DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

No offence is intended to anyone who lives or comes from the Newcastle area. Harry can be somewhat rude when it comes to voicing his opinions of the city, but don't worry, I'm sure Draco will be such a gracious host that Harry will soon come around...

A/N: Only one chapter left to go!

Chapter 10

Harry waited with Draco until the Healer came to discharge him and then Apparated back with him to his apartment in Newcastle.

"Shit…"

Draco dropped Harry's hand as he took in the outward devastation; there was glass everywhere, his white voile curtains were blowing through the empty windows in the breeze, and the front door was still hanging off its hinges from when Harry had blasted it out of his way.

"I'm guessing that was you?" Draco shot him an exasperated glance and checked for passing Muggles before raising his wand to set the door back in its place while Harry worked on returning the glass to the second-floor windows.

Once that was done, Harry and Draco walked up the stairs to the living area, Draco gasping in horror as he took in the sight of his beloved beige recliner and sofa overturned and in pieces scattered across the room.

"My chair!" Draco ran his hands over the ruined furniture, turning to survey the rest of the damage, including the demise of his favourite mug and the several very expensive bottles of Malfoy wine.

Sighing heavily, Draco sauntered over to the breakfast bar and hoisted himself onto one of the stools which had miraculously survived, his brow furrowing in confusion as he noticed the black box that Harry had left there the previous afternoon.

"What's this? Did Nott leave this?" he asked cautiously, his hands moving forward to open it when Harry shook his head.

"No, I brought it."

"You?"

"I found it in your bedroom."

"My…bedroom?" Draco turned to glance at the red metal staircase on the other side of the apartment but Harry put his hand over Draco's to regain his attention.

"Your bedroom at the Manor."

"What…why were you at the Manor? When was this?"

"I'll explain everything later, I promise. But I think you should look at what's in the box first."

Eying Harry cautiously, Draco opened the lid, his jaw going slack as he took in the Pensieve and the two-dozen or so memories around the edge, his fingers skittering over their tops in wonderment.

"What is this?" he asked almost to himself, his eyes falling on the letter from his mother, which he tore into and began reading aloud.

"My dearest Draco,

I write to you today with hope in my heart that when you read this letter upon your return to the Manor that you will have at last found the happiness that you deserve.

Suffice to say it has become necessary for me to leave the Manor, Draco. I can no longer stand the memories that linger here, and without the protection of the ancient wards I no longer feel safe within the grounds. Despite sealing off some of the worst rooms, I am sure that I can still feel the remnants of the dark magic from the War permeating the rest of the Manor. The only choice I have left is to relocate to one of the residences in France.

I know that you are there, Draco, and it comforts me to know that we will be close once more, even if we are forbidden from meeting for another two years. I hope that you have found your way in the Muggle world, even though I am sure that it has not been easy for you to adjust. The fact that you were prepared to accept this punishment over Azkaban, though, is a source of both pride and comfort for me, for if you had been imprisoned I scarcely think I could have survived it.

I have always tried my best to protect you from harm, Draco, though I know that I failed you totally after your father was captured by the Ministry. I hope that one day you will be able to forgive me for the horrors you experienced during the War and for the consequences that you have had to face because of my weaknesses and the actions and decisions of your father.

But never doubt that your father loves you greatly, Draco, even if his pride prevents him from showing it. I do so hope that once your exile is at an end we will all be reunited once more.

I love you, Draco. You are the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. Know that I am proud of you for the man you have become and that, whatever happens, nothing will ever change that fact.

I hope that the Manor will once again be a good home to you.

Love always, darling

Mother"

Draco looked up at Harry as he finished reading, his pale hands shaking too much to hold the letter any longer.

"Did you read this?" he asked Harry as he stilled his hands enough to fold the letter and return it to the box.

"No," Harry reached out to take Draco's hand, rubbing circles on the back with his thumb.

"Did you see the memories?"

"Yes," he didn't see the need for denying that, "But I just-"

Draco shook his head held up his free hand to prevent Harry from continuing.

"I remember last night you were mentioning all these memories that I had no idea how you knew about. I was so confused by it. But now…I suppose this is the reason?"

Harry nodded a little sheepishly.

"I'm glad." Draco smiled at him sincerely, "I know you and I didn't have many happy memories from before. If you hadn't watched these…well, I might not be here now, right?"

They shared a small smile before Draco took back his hand from Harry's grip and uncorked one of the vials closest to him. He stood up and then paused, nibbling his lip in thought.

"Will you come with me?" he looked so vulnerable after the rollercoaster events of the last twenty-four hours that Harry couldn't possibly refuse.

