"Harry, are you ready to go?"

Harry ran a hand through his hair even as his heart galloped in his chest, looking out over his group of friends and near family in the living room of the Dursleys. Half of them held the vials of polyjuice potion in their hands while the other half had their wands out, their eyes alert and narrowed. He was about to turn 17, about to have the trace on his wand disappear and the so called blood wards on the house fall. Harry scowled at the thought, remembering watching as his aunt and uncle packed up their car that morning.

Dudley had stood before him and apologized. Apologized for the first time in his life for his behavior. Harry hadn't known what to do with that but he had shaken Dudley's hand and watched him go.

Ron and Hermione were standing in front, with Bill, Fleur, Moody, Fred, George, Remus, Tonks all spread around the room. Harry opened his mouth to reply when the energy… when his magic chimed a warning, his wand almost humming in his mind, in his fingers. A cloud of… something appeared in the center of the room, between him and everyone else, circling around that one spot, circling around… When it disappeared a few seconds later, the first thing he saw was something orange. And then… "Dom?"

One minute he was in Lompoc prison and the next he was in a living room that was not familiar at all. There were people in the room, spread out around them in a semicircle, ranging from a few redheads to a couple rough, older looking guys. The moment they saw him, everyone's eyes widened and the two older men drew… sticks? Wands? And aimed them at him, their eyes narrowing sharply. Evening spread out beyond the house he was in, the darkness invading the home through the windows.

"Whoa! Whoa! Dom!"

Dom sucked in a sharp breath, his fingers flexing, his shoulders curling, and his eyes widening just a little bit as Harry stepped in front of him. "Harry?"

Harry took a minute to turn to look at him, a wary expression on his face that seemed to clear up as he looked Dom over. "Yeah, it's me. Just hold on."

"Harry! He's… Who the fuck is that?"

Harry grimaced and turned back to face the group but not before sliding a slow hand back, reaching out for Dom. Maybe instinctively or not but Dom reached back, immediately curling his fingers through Harry's, taking a breath as he studied the room and the people around them. Harry himself looked older than a mere 17, or about to turn 17, if he had the timing right. His shoulders were curled and slouched, like he had the weight of the world on them. His black hair was as messy as ever, curls springing every which way. The dark green shirt Harry was wearing looked darker than what Dom had seen him in, as well as jeans that curled around his hips.

There were a lot of redheads, ranging from Harry's age to the older man with red hair that stood next to the guy that looked like he could have been a prison guard in another life. The guy that had yet to lower his… wand, steely grey eyes gazing at Dom like a feral sort of goblin.

"Guys, stand down," Harry argued, shuffling further in front of Dom. There was no hint of hesitation in Harry's voice, no wavering because of the outfit he had appeared in and Dom's heart skipped a beat. "He's a friend. I trust him."

"He's in prison orange, Harry!" One of the redheads yelled, pointing at Dom with just a finger this time. "Muggle orange! How can you say that? He could be an axe murderer."

"Met many axe murderers?" Dom questioned idly, lifting a pointed eyebrow towards the guy that was Harry's age.

The guy scoffed and crossed his arms, a little hint of a scowl on his face.

Harry snorted and shrugged. "Ron, Dom's a friend. And… why are you here anyway?"

"Just appeared here. Don't know why," Dom muttered, squeezing Harry's fingers as the older prison guard looking man continued to stare at him, that one eye of his roving completely unnaturally. Harry squeezed his hand back, holding on tightly like he had no plans of letting go now.

"Potter, he can't be here. He's…"

"Moody, just stop. He's with me and that's final," Harry stated, something in his voice that hadn't been there the last time they had seen each other. Steel. Subtle but there, as if he was telling everyone that this matter was settled, had been settled the instant that Dom appeared. Dom swallowed at Harry's defence of him, his eyes closing and opening a moment later. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled as he saw everyone look at him. It was like being back at Lompoc on the first day of his sentence, sussing out who he needed to be on the lookout for. Except for Harry, who apparently didn't care that he showed up in prison orange. "In fact… You up for a drive, Dom?"

The question sent a frisson of excitement through him, making his fingers curl and uncurl, the ache right between his ribs easing at the thought of getting behind a wheel. It had only been four months since he had entered Lompoc but it felt like years. Since he had felt the thrill of pressing down on the pedal of a car and gunning the engine, feeling the air whistle through the open window. The freedom he felt as he drove.

"Potter. He can't be here," Moody ordered, his eye narrowing and the magical eye staring at him like it could see through him. See the fights he had gotten into, protecting himself from the other prisoners. See how he had fought dirty, see the blood that now stained his fingers. Dom narrowed his eyes and stared back, crossing his arms and taking a step to lean against the wall behind him. "He's a liability, as well as a muggle."

