Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Author's Note: The idea for this story came when I saw an action figure of Harry Potter called Extreme Quidditch... Many thanks to Veer for beta-work, inspiration, help with some of the dialogue (and the fun following attempts) and down right silly conversations!

Thank you to those who reviewed: Sowen, HedwigSasso, Hp-Azn, anna may, daisuki and Zippo!

Chapter 7

The separation had been hard on both Harry and Draco. Where Harry wasn't working, eating or sleeping and spending his days with long walks, an occasional book and thus making himself look really really bad, Draco had had a different reaction to the whole situation.

When he arrived at the Manor, he had told his mother that he'd be living at the Manor for the forseeable future. By the way he was looking and by the clipped tone he'd been using, Narcissa had understood not to ask any questions.

Draco had set up his office in one of the many rooms at the Manor and had informed his co-workers where to reach him. He had established a flourishing company, where he invested money for wizards in both muggle (but wizard-related) and wizard companies. So, during the weeks that he had now spent at his new office, he'd been working more hours than ever before. He hadn't travelled though, because coming home when there was no Harry to greet him took the fun out of that. He'd been working so hard that he hadn't spent as much time caring for his appearance as he used to. His hair he left hanging loose, no ponytail and hadn't cared for it like he used to.

He'd been asking himself what the point had been for him to move out. Had it been worth it? He'd received the letters that Harry had written him. Seeing Hedwig had given him a pang to the heart. He had only been able to read the first one. He'd been filled with sadness and had decided that he wouldn't be reading any more letters, should they follow that first one. And they had. So he'd bound them together with a green ribbon and put them at the bottom of the suitcase he had brought with him. He felt a bit bad about it but could't make himself sit down and answer Harry's letter. He felt too depressed.

He had written to Hermione and told her of what had happened. He had tried to do that without too much anger. She'd written him back that she hadn't known (and had taken Ron's excuse for playing Quidditch just like Draco had) and would be informing the other 'spouses' as well. They then had started a letter exchange, thinking up ways to get back at their 'men' (Ginny wasn't included in this chain of letters because she was officialy still single) for not telling them about Extreme Quidditch.

Some very interesting ideas had been mentioned, but not yet one that they could actually act out... Draco was very curious to what would be suggested next. He had developed some form of admiration for Katie and Alicia, they had suggested by far the most interesting ways of revenge. A lot of fantasy went into those, he had mused....... He wondered where they got the inspiration from. Oh well, it probably was the influence of Fred and George. It had a sense of sweet justice that what they had coming was inspired by their own pranks and inventions, Draco smirked.

So far they had decided to think of ways of revenge but not to act on it just yet. Like Alicia had said there would be a moment when they would know what to do. He had also started thinking of his way of revenge on Harry. He didn't want to hurt him, that had been why he'd been so angry at first, but he did want his point to come across in a way that Harry wouldn't forget...

The surprise visit from Ginny, in a way, had opened something that had been shut. He hadn't appreciated the fact that she had put the silencio charm on him, but had understood. After she'd left he had gone for a walk through the Manor gardens. By the time he had decided to go to sleep it was 4 a.m.

Arthur apparated to the Manor at 5 p.m. that afternoon and was surprised not to be greeted by Draco, in whatever fashion. Instead, he was welcomed by a house elf who brought him to a room where Narcissa greeted him.

"Arthur Weasley, it has been a long time.", she said in a pleasant voice.

"Hello Narcissa, it has been indeed.", he answered her as he shook her hand.

"Would you like some tea or are you here on business?"

"Actually, I am here to speak with your son.", he said.

"Is it about why he has been miserable the whole time he has been here? He won't talk about it with me and frankly I'm starting to worry about him.", she said.

Arthur nodded. "Would it be possible for me to talk to him?"

"Of course. Wobbly!", Narcissa called.

POP!

A house elf appeared.

"Please take Mr. Weasley to Master Draco's room,", Narcissa said.

"Yes Mistress", the elf said. She then took Arthur's hand and apparated him to Draco's room, where they found Draco face down on his bed. Snoring.

Arthur thanked Wobbly and waited until she had left the room before walking up to Draco.

"Enervate!", he said and Draco woke up.

"Oh, goody, two Weasleys at the Manor, within 24 hours. Must be my lucky day.", Draco sneered when he saw Arthur Weasley standing near his bed. An Arthur Weasley who had a quiet anger simmering under his skin. Draco sincerely hoped it wouldn't erupt. He had some experience with an exploding Weasley now, after all....

"Hello Draco. I believe we need to talk.", Arthur said as he sat down in one of the chairs Draco had in his room. "It's about Harry. Ginny's already confessed to Molly and me what she did yesterday. She is sorry."

Draco raised his eyebrow.