He stood up and nodded, taking Draco's proffered hand, and suddenly found himself back in Lucius' study where Narcissa first announced she was pregnant twenty-five years ago.

By the time they had watched all of the memories, it was dark outside Draco's flat and Draco himself was looking rather overwhelmed. He replaced the last vial in the wooden box and closed the lid, his hands stroking over the top as he lost himself in thought.

Harry wrapped his arms around him from behind, pulling him back against his chest and kissing his left cheek. Before he knew what had happened, Harry found Draco pressing his lips against Harry's, his tongue coaxing Harry's mouth to open and his hands felt like they were everywhere at once; in Harry's hair, bunched up in Harry's shirt, down Harry's jeans…

Harry pulled away and looked at Draco's raw expression. "Draco…"

Draco, though, had apparently had enough of talking. He manoeuvred them both over to the wall, his back against it as he pulled Harry towards him, their mouths reconnecting as Draco threw his arms around Harry's shoulders. He broke away to remove Harry's glasses but returned to kissing him before Harry could even adjust to the change.

Harry put his hands on either side of Draco's face to steady himself as he rutted against Draco, loving the rumbling sound of contentment he heard in Draco's throat. Harry pulled away from the kiss and moved instead to Draco's neck, finding the spot he marked the first time they had kissed like this and setting out to mark the skin again.

Draco moaned wantonly as he fisted his hands in Harry's hair, his breath laboured and heavy.

"Fuck me," he choked out, and in his current state of arousal Harry didn't even bother replying with words. He grabbed Draco's hand and pulled him over to the living area, having enough cognitive thought left to cast a Cushioning Charm on the floor, and then yanked his t-shirt over his head while Draco lowered himself to the ground.

Harry didn't waste any more time as he knelt over the blond, pulling the cashmere sweater over his head and planting kisses along Draco's collarbone. His hands roamed lower as he undid the fastenings of Draco's faded jeans, tugging them off and tossing them somewhere behind him afterwards. His fingers skimmed lightly over Draco's sides, and Harry enjoyed the shudder it elicited from the man beneath him.

"Jeans, Potter," Draco gasped out and Harry realised that he still had his own jeans on. He pulled them off all the way, but before he could move back to where he'd been before Draco had pulled down his boxers to free his erection, and suddenly Harry was engulfed by the heat of Draco's mouth and subjected to the most delicious kind of onslaught Harry had ever felt.

Harry groaned and tried to thrust more of his erection into Draco's mouth but Draco kept his hands on Harry's hips, controlling everything and forcing Harry to surrender to his ministrations. Harry was starting to lose himself in the feel of it before he made himself grab hold of Draco's hair and remove his mouth, knowing that if it went any further he would never be able to last long enough to fuck Draco properly.

Kicking off his boxers all the way, Harry Summoned the lube from Draco's bedroom, uncapping it and squeezing a liberal amount onto his fingers while Draco removed his own underwear. Bending down to kiss Draco's mouth Harry positioned himself between Draco's legs, one hand keeping him propped up as the other found its way to Draco's hole to stretch him. When the blond moaned against Harry's mouth Harry found it hard to stop himself giving up and just taking Draco right then.

"Harry, just do it." Draco's eyes were fluttering closed and his mouth was slightly parted. "I need this." Harry realised distantly that Draco probably just wanted a diversion from everything else that had happened, but in the face of his weakening self-control he didn't have time to dwell on that.

As he pushed in, Harry noticed the way Draco's eyes were scrunched and his cheeks were flushed red, and Harry couldn't resist reaching down to kiss him once more. He tried to push in gradually but thanks to Draco's earlier actions he was in no real state to take anything slow.

With the hand that wasn't propping himself up Harry reached down to grasp Draco's hardness, fisting it firmly as he thrust in and out of Draco. He moved his hand to shift position, aiming deeper into Draco to try and hit his prostate, knowing a few moments later that he had found it by the whimper that escaped Draco's lips and the shudder that wracked his body.

Harry sped up his hand, hoping to push Draco closer to release, knowing that he himself was already teetering on the edge.

Draco began raising his hips to meet Harry's downward thrusts, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides, his head thrown back as he moaned his release without shame.

As soon as Harry heard Draco's breathy sigh of "Harry", he knew he stood no chance keeping his own climax at bay any longer. He gripped Draco's hips with almost bruising force as he came, collapsing on top of Draco's chest when it was over, trying to regain control of his breathing.

"You best not be planning on staying there all night, again," Draco warned him, but it was too soft to hold any real menace. Harry smiled and kissed Draco's nose, knowing it would irritate the blond immensely, and then settled in for sleep.

"Shut up, Draco."

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