Chapter 10: Doxa Vomica et Curo Disclaimer: Though we severely wish it to be true, we neither own nor have created these most fabulous of characters. They are property of one J. K. Rowling. We shall return them when we are finished. Hopefully they will be unharmed.

A/N: Here ya go guys, not too long a wait right? see, this is what reviews gets you :D Just to clarify a couple things. This story has 33 chapters TOTAL, though editing might alter that number a little (if we decide some of the longer chapters should be broke down, ect.)

Also I got a comment about alcohol use in chapter 3. Just to make sure everyone knows I'm not some evil writer promoting drinking while you're pregnant, I want to say that Hermione is yes, in a club, but its specified that she's drinking a Shirley Temple. A quick wikipedia search and you'll see that its a non-alcoholic kid, probably the best known of the 'kiddie cocktails' cuz they're made for kids and such to order at restaurants.

Don't drink while you're pregnant y'all! And with that public service announcment out of the way.. here's chapter ten! Short, I know, but the next ones longer and will be up soon!

Doxa Vomica et Curo
Chapter Ten

Hidden Letters and Forgotten Soup

Draco never did get to sleep that night, but he showed up at work the next day anyway, and the next, and for the next week. He called and apologized to Hermione for hanging up on her, but still refused to talk about anything... same with Blaise and otherwise avoided his friends. Harry took all his work home, doing more field work in that week just to avoid office encounters.

With Harry not coming into the ministry Draco heard a lot of rumors, it seemed Harry Potter was still the most common thing to gossip about and he shook his head, avoiding most of them. He asked his own questions though, carefully, finding out a little about what had really happened with his home, with his father. It didn't take long to put the pieces together... he didn't need Blaise or Hermione to tell him. Though he wished one of them would have, or better yet... Harry... though he could maybe understand why he hadn't.

Harry was currently at home, curled up in his bed on his forced day off. He was watching the tele, idly, more just staring at it. Draco went to Severus's shop after work, working more as was usual, thinking over what he'd figured out, wondering what he could do about it. Later that evening, Harry knew he had to go get some ingredients from Severus's shop. He swallowed as he dressed in darker clothes, writing what he needed. Apparating over he walked into the shop, without looking at who was in there and just simply handed the paper to Snape, not knowing Draco may be there.

Severus looked up at him, knowing the two had argued he simply stood and moved to the back, handing the list to Draco and letting him take the ingredients out. Draco looked down at the list and swallowed, recognizing the hand writing. Harry waited, not saying anything as he kept his hands in his coat pocket. Draco came out a moment later, swallowing hard when he saw Harry, the old feelings that had been building stirring again and he gently sat the ingredients down. Harry looked at the ingredients and set some money on the counter without saying a word, taking the small box and leaving the shop. Draco whimpered softly and merely turned back to move into the back of the shop.

Later that evening when Severus was organizing the money he came across a small envelope in between some bills. Frowning he looked and saw Draco's name on it, recognizing the handwriting. "Draco..." he said softly.

Draco looked up from where he was labeling ingredients. "Yea Sev?"

Severus handed him the small envelope, backing away to let him read it in peace. Draco swallowed lightly, opening it slowly and pulling out the letter inside, shifting to better light in which to read. Draco swallowed again, recognizing the handwriting as he had earlier.

Draco,

I don't know what I can say... as an excuse... I suppose... but I am sure by now you have heard from the ministry or my friends, why I did what I did... my motive.

It seemed as though Harry had paused for a long while, because his next handwriting was a lot shakier.

I just wanted to apologize, for what I have done to you, for your past. This isn't out of pity... it was my fault... and I am, or was trying only to make up for what wrong I did to you.

He had originally signed it Harry but scribbled that out.

-Potter

He finished, the letter short and to the point. Draco swallowed lightly, tears threatening again as he leaned back.

"I have to go Severus... I'll meet you at home..." he said softly, folding the letter carefully and sliding into his pocket before he walked out.

Severus watched him go with a small frown. He sighed. Harry had returned home, locking himself in his lab to work on a spell.

Draco took another couple of days before he could respond to Harry... and after several failed letters he waited till Harry had another day off before apparating to his door and with a deep breath he knocked softly. Hermione answered it, just looking at him before letting him in.