"I'm up for a drive," Dom remarked, watching as Harry turned to him, something in his eyes that was sparking with… what might have been power. Or it could have been determination. Harry looked at him, half serious, half fond. "The answer to that question is never going to be no."

"I thought so," Harry said quietly, half of his mouth turning up into a smile, before turning back to look at Moody. "The plan is still a go."

Moody, whoever he was, took a step towards Harry, his wand hand still aimed at Dom, though a little lower. Harry's shoulders curled and Dom heard a quiet sound leave Harry's throat at Moody's movement, something lethal.

"Moody, you take one more step towards Dom and I'll kick you out."

"Harry!"

"It may not have ever been my house but half of those so called blood wards answer to me now," Harry warned, staring right at Moody as the clock struck twelve. The power that he had been idly feeding into the wards chimed and warmed around the home. "Dom's my friend, alright?"

Moody looked between Harry and then over to Dom, before nodding slightly. "Alright, Potter. We'll do it your way for now. We need to get going. Everyone take your sample of the potion."

Harry sighed as he watched his friends and near family leave through the front door, half of them looking exactly like him. Dom stood next to him, silent and calm, for the most part. The other man was certainly… different now, quieter, more intimidating. He was fairly sure he had caught Ron taking a half step backwards as Dom took a step to be next to him. Hermione hadn't been sure where to look, either at Harry or at Dom, and he knew she'd have questions of her own. About Dom. The orange jumpsuit was striking to be sure but…

"You went after Linder, didn't you?" Harry asked, keeping his voice quiet, his heart in his throat, as Dom huffed out a breath.

"Yeah. I did," Dom murmured, sighing, closing his eyes briefly in guilt.

Harry heard Hagrid turn the engine of Sirius' motorcycle on and he swallowed against the old grief that threatened to bubble up. There was too much going on now to dwell on those thoughts so he pushed them down, focusing instead on his oldest friend. Oldest despite the fact that they had only seen each other twice over the past several years. "Dom…"

A sound left Dom's throat, almost strangled, entirely raw, and Harry flinched at the sound of it, turning and tugging Dom into a hug. Dom was just as warm as he remembered, just as all encompassing as the Dom in his memories. Harry sighed and relaxed a little, for a moment, letting everything that happened in the last year go. Dom wrapped his own arms around him, resting his head on Harry's left shoulder, skin against skin, sending heat fluttering through his body.

"He alive?" Harry whispered, nosing his way to Dom's bare collarbone, feeling and hearing Dom shudder, inhale on a shaky breath. He tilted his head a bit as a half familiar thought filtered in through his mind, about the scents of metal and sweat that Dom radiated. He tipped his chin up to look Dom in the eyes, meeting those brown eyes that were utterly familiar to him.

"Yes. He is," Dom muttered, sucking in a sharp breath as Harry's mouth ended up against his. Harry froze even as he pulled back, his lips tingling, and then Dom swore, his arms curling tighter around Harry and pulling him in. Harry let out a strangled laugh, choked off, and pressed in again, meeting Dom in a different way this time, warm and wanting and…

It was wet and hot and made his heart beat like a rabbit's, as he pushed Dom back against the wall behind them. Dom groaned and met him easily, hotly, need vying for attention over the present situation, goosebumps trailing up his skin. Harry broke off first, breathing through his mouth, his heart thundering in his chest, loud in his ears.

Dom grinned, his pupils wide with arousal, as Harry leaned his forehead against his, both of them breathing hard.

"Hey."

Harry snorted and was about to say something back when he heard Hagrid clear his throat. He hadn't even heard him come back into the Dursleys' house.

"Harry?"

"Change of plan, Hagrid. Dom and I are going to drive to the Burrow," Harry spoke, turning around to face Hagrid, who was looking between him and Dom with wide eyes. "No one would expect me to go in a mundane car, on the ground. Not when I'm known for flying."

"You have a car?" Dom asked quietly, his voice gone rough and low. Harry shuddered at the sound of it, heat coiling in the pit of his stomach like a snake.

"I may have stolen one," Harry muttered, shrugging at Dom's amused expression. "I picked up a few things watching you guys work, okay?"

Dom laughed like he hadn't laughed in a while, quiet, hoarse, and Harry wrinkled his nose before leaning into kiss Dom again, wanting more. Wanting those lines that hadn't been there before on Dom's face to go away. More of Dom and less of having to flee from Death Eaters who wanted him dead. Less of Voldemort, less of the shit his life had become over the past few years. Dom shivered and curled his fingers into Harry's hips, sending little sparks of heat through him.

"You're not driving."

Harry laughed and leaned into Dom, nodding into that orange jumpsuit. "Yeah, yeah. You're driving."

"Harry…" Hagrid trailed off, his eyes wide. "This isn't what Moody wants."

"Fuck that. I'll be safer this way," Harry offered, catching Dom's eyes and holding them. "He drives fast."

