~ Three Broomsticks ~

Harry sat across from Ron, his hands playing with his glass of Butterbeer.  He was full of nervous energy and he had to fiddle with something.

"I heard what Draco said last night," Harry finally commented, lifting his glass to take a sip.

Ron looked startled, then relieved.  "Good.  I know you two will work it out."

"Work what out?" Harry asked, confused by Ron's statement.  "He said – and I quote – we can't go back to the way we were."

"Well, of course not Harry," Ron said, as if this should be obvious.  "But you can move forward and rebuild your relationship on a deeper foundation."

Harry just stared at Ron in shock.  Ron blushed and looked down at the table sheepishly.

"Hermione bought me a book about relationships," he admitted.  "But that just proves my point.  This can only make you two stronger as a couple.  Besides, he loves you."

"Did he say that?" Harry asked eagerly while desperately attempting to not get his hopes up.

"I thought you said you heard what he said," Ron said doubtfully.

"Yeah, I heard him say that we couldn't be together anymore," Harry said, "but that doesn't mean I'm going to let him go without a fight."

Ron looked relieved.  "That's good to hear, mate.  He'd been pining for you ever since you left-"

"I didn't leave," Harry said forcefully.  "I wish people would stop saying that.  I was taken, captured, kidnapped, whatever.  I didn't just leave, like I had a choice in the matter!"

"Sorry," Ron said, holding up his hands in surrender.

"No, I'm sorry.  I know you didn't mean it like that," Harry said softly.  "I've been pining for him too.  And now I'm finally here and he's so close and I can't hold him…"

"I don't think it's going to take much to get him to come around.  You must have missed it when he admitted that he still loves you and he always will.  I think he's just scared and more than a little hurt," Ron said sympathetically.

"How long have you been so empathetic?" Harry asked wonderingly.

"Uh, since Hermione told me that's what Draco is feeling," Ron said with a grin.  "So what's stopping you from going up to Draco and declaring your undying love for him?"

"It's not that simple," Harry said with a sigh.

"Funny, that's what Draco said last night."

"We've just lost so much time.  I couldn't believe it when I realised two years had passed.  Where does the time go?"

"I know.  Even for us here, it has flown by."

"Do you think I should have killed her?  Eve, I mean."

Ron looked thoughtful.  "I don't think so.  I don't think you would have been able to live with yourself if you'd killed her."

"But if it meant that I could have been back here sooner?"

"But then you would have been wracked with guilt over the whole thing and would have been no use to Draco or Daniel.  This way, a few more months have passed, but you have your integrity in tact.  That is far more important, don't you think?  Your self-worth is has far more value than a couple of months of your life."

"My god, Ron.  Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?!"

Ron merely smiled mysteriously and ignored Harry's comment.  "You know, Draco has classes tomorrow and Daniel will be with Ginny and Lav in the Hogwarts Preschool so you can visit with him them.  I know the two girls would let you take Daniel out for a while, so you can get to know him again."

Harry's eyes glowed.  "That would be wonderful.  When does Draco usually drop him off there?"

"He likes to have breakfast with Daniel, so he usually takes him to the Preschool just before the first class of the day, which is at 9am," Ron said.

Harry was so delighted at the idea of spending the whole day with his son that he didn't think morning could come soon enough.  The rest of Sunday dragged by as if time was slowing down just to spite him. 

~ Ron and Hermione's Rooms ~

"You'll have to invite George," Draco said, frowning slightly as he took off Daniel's dirty t-shirt and wiped his chocolate-smeared face. 

The little boy allowed his face to be cleaned, occasionally darting his tongue out of his mouth to taste the washcloth.  Draco smiled down at him and caressed his cheek tenderly.  Daniel grinned up at his father before awkwardly standing up and running after Isabella, who was currently searching her bedroom for her favourite t-shirt – a green top with a silver dragon on it.  The little girl refused to wear anything else at the moment.  Draco thought it was hilarious.  He'd given her the t-shirt for her 2nd birthday and he swore her love for the shirt meant that she was destined to be a Slytherin.  Naturally, Ron was horrified by the mere thought of his baby girl in Slytherin.

"Why can't you do it?" Hermione asked, as she watched her daughter's antics with amusement.  She was currently halfway under the bed.  Daniel had joined her search and all Hermione and Draco could see were four little legs wobbling in the air.  Daniel's favourite shirt, the one he had gotten chocolate all over, was identical to Isabella's.  Draco had made the mistake of taking his son shopping with him and as soon as he'd seen the shirt he'd demanded one too.  Draco didn't make it a habit to give in to Daniel's demands but on this occasion he couldn't resist.  The pair of them looked adorable in their matching t-shirts.  Draco very proudly proclaimed at every opportunity that his boy was a Slytherin through and through.

Hermione and Draco were planning to invite both George and Oliver to the upcoming Slytherin/Gryffindor Quidditch match at the school, to see if there was any chemistry between the two of them.  Draco knew that George wouldn't come if the invitation came from him, but from his sister-in-law, that was another thing entirely.

"According to Fred, Harry had a little chat to George yesterday. That was when he admitted to having a crush on Oliver," Draco said as he walked over to pull his son out from under the bed and scoop Daniel up into his arms so he could put his t-shirt (charmed clean) back on him.  "He told George to back off and now George won't even speak to me."

"That's a bit extreme, isn't it?" Hermione said, startled by the thought of Harry threatening anyone.

Draco allowed a small smile to creep across his face.  "It would appear that Harry is jealous."

"You're enjoying this!" Hermione exclaimed, but she was grinning too as she held up the t-shirt she had just found, neatly folded in one of the dresser drawers.  "Bella, I found it."

The little girl pushed herself out from under the bed and ran over to tug the t-shirt over her head.

"Well, maybe just a little," Draco admitted.  "It is nice, knowing that he still has feelings for me.  I was so worried that the potion might have wiped them out."

"So why don't you tell him you love him?  I'm sure he'd have an equally heartfelt declaration for you."

"I'm beginning to think you're right.  But I'm just so angry.  I can't go to him while I'm angry, not that I'm angry with him….okay maybe I am a little, but I'm mainly angry at myself, for not realising he was in trouble all this time.  How could I not have known?"

"Oh Draco, I'm so sorry.  It's my fault you didn't try harder to find him."

"No, Mione.  Don't blame yourself.  After all, what you said made sense.  Besides, that investigator couldn't find him, so what hope did we have?"

"We could have gotten another investigator, I always did have my doubts about that one."

"I've been over all the what ifs.  We can't change the past, no matter how much I want to," Draco replied ruefully.

You're right.  You can only move forward – with Harry."

Draco smiled – a genuinely happy smile.  It was his first true smile in two years as he contemplated the future – with Harry.

TBC