Disclaimer: The characters in this story do not belong to me but to JKR - I'm just having fun with them. Story's mine.

Author's Notes: This is a story I began before OotP and, while that doesn't affect any major plot points, Sirius is still alive in this story. I can't let him go. In case you haven't noticed, this is SLASH. If you don't like it, don't read it but, if you do, DON'T bother flaming me for that reason. Feel free to flame me for anything else, though.

Please review and let me know what you think.

Harry tried to ignore the knocking on the door but whoever it was refused to go away. He'd told Sirius he couldn't see him today because he was sick. It was probably him. Harry sighed and switched off the television as he got up to go to the door, scratching his unshaven face. He hadn't bothered to shave, or even shower, since he'd seen Draco last week so at least Sirius should believe he was ill. And he was, sort of. Hungover, at least, anyway.

He reached for the doorknob and hesitated. He hadn't ventured out of the house, or even opened the blinds, in the past week either and was dreading opening the door, knowing the sunlight would be painful to his eyes. He gritted his teeth and wrenched the door open.

"What do you want?" he asked sourly.

"Harry, I don't want to fight with you," Draco said. "I just want to talk."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Well, I don't really want to talk to you but I suppose I'm not going to have a choice. You'll do whatever you want anyway." Harry walked back to the lounge room. Draco shut the door and followed him.

"Look, I know I hurt you," Draco said as he opened the blinds and then the windows to freshen the foul air, "but I've been thinking about everything since I saw you last week. You were right, you know. I didn't listen to you properly that day I left."

"No fucking kidding," Harry muttered sarcastically. "What a revelation."

Draco ignored him. "If I had, we wouldn't be in this mess."

Harry looked at him sardonically and farted loudly.

Draco's eyes narrowed. "We'd be in a different mess."

Harry snorted. "Enlighten me, oh, wise one."

"Harry, stop it," Draco said. "This isn't helping."

"Who? You?" Harry said. "It's doing wonders for me."

"Right, that's it!" Draco drew his wand and waved it in the air, muttering under his breath. Then he picked Harry up and threw him over his shoulder, fireman style, and carried him up the stairs. Draco had turned on the shower in the bedroom ensuite with his wand and he opened the shower door and dumped Harry in, fully clothed. He shut the door and leaned back against it.

"Hey!" Harry shouted.

Draco held up his hand and showed Harry he was holding both their wands. "You are going to listen to me, Harry."

Harry kicked the door and Draco muttered a locking spell. " And use the soap. You stink! When you've finished, I'll give you a razor so you can shave as well."

Harry glared at Draco through the glass door but had to admit that he did feel better standing under the hot water – not that he'd tell Draco – and he stripped off his sodden clothes. He soaped and rinsed himself three times and then asked Draco for his razor. Once he'd finished shaving, he let the hot water sluice over his body for several minutes, relishing the warmth and forgotten feeling of cleanliness, before turning the taps off. Draco unlocked the door and wrapped a thick towel around him.

"Feel better?" Draco asked softly.

Harry nodded as he dried himself, forgetting his promise to himself of a few minutes ago not to admit to Draco that the shower had felt good. He wasn't entirely sure whether it was the shower and shave or Draco taking care of him that made him feel better but, either way, he did. He was, however, suddenly aware that he was standing in the middle of the bathroom naked whilst Draco was fully clothed and he felt self conscious. "Would you please pass me some clothes?"

"I ordered some Chinese food while you were in the shower," Draco said, handing Harry a T-shirt and jeans. "It should be here soon."

Harry nodded gratefully as he slipped the T-shirt over his head and pulled on his jeans. He realised with a start that it'd been several days since he'd eaten anything like a real meal and he was starving.

They heard a knock on the door as they made their way down the stairs. "You get the door," Draco said, "and I'll set the table."

As they headed in opposite directions, Harry felt himself slip back into the easy banter that was so familiar between the two of them. "Oh, great," he called over his shoulder. "You come here, throw me in the shower, order food and then expect me to pay for it!"

Draco laughed. If felt so easy between them in this house. "I already paid for it on my credit card," he shouted.

They'd almost finished all the food before Harry ventured to ask what he'd wanted to know since Draco had walked in the house. "Does ... your boyfriend know you're here?"

"We broke up that night when I saw you," Draco answered, putting down his chopsticks. He took a deep breath. "I've rented a flat on my own," he said, a touch of pride in his voice.

"Really?" Harry's eyes lit up for a brief moment then clouded over again. "A whole week. Wow."

"It's a big step for me, Harry," Draco chided gently. "I've got to start somewhere."

Harry nodded understandingly. "But why didn't you just come straight back here?"

Draco half smiled. "Well, I wasn't sure you'd want me to," he said. He leaned across the table and gripped both of Harry's hands in his own. "And, also, there's a lot else wrong with our relationship that we need to fix, first."

"No, there's not," Harry said earnestly. "We only ever really fight about your family. I told you, I won't ask you about it again until you're ready to tell me. Everything else is fine!" he insisted.

Draco squeezed his hands so hard Harry thought they might actually break. "Believe me, Harry, I'm determined to do everything I can to get you back," Draco said. "But this time it's got to be right."

Harry frowned. "I don't know what you mean," he said. Actually, he didn't have a clue what Draco was on about.

"We never even dated, Harry," Draco said. "We moved in here together as soon as we left school and at school we were so insulated. Our relationship has existed almost entirely inside these walls. It's not healthy."

"What're you on about?" Harry asked, uncertainly, not sure this conversation was going in a direction he liked.

"I don't think we should live together," Draco said quietly. "Not right now, anyway."

"Why not?" The shower and food had helped Harry's hangover a little but his brain was still a bit foggy and he felt lethargic and stupid.

"I want to live by myself for a while, Harry," Draco replied. "I need to." When Harry didn't reply, he added, hopefully, "We could still date."

Harry's head jerked up suddenly and he stared at Draco. "Sirius thinks I should date other people," he spat nervously.

'No way! Tell him no!' screamed a voice inside Draco's head. Instead, he just shrugged. "If you want," he said, coolly, trying to keep his voice steady.

Harry stood up quickly and moved around the table, stopping right next to Draco and leaning in as close as possible, his jaw hardened angrily. Surprised, and a little frightened by the menacing look on Harry's face, Draco leaned back away from Harry as far as the seat back would allow.

"What I want," Harry hissed, angrily, "is for you to get your stuff and come back home. Right now!"

Draco winced. "I can't, Harry. I'm sorry, I just can't.