Dom's lips twitched up and Harry nodded in thought.

"I'll go get Hedwig and my trunk," Harry said, palming his wand and digging into one of his pockets. He pulled out the car, an unremarkable dark red Dodge Charger, that he had stolen and then miniaturized, handed it over. It was only slightly heavy in his palm and Dom's eyes widened a little at the sight of it. "Besides, it's American made."

Dom snorted at Harry's small, knowing smirk.

"Hedwig, stay in the footwell," Harry muttered, gesturing down to the bottom of the car. "I don't want you seen. Everyone knows you're my owl, girl."

Hedwig hooted irritably up at him before settling down, peering up at him before turning her head to look at Dom, who lifted his shoulders in a shrug.

"And here," Harry added, reaching out to tap the front windshield with his wand. A see through map burst out in color on the windshield, streets and buildings flowing outward. A bright green route spread out in front of them, almost outside of the car in real time. "It'll lead us right to the Burrow."

"The Burrow?" Dom echoed.

"Ron's home," Harry explained, seeing Hagrid riding the motorcycle up into the sky, alone. "It's where I'll be safe for at least, hopefully, a few weeks. Bill's having his wedding to Fleur in a few days and then… I'm going on a hunt."

Dom glanced at him even as Harry ducked down in the passenger seat, slouching down a little. "Hunt."

"Voldemort wants me dead," Harry said, grimacing, as Dom gunned the engine, watching him. They drove past Privet Drive, driving for another mile in silence. "And I… know how he's stayed alive this long."

"We got time," Dom remarked roughly. "At least I think I do. How does this… thing work?"

Harry peered up at him, his green eyes dark, as they traveled through Surrey. There weren't many people out and about at this time, most of them asleep in their homes. "I don't… know. Time moved in the same way the past two trips on my end. This time… You were in prison, right?"

Dom dipped his head in a nod, staying quiet for a minute as he steered the stolen car, veering away from a couple people running across the street. They left Surrey a few minutes later and he gunned the engine of the car, taking a deep breath and uncurling entirely. He followed the directions that Harry's map was giving them, his magic leading them out of the neighborhood and city.

"I think… I don't know," Harry finally said, pausing as he sat back up in the seat. He was quiet, thoughtful, but Dom could hear at least a little hint of stress. "I just turned 17 so there's no trace on my wand now and the Death Eaters and Voldemort are out for my blood. It could be your world would… wait for you. I don't know. It'd be a little awkward for you to suddenly disappear from prison and then reappear after a week."

Dom grimaced. "Really think it'd be a week?"

"I don't fucking know. I was with you guys for a month the first time," Harry retorted before sighing, closing his eyes briefly. "Sorry. I'm just…"

"It's okay. You've got shit on your plate."

"You do too," Harry offered wearily, reaching out to lay a hand over Dom's thigh. "I''m sorry I wasn't there."

"It's not on you," Dom muttered, his voice gone low, rough. "It's on me, Harry."

Harry lifted an eyebrow and then peered out the passenger side window, surveying the night that they passed through. The air was silent in the cloudy night, the moon just barely peeking out from under a cloud. The roads the map was taking them on were empty side roads, covered on the sides by big trees. He was silent for a few minutes before turning to look back at Dom. "Is Mia alright?"

Dom sighed and glanced at him, taking his eyes off the road for a second or two. "What do you think?"

Harry took a breath and was about to reply when his eyes narrowed. "Dom, slow down for a few minutes."

Dom immediately inched his foot off the gas pedal, his fingers tightening on the wheel. "What is it?"

Harry didn't reply for a minute, two minutes, stilling in the passenger seat. "I think… Judging by the fact that my scar is hurting… That's… Tom up there, fucking flying."

Dom's eyes narrowed as he inhaled sharply. "Tom as in…"

"Yep. Just drive normal and don't look up," Harry whispered, his voice firm, no hint of fear but a hair's breath away from catapulting into action. His eyes were still glued to a spot out the window, leaving his profile visible to Dom. "We're just two people traveling on the road. Two entirely non magical people. There's nothing magical about us. He should..."

Dom put pressure on the gas pedal again, not enough to make the car run, but enough to 'drive normal'. His heart rabbitted in his chest like he had been injected with a shot of NOS itself. "You ready to face him?"

"Not now," Harry answered, keeping his voice low. "I haven't… gotten all of his horcruxes yet. Haven't found them all. Go on. He's not even… Doesn't even look like he's spotted us."

A high pitched cackle echoed through the air outside of them, loud enough for them both to hear it in the car. Dom flinched and lowered his hand to Harry's, where it was laying in the center console, curled around the gear shift white knuckled. Harry curled his fingers around Dom's, sucking in a sharp breath. "His what now?"