Draco wet his lower lip as he moved in, nervous. "Is he here...?"

She watched him a moment. "He's asleep," she said softly. "I came over to make him some lunch."

"Oh..." he said, looking down. "I guess... I'll just... I'll come back later..."

Hermione watched him. "You should just wait. If you leave I don't think you'll come back, " she said simply, not afraid to tell him her opinion.

He bit his lip and nodded lightly, it had taken a lot to get him here now. "Okay..."

Hermione set the soup on the stove. "I'll go see if he wants to wake up," she said moving to his room. Crouching down she woke him softly, telling him she had lunch for him. He yawned and pulled on a hoodie over his jeans, having just stripped his shirt. Moving out he was running his fingers through his hair when he saw Draco.

Draco looked up nervously before looking to Hermione and then back to Harry.
"Hi..." he offered softly.

Harry looked down and Hermione sighed softly. "Hello," Harry countered walking past him a moment to get a bowl of soup.

Draco swallowed and looked back to Hermione again. "Maybe this was a bad idea..."

Hermione gave him a look that clearly meant if he backed out now she wouldn't ever talk to him again. He swallowed a whimper, making pregnant women mad wasn't a good thing. And he half hoped she wasn't there, the other half glad she was.

"Harry..."

Harry looked up, his eyes not angry, just... accepting. "Draco..." He said moving to sit down at his table to eat the soup.

Draco took a breath, and then decided that no, he didn't want Hermione here for this. He looked over at her with a slightly pleading expression. She watched him, studying him before nodding and moving to clean up Harry's room closing the door behind her. Draco took another breath before speaking.

"I don't blame you for what happened to me," he started softly.

Harry blew on the soup gently, drinking the broth and vegetables.

Draco sighed. "I understand why you did what you did... but because you did it behind my back, while becoming friends with me, it feels a little like you were only being nice to me because you felt guilty…"

"I wouldn't become your friend just because I felt guilty." He said softly, taking another bite of his soup. "That would probably be the last thing I would do because I felt guilty."

Draco nodded a little. "I know... but Harry we can't be friends if you're going to feel guilty over things in the past... and if you're going to try to do things without me knowing about them. If you wanted to help you should have told me so…"

"Like you would have let me," he said softly, stirring his soup.

"I wouldn't have taken the money," he agreed softly, "but I would have loved help getting my stuff recognized, getting a job like you did... and I might have taken a loan." He paused. "But even if I'd have refused, it would have been my choice... I had to work really hard to have the right to make my own choices about my life."

Harry looked down, his stomach not taking well to anything at the moment so he just stirred the soup.

"I'm sorry that I yelled when I confronted you about it..." he said, looking down. "And for some of the things I said." Draco swallowed lightly looking down and to the side a bit. "I was upset because I felt like I'd been deceived and it was worse because... because I was... for other reasons…" he said, flushed as he kept his gaze down.

Harry frowned and looked down, nodding. "I'm sorry for not telling you," he breathed softly, almost a whisper. "I still am the only one who has authority over your assets..."

Draco sighed softly. "I don't need them..." He swallowed and sighed. "A lot of my father's money was blood money... or old money belonging to the family…"

Harry sighed softly, looking away still, his eyes still cast down.

"I... I don't know if it's possible..." Draco swallowed heavily. "But I'd like... I'd like to visit my mother's grave sometime..."

Harry looked up. Narcissa was buried in secret, the death eaters believing she could hold some magic to bring Voldemort back.

"It's on the grounds... it's not marked... I watched them bury her..."

Harry swallowed hard, pushing his soup away before moving to his room to pull on a shirt then his hoodie back on. "I know. I was there." He said coming back out.

"I didn't have time to make her a marker..." Draco said softly to himself, swallowing hard again. He looked up at him, but just nodded.

"Follow me," Harry said pulling on a pair of sun glasses to hide his eyes as he waited for Draco.

Draco turned to him, surprised they were leaving now but he just nodded, "okay..." he said softly.

A/N: Hey look! progress! sweetness coming up next, promise :D but if you wanna see it.. you know the drill! that's right! that review button is your golden ticket!