Disclaimer: I still don't own them…how sad for me.
A/N: This chapter is shorter than the rest. I would have made it longer…but everything needed for this chapter is here and I think it needs to stand alone. There will be another one soon. The story is finally to a point where I'm excited about it…so the chapters should come pretty quickly. This one was a lot of fun with the character work, even though it's short. Please read and review.
Oh…by the way, yes, I had to use an online translator, as I do not speak French. If anyone is willing to translate for me, send me an email and let me know. There won't be much of it from this point and it's a long way off until it will show up at all. The only point of the sentence in the last chapter was so that Michael could speak and know Harry couldn't understand him. So yes…let me know.
Thanks Jasmine…you know you still love me. : )
Chapter 7…………The first day.
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Finally the end to a very long and very confusing day had come and Harry Potter was glad to be home. He'd spent the better part of the afternoon and evening answering questions and signing autographs after it became known that he would endorse Firebolt. All he had wanted to do was come home, change his clothes, and talk to Draco. Only…Draco wasn't home. He said he was going home…so where was he? All the lights were off and the flat looked deserted. Harry trod to Draco's bedroom door and knocked, calling his name. No answer. Pushing the door open, his thoughts were confirmed…Draco was not home. Sighing, Harry went into his room and changed his clothes.
About an hour later, Harry heard the door opening and didn't turn to see who it was. Instead he called out from his spot on the sofa.
"Hi. I thought you said you were coming home."
"I took a walk."
Now Harry turned. "For 6 hours?"
Draco nodded.
"Well where did you walk for so long?"
He heard Draco sigh and remove his shoes. Apparently his feet were tired after his excursion. "Everywhere…nowhere…"
Harry decided not to question Draco's vague and enigmatic answer. Instead he pat the couch beside him and motioned for Draco to sit. Draco did so.
"We need to talk."
Draco started immediately. "Look, Harry…I didn't mean for you to see what you saw. I didn't even mean for it to happen…it wasn't like I was asked…."
Harry cut off his rambling. "It's okay. That's not what I want to talk about."
Draco quirked a brow. "It's not?"
Shaking his head, Harry thought for a moment. "Well…it is…but it isn't. I think…I think it's time for you to go…"
"You do?"
Harry continued with a nod, a little more confident. "Yeah…ever since you showed up on my doorstep we've been doing this odd dance and I think it's time for it to end…for now. Don't get me wrong…I'd take you in again if given the choice, but you have your own life now…and it's good for you. I just took a job offer today that's going to have me gone most of the time. I think…I think it's time we grew up Draco."
Draco nodded, but kept his gaze low. "It's still kind of sad…don't you think?"
Harry lifted the blonde's chin so that he could look him in the eyes. "Yeah…I do. Things could be a lot worse though…we could have thrown caution to the wind and picked up where we left off. Only…this isn't Hogwarts. I'm no longer just a Gryffindor and you a Slytherin. Can you imagine where we'd be if we'd tried that and the real world caught up? It would tear us to pieces."
Draco smiled a little. "You're right. I've been thinking…and I have no idea what's going to happen with my future…and I kind of like that. I think we both have things we need to do. I am sorry about today though….and Harry?"
"Hm?" Harry waited.
"I'm sorry about graduation too. I know I should have said so earlier…but well…this whole apology thing is new to me. And I would have done it sooner if I thought it would change anything."
"I know."
"Harry?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you for…everything." Draco leaned forward and placed a solid kiss to Harry's lips. The kiss was strong, but did not linger. He then stood and headed for his room to pack his things. Harry called to his retreating back.
"You don't have to leave tonight, Draco…I know it might take a little while to find somewhere."
Draco turned and smiled. "Yes I do Harry…you know as well as I do that if I don't go now, I never will."
With a little sadness, Harry nodded. "Yeah….I guess you're right. Where are you going?"
Draco's smile turned to a smirk. "I'm not going to Michael if that's what you're asking. That was an *interesting* experience today, but I generally don't agree with people grabbing at me. I'll go to a hotel for a few days. I'll hire a realtor tomorrow. That should speed things up a bit."
The two shared a smile before Harry got up. "I'll help you pack."
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The next morning Harry Potter woke up and felt the emptiness of his apartment. The scent of coffee did not waft in to him and the rest of the flat remained silent. Not wanting to get up just yet, he pulled the covers up to his chin and tried to go back to sleep. It was a Sunday after all, and the November chill crept in whether he had the heat on or not. He had almost succeeded when his phone began to ring. Remembering that there was no one else to answer it, he groaned and got out of bed, not bothering with his glasses just yet and stumbled towards the phone.
"It had better be *damn* good" he answered.
"Harry?"
"Oh…Draco. Good, er, morning."