"Horcruxes. Pieces of his soul," Harry explained wearily, taking a breath and then sighing. Hedwig hooted quietly from where she was in the footwell, tilting her head, her golden eyes narrowed like she understood what had just happened. "He's passing us by."

Dom didn't need any encouragement to speed the fuck up then, making the car ease into 50mph, 60mph. Harry didn't say anything else after that, as they drove through the English countryside. Several minutes turned into an hour, spent quietly talking between themselves, the brush with potential death forgotten for a while. An hour turned into two and Harry's map guided him towards another side road that turned into dirt.

Dirt turned into a farm road and left Dom staring up at what could only be reasonably called a home. Sure, it looked like it would fall apart easily, come apart with only a moment's notice but Harry was looking at it like it was home. There were lights on, flooding the surrounding estate, and people standing around, looking anxiously towards them.

Dom recognized several of them from Privet Drive, recognized the lack of Moody. A few of the red heads had blood spattered over their faces and he saw Harry flinch.

"You have a family here," Dom whispered as he pulled the car to a stop in front of what was obviously the Burrow.

"Yeah. I do," Harry remarked, sitting up and grinning faintly, his shoulders uncurling. "You're family too though. More than."

Dom grinned and pulled Harry into another kiss, desire simmering through him and that… That strange energy that had pulled him here curling around him.

Harry sighed into the kiss, keeping it light, brushing their mouths together, and curling an arm around him, his hand snaking around his neck. "You're going back."

"I think so. You feel something?"

"It's…" Harry tilted his head in confusion and then reached out with his wand, tapping him. His green eyes glowed briefly in what was most certainly not moonlight or porchlight from the Burrow but with magic. Dom inhaled sharply at the sight, at the sight of magic literally leaking out from Harry. "You should be fine, time wise. I don't know where the fuck this is coming from but… And Dom… I think…"

Harry paused and looked down at Hedwig, his shoulders curling worriedly. "Hedwig, I think you should go to Mia right now."

Dom froze at Harry's words, meeting the other man's eyes. Harry shrugged, his eyes softening, and turned back to his owl. Hedwig glared up at him and fluttered up to sit on Harry's thigh, whistling irritably.

"Hedwig, I'm not going to be safe where I'm at and you can't very well follow me. You wouldn't be safe at Hogwarts and you won't be safe here."

Hedwig reached up to peck at Harry, who sat there in the seat, letting Hedwig nip his arm. Harry flinched at Hedwig's motions and Dom could see tears pooling in those green eyes.

"You'll be safe with Mia. You know her and she needs help right now," Harry argued, reaching out to stroke her feathers. "I'll try to send you to her, okay? I know you want to keep me safe, girl. I know that. Mia needs you more than I do right now though."

Hedwig looked up at him, making an almost hissing sound and then dipped her beak in a rather human looking nod. Harry took a breath and reached back to grab one of the smaller bags he had brought with him, handing it over to her. It was small enough for her to grab the handle in her beak.

"That has a note as well as all of your things, Hedwig," Harry whispered, rubbing at one of her favorite spots, beneath her left wing. "I want you safe, too, Hedwig. I couldn't…"

"Are you sure, Harry?" Dom asked, looking between the owl and his friend.

"I'm sure. I don't know how long… this fight will take," Harry said, closing his eyes and then reopening them. "Thank you for driving me over here. I didn't know…"

"Anytime."

Harry snorted. "That's just because you don't trust me at the wheel."

Dom blinked and crossed his arms, trying to look innocent and failing, judging by Harry's amused expression. "You be careful."

"You too. I want you in one piece the next time we visit," Harry retorted, poking his shoulder. "And out of prison, thank you."

"Next time?"

"Yeah. Next time."

Harry sucked in a startled breath as Dom disappeared. He glanced down at Hedwig, who had vanished as well, sighed and stepped out of the car, running to make sure everyone was alright.

It was the hooting that woke her up, the flutter of wings that got her out of bed. Mia jolted awake fully as she saw Hedwig, spotting the owl sitting on the desk in her room. Her eyes widened and she swung her legs off the bed, walking over to hold out a hand. It'd been a year since she had met the owl but she still remembered how to approach her. "Hedwig?"

Hedwig hooted quietly, dispiritedly, before nuzzling into her palm. Mia let out a strangled noise at the sight of the owl before noticing the small bag at Hedwig's feet. "Is that… for me?"

Hedwig dipped her beak in a nod and Mia reached out for it, pulling out the note on top.

Mia,

I hoped you'd take care of Hedwig for me. I'm… in the middle of fighting in a war and wanted her safe. I figured, what with Dom in prison, you might enjoy the company. She'll take care of you like she takes care of me.

All of her things are in the bag, as well as instructions, and money for her care. She likes hunting at night and won't be a bother like Vince.

I don't know when I'll next visit but hopefully… I'll be able to come back.

Thanks.

Harry.