harry looked around the office, "I like how you redecorated since the last minister, it's much better. I also like that door THERE, its a nice touch." Harry says gesturing towards the door.

Kingsley nods, "YES, I had the glass brought in from a dragon sanctuary as there is a type of Dragon that makes stained glass naturally." He explains.

"Now I believe our Mr. Malfoy should be finished being out processed so If you don't mind I need to return back to work, here is your copies of the paperwork you signed," he says handing Harry a folder.

Harry nods and exits the room quickly with his friends trailing behind, "What-" Ron starts only to be cut off by Harry.

"I'll explain later, I guess I forgot to tell you I went house hunting with Kingsley." He says softly as they head back down to the main floor.

Once on the main floor they find Draco waiting for them with a haughty expression on his face, glaring at the guard next to him.

"Lets go." Is all Harry says as the approach the older man, but Draco just nods and falls in step with them eyeing Harry curiously but staying quiet.

/

Draco: Harry's rooms

"What the hell was that with the Minister Harry? It was like you were socializing with him or something?!" Ron exclaims showing just how oblivious he is even with his auror training.

Draco ignores Ron and approaches Harry who is slowly going through the papers in the folder, "What's the matter?"

"Unfortunately the Minister of Magic is….. How do I put this? Being controlled by an outside force." He finishes as he pulls several sheets of paper out of the folder and summons several blank ones. On the blank one he writes their true conversation.

HANDS TIED

PLEASE SAVE ME

DO I NEED TO SAVE YOU?

YES

THERE (gestured at painting)

YES

"How do you know?" Draco asks quietly taking a seat next to Harry at the table watching the dark haired wizard adjust the papers around.

"He started to enunciate specific words enough for me to notice, starting with words that would catch my attention and then he said please save me in along with our conversation. Then when I asked if he needed me to save him he had to wait to answer yes. I used a question that we used to use on missions that meant that if you answered yes you were in trouble and needed assistance, he answered yes. Then when I was looking around his office I checked the space he kept glancing above my head to look at and found a painting of what I believe was a kitten. When I mostioned to it he said yes, so I'm assuming that's why we couldn't speak plainly in there. If i'm correct about who is controlling him this is not the end of our fight with the ministry. I may have had my issues with Kingsley but he is a good man with good intensions, he just tends to go too far in his search for good."

"What did you mean when you were talking about the last time you were there?" Hermione asks him looking over his shoulder at the notes and paperwork.

"Kingsley is right wing, too much so. He tried to take my godson Teddy from me and Andromeda to study on him as one of the few young children with Lycanthropy genes, he dreams of curing things like vamparism and lycanthropy. That was the day I officially quit the ministry and I told him that if he ever pulled me into his office for something like that again I would destroy him and the ministry. I was reminding him of that fact."

"So who is controlling Shacklebolt?" Ron asks sitting next to Harry away from Draco.

"Umbridge I beilieve, if the cat is any indication. It also looked like there was a person that resided in the painting.

"I'm going to send a letter to that friend I mentioned and then me and ron are off to go on a date, so I'm off. I'll talk to you two tomorrow, and I'm glad you're back Draco. " Hermione says dragging Ron with her.

Draco thanks her before returning to sit next to him once more, "Thank you, I know you went out of your way for me today." He says smiling softly.

"It's nothing, and I believe you were only targetted because it was me she was after." Harry mentions as uses a pen on the papers until Draco takes it from him.

"You need to rest and when you get up we are going to eat dinner like we planned, you can solve all the ministry's problems tomorrow after quidditch practice, now go and if I don't see you asleep within twenty minutes I will dose you with a potion." Draco says as he watches Harry comply.

/

Draco: Hogwarts

Once Harry woke up they ate a peaceful dinner together in Draco's room, Draco having ordered all of Harry's favorites and guilty pleasures from the house elves.

After dinner they played cards and talked for awhile, Harry trying to soothe Draco about his security in the Wizarding world at the moment.

Their night together went rather smoothly but both, though liking the others company, wanted to go spend time on their own in their respective ways.

After Harry excused himself for the night, gushing about how much fun he had before the ministry incident, Draco left his rooms and went down to the lake.

Shifting into his Animagus Tiger form he allowed the more instinctual urges of the tiger to soothe and slowly repair his severed nerves realizing the futalitly of worrying about what he couldn't control.

Draco moved his large feline body around the lake walking through the snow in peace, his warm thick fur keeping the chill from sinking into his bones.

Laying down in a pleased huff in a snow bank Draco watched the landscape around him sparkle under the waning moonlight.

Truth be told Draco had come to love his animagus form ever since he had discovered it, though he did get some of the instincts of his creature in that form he did have human thoughts, but it allowed him to focus and examine things under a more unbiased viewpoint.

Once he had calmed and examined things enough that he knew he could get some rest, he allowed himself to slowly pad into the entry of the castle, only then reverting to his human form.

Letting out a small yawn Draco treads back to his rooms and what he could hope was a good nights rest.

/

Harry: Hogwarts

If Harry was being truthful he loved the time he spent with Draco that evening, he wondered when exactly he had come to enjoy the other mans presence so much, he almost enjoyed hanging out with Draco more than his other friends.

For Harry it was almost surprising how much they clicked, things were never awkward between the two even when Draco kept up his insesent flirting.

Though however much Harry enjoyed being around the blond wizard Harry also needed to think things through on his own.

So saying goodnight Harry went back to his rooms to take a long hot shower, allowing his muscles to relax under the spray.

Usually a hot shower would calm him down enough that after he dried himself he could sleep, but tonight that wasn't the case. So Harry cast a drying charm as he headed out the door to go walk around the castle for awhile.

He spoke to several of the paintings as he walked around and looked at many of the places that he had frequented in his Hogwarts days, comparing his experiences as a teacher to those as a student.

Finally making his way to the entry of the castle Harry decided to go back upstairs to try and get some sleep when he saw something that caught his attention.

The white tiger he had seen twice before had just entered the castle, with a shudder and exhale in breath shifted as it stood on its hind legs until the pale moonlit form of Draco Malfoy was clear to his eyes.

Keeping silent in shock Harry's wide green eyes followed Draco as he walked back upstairs, His thoughts a swirling mess.

Harry allowed his feet to carry him back up the stairs sure that tonight he would not sleep well as his brain had much to digest.