It did hurt. A lot.

"It wasn't that bad Harry, don't be such a drama queen" Draco said as Harry stormed out of the floo into the dusty kitchen.

"Wasn't that bad?" Harry slammed his shopping onto the table, making it wobble and Kreacher jump.

"I know you got more attention than you wanted, but neither of us had left the house for a fort night! It was to be expected, they wanted to know why they hadn't seen the boy wonder for a while" Draco was trying to reason with the very frustrated Harry. And Harry knew he was right, he was expecting the reaction he got, but he just didn't want it.

"At least you got something good out of this" Draco said smirking. Harry smiled.

He and Draco had apparated straight into Diagonally, but in an alley, so they weren't noticed straight away. Believe it or not, they weren't recognized at first. They managed to get a few meters out of the alley before a small girl screamed:

"'ARRY PO'ER!" and everything went to shit.

People quickly crowded round them, most of them asking for autographs and updates. Journalists came out of no-where, asking where they had been, why they hadn't been out in a while. Harry tried to turn around, in order to apparate, but Draco held his shoulder tight, so he wouldn't. When he realized he couldn't escape, he settled with hiding behind Draco, which made Draco chuckle.

"Don't be such a wimp Potter" the people around them laughed. Draco was surprised how nice they were being to him. He guessed because Harry liked him now, that they should too. He wasn't complaining.

"Shut it Malfoy" Harry, to put it bluntly, sucked it up. If he could face the darkest wizard of all time, he could face some paps. "EXCUSE ME LADIES AND GENTLEMAN" everyone around them went silent, journalists extending their recorders and prepping their cameras. Harry lowered his voice, "If you would excuse me and my friend here, we need to pick up a few things. I would appreciate doing this in peace." Everyone was still silent; shocked really, Harry had changed his tune so quickly it bewildered people.

"Can I ask you one question Mr Potter please?" One pap asked, breaking the silence, he looked almost scared. Harry turned to him, smiling slightly.

"You may ask one" The journalist gained a bit of confidence.

"You disappear. We see you once every couple of weeks, Draco too." He began, "I just wanted to know," he paused, "Where have you been?" he was directing his question to Harry, but was looking between the two of them. Harry smiled.

"I was on the run for over six months; I was injured, although I didn't show it during the battle. I was physically and emotionally drained. For those of you who don't know as well, I was killed too. Yes, I came back, but being hit by a killing curse takes it out of you." He said chuckling, everyone looked taken aback, except Draco, he knew this. Draco laughed with him, which made people look at him. "Plus," Harry said, pulling everyone's attention back to him. "I have lost people who are close to me, like so many others have, and like them, I have been mourning. But to answer your original question, I have been at home."

"But where is your home?" someone asked.

"I said one question" he grabbed Draco's shoulder and pushed him in front of him, pushing him through the crowd. They walked down the street side by side, being stared at as they went.

"Wasn't that bad was it?" Draco asked. He could feel the death glare Harry was giving him. "What? They're leaving us alone now"

"Yes, but we were still mobbed in the first place, it shouldn't be like that"

"It's only been a few months since the war Harry" Draco said, turning into Flourish and Blotts, "you can't expect them to ignore you" Draco was right, he knew it, Harry knew it.

"Ok Ok, you're right. I guess its fine now, I mean people are staring but they're not mobbing" Harry said, looking around the shop at the various shoppers.

"I think I want this one" Draco said, holding up a large, grey book.

"Jesus Draco! You read more than Hermione!" he said chuckling, and then stopped when he heard a quiet voice behind him.

"I wouldn't make a bet one that" Harry turned slowly, smiling slightly. The whole shop had stopped, because somehow, they knew they hadn't seen each other, they wanted to witness the reunion between two of the golden trio. Hermione stood there smiling back at him, she looked slightly emotional too.

"Oh my God Hermione, I'm so sorry! I just needed time to be alone and, oh god I'm such a bad person, you needed me and I wasn't there for you lot, oh god, oh god, how's Ron? Molly? Arthur? George? Oh god how's Ginny?" He said this all in one breath, Hermione just chuckled.

"Harry, we knew you would do this, we understand. You're probably in more pain than we are, we understand Harry. Harry look at me" she placed her hand on his cheek, moving his head so their eyes were locked, tears in both pairs, "Harry, we love you, we never stopped" That's when he lost it, engulfed her in a massive bear hug, lifting and spinning her round. Draco stood there smiling slightly at how happy Harry looked. Hermione was crying at this point and both were laughing.

"Missed you" he whispered, loud enough for everyone to hear though.

"Missed you too Haz" she whispered and giggled again when he grumbled at his nickname. They pulled away, both smiling, both overjoyed. "Come over to the Burrow tomorrow?"

Harry pulled away completely then. Hermione looked concerned. Harry simply said

"Not yet" before turning and walking away.

"Wait!" Harry stopped, turning to face the person who had shouted. "Potter, you are going to the Burrow, you are having one of those amazing dinners that you're always talking about that Molly cooks, you're going to talk to Ginny and apologize to all of them. Staying at the house with the house elf isn't going to help you."

"I told you I'm not ready Draco" Harry was looking around, everyone in the shop was still listening, he saw a journalist with a camera and recorder.

"You're never going to be ready if I don't force you" Draco said sighing, "Look, I'm going to my mother's tomorrow night, to have dinner, and you go to the Weasley's." He said this as a statement not a suggestion. Harry sighed and nodded.

Hermione smiled and jumped slightly, kissing him on the cheek before skipping out the door. Harry and Draco locked eyes, everyone in the shop holding their breaths.

"I'm going to get the potion, meet me at the floo?" Draco nodded and Harry left the shop. As he walked down the street, more paps approached him, but he ignored them as he passed. They continued to shout as he got close, and followed him when he walked away.

"IS IT TRUE YOU'RE HAVING DINNER WITH NARCISSA MALFOY?"

"IS IT TRUE YOU HAVE A HOUSE ELF?"

"IS IT TRUE YOU REALLY HATE THE WEASLEYS?"

He just ignored them, and made his way to the potions shop.

"You're really going to force me to go tomorrow aren't you?" Harry said as he placed ingredients and food into the cupboards of the kitchen.

"Even if I have to drag you there myself" He stated, pouring boiling water into two mugs.

"Why do you want me to go so badly?"

"You have a family who love you. I don't. You're lucky. I'm not. I'm not letting you ruin this" He parsed a mug of tea to Harry who looked at it with a grimace.

"Got anything stronger?" Draco smirked and tipped the tea down the sink, before going to a cupboard and getting out two bottles of fire whiskey. "That's better, anyway," Harry began as he perched on the edge of the kitchen table, Draco doing the same on the cabinet opposite him, their feet almost touching. "You're mother loves you you know, you're the reason she saved me in the forest, she wanted to know if you were safe" Harry was looking Draco in the eyes, truth shining from them. Draco gave him a small smile.

"Thank you Harry"

"You're going to have to drag me there"

"Looking forward to it"