"My you slept late. I'm sorry to call you so soon; I just wanted to tell you that I got a mobile this morning. Ha! My ancestors must be begging Satan to let them up for a chance to flog me. I wanted to give you the number in case you needed anything."
Harry smiled, always amused with Draco's wit. "Sure…let me get a pen."
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After a quiet morning of coffee and reading the Daily Prophet, Harry decided to owl Ron and Hermione. He had a bit of free time now and since he'd be traveling more, he'd see them even less than he did now. He had no doubts that Ron would be glad to hear of Draco's departure from his home.
The three of them decided on getting dinner at a muggle restaurant. Harry hadn't been out in a while and ventures into the muggle world never ceased to amaze Ron. At six o'clock, Harry heard his two best friends floo into his living room. Hermione immediately hugged him, almost knocking him over and congratulating him on his new job.
'Wow…news travels fast.' Harry thought as he returned the bushy haired girls embrace. He looked over at Ron who was darting his gaze all over the flat. When he seemed satisfied, Ron turned to Harry.
"So where's the git?"
'Okay…maybe not all news.'
"He moved out."
Ron eyed him warily. "Really? What brought this on?"
Harry shrugged. "I caught him shagging my whole quidditch team and smoking crack in the bathroom."
Harry would have given everything he owned for a picture of Ron's expression. The poor boy looked like he'd had a particularly nasty visual image that he'd never rid himself of.
Harry laughed and pat Ron on the back. "Calm down Ron…we both have things we need to do…that's all. It was a mutual agreement."
Much to his surprise, Ron used Harry's position of patting him on the back to pull his friend into a loose (and manly of course) hug. After overcoming his initial shock, Harry returned the gesture. Ron spoke softly to him…an almost whisper.
"You alright mate?"
"Yeah…I'm fine, but thanks for caring." Harry replied with a smile. "That's why I asked you to dinner…I thought you'd want to celebrate!"
Ron smiled at the joke, but kept his tone serious. "I'm proud of you Harry."
"Well, if we are through with male bonding time…could we eat? I'm famished."
Both boys turned to Hermione who put one arm around each of her favorite men before the three of them set out to enjoy the evening.
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Draco entered his hotel room and grumpily shrugged off his coat. He'd *hoped* to be a little further along with his flat hunting. He'd *hoped* to at least look at a few places today. He hadn't been through five flats today…he'd been through five realtors. The picky young man had found something inherently wrong with the first four agents. There was just something…*off*…about them. He had scrutinized every aspect of them…their speech, dress, hairstyle…all the way down to the condition of their fingernails. After all…this was going to be the person Draco trusted to find him a *home*. His first home. He had to be careful. After three very upset agents of varying ages and one very blubbering young man (how was he supposed to know it was his first day on the job…they really should be more careful with their personnel…just because he'd told him he had the IQ of a fork and would sooner take realty advice from a blind leper…really…that's no reason to *cry*) he'd found his choice agent. Smart, young, born wealthy and with an impeccable sense of style. Draco felt that she could find him a suitable place to live, surely.
So after a grueling day, Draco looked forward to taking a shower, ordering room service and watching infomercials. They fascinated him somehow. Maybe it was because they were the first things he'd ever seen on television…maybe it was because Draco loved to buy things. For whatever reason…they were his guilty pleasure and he was quite looking forward to them.
Tomorrow would be work again…and more flat hunting. And Michael. He had to face him some time…better sooner rather than later. Draco had no idea what he would say…or even what he thought about the situation. He liked the dark haired man who was two years his senior…but still…the notion seemed to Draco like he would be leaving one complicated situation for another. Especially since the other pureblood made it clear that he was serious about his current beau. What did Michael want from him? With a groan, Draco realized that he left Harry's because he needed time to *not* think…and that's exactly what he intended to do. He would cross his bridges as he came to them. But for now, he would revel in a hot shower and hope the sound of the water could drown out his thoughts.
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Harry hugged his best friends goodbye as they prepared to floo home. Ron was a bit tipsy, but nothing unmanageable. After an extremely enjoyable evening, two thirds of the famous Gryffindor trio left Harry to his silence once more.
He was strangely comforted by the stillness. In an odd way, it reminded Harry that this was *his* home…these were *his* things…this was *his* life. And there was much of it to come.
Harry Potter had always been a strong person. Strong, reliable, funny and terribly endearing.
He slipped into his room to change into his pajamas and plopped onto his couch to watch some telly. Flipping on the set he smiled and rolled his eyes.
….infomercials…
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TBC
Short, I know…but the focus of the story has shifted now…so they layout will be a bit different since our two main characters aren't going to be together all the time.
Please review.
Love and Kisses,
Reika