"In a way.", Arthur said with a sigh. "You know how Ginny loves Harry and she is fiercely protective of him. As you always have been. Don't think I don't know why you are upset. It took some time, but both of them have told us the Extreme Quidditch story."

"Ginny was here last night, sir. May I ask why you are here now?" Draco winced as he heard his father's voice coming out of his mouth. He had worked hard at losing most of his Malfoy upbringing, but certain things are harder to get rid off than others.

"I am here to talk to you about Harry, Draco. And not the way Ginny has talked TO you. Has she told you that he is in bad shape?"

Draco nodded. "She said that he doesn't eat, sleep or work."

"And do you know why he doesn't sleep?", Arthur now asked in a low voice.

Draco just shook his head.

"It's because, and this is what he has told us, whenever he sleeps alone, without you, his nightmares come back. And I can tell you Draco, that is the truth. Before the war, he'd have nightmares too. He'd put silencing charms around his bed, because he used to wake everybody up. And as much as we like and care for Harry, we all need our sleep. The first night he stayed with us, after your row, he forgot the charms. And honestly, Draco, the nightmares have become even worse." Arthur now had a worried frown on his forehead.

Draco was looking at him as if he didn't know what he was hearing. "He has never mentioned the nightmares to me. I didn't know he still had them."

"Have you asked him?"

Draco shook his head.

"I suggest you think hard about what this fight was really about. I cannot believe it was purely about a couple of games of Quidditch.", Arthur now said.

Suddenly, Draco had found his voice.

"And what a game of Quidditch! A game of Quidditch that has, mind you, burning Bludgers with a higher speed than usual, hoops that are bigger than usual and are also burning, it's apparently alright to knock people off their brooms. And then! Then, the one person in this whole world that I love more than anything else, pulls a stunt where he is hanging upside down under his broom!!!!! Just the thought of what could've happened to him!!!", Draco now did a very good impression of a Hungarian Horntail: steam was coming out of his ears. "And he tells me that he has been playing Quidditch over at your place, the time that Bill and Charlie were home! But just let me tell you that I don't like it when my boyfriend comes home - nearly every day - with bruises so big you think that black and blue is his teint. Besides, I don't know whether you know this but when he is extremely bruised and hurt and tired he needs a hot bath to keep on moving. I have made him so many hot tubs I can't even count them any more. And that ONLY in the weeks he's been playing that ing EXTREME quidditch. Damn those evil balls of fire!"

Draco was now frantically pacing the room, trying to keep as much of his rage inside as he possibly could. There really was no point in letting it erupt even more.

Arthur nodded. "I understand that perfectly, Draco. No, hear me out, please.", he said as he saw Draco opening his mouth to interrupt. "But your action of moving out of the flat and not talking to Harry has done him more bad than good. Molly and I know that he has given up things that he wanted to do, because you weren't happy with it. But, this is what he told us, when he climbed up on that broom again, he said that he felt almost when he is with you. Maybe it's time you think about on what conditions your love for Harry is based. He has tried to meet every one of yours, not asking for any in return...... I've grown to like you Draco, and I've seen that you and Harry make each other happy. Be careful what you throw away." Arthur then stood up. "I doubt that you'll want me here any longer than I've already been here. Thank you for listening to me, Draco. I hope to see you soon."

POOF!

And Arthur had apparated out of the room, leaving Draco deep in thought.

"Did you have a nice talk with Arthur, Draco?", Narcissa asked him when he stumbled into the room where she sat drinking tea and reading a book.

"It was a conversation, Mother, nothing nice about it.", he answered while gulping down some tea.

"What was it about then, investments?"

Draco looked at his mother, suddenly suspecting that she did know what Arthur´s visit had been about. "Actually, he came to talk to me about Harry."

"Oh. Is something wrong with Mr. Potter?"

"Why do you insist on calling him Mr. Potter, Mother? You know very well that his name is Harry!", Draco said, aggravated.

"He hasn´t been here enough for me to call him by his first name.", Narcissa said with a ´hmph!´ and her nose in the air.

"That´s because you scared him away with constantly calling him Mr. Potter and referring to Voldemort as ´my Dark Lord'", Draco said in a clipped voice.

Narcissa glared at him (the members of the Black family could work up a mighty glare, too).

He was silent for a while. Then slapped his forhead. Merlin!, he thought, no wonder Harry wasn´t too keen on coming here. It was such a big difference with The Burrow. Things at the Manor were so official, while The Burrow was as unofficial and friendly as a house could get. While he was deep in thought, Narcissa had been looking at him more closely.

"Draco, are you ill?"

"No, Mother, why do you ask?"

"You look.....................off. And your hair is a mess! I've never seen you let it come that far.", she said.

Draco now looked even paler than normal. His mother had noticed that his hair was all messy! He must be really looking awful for her to have noticed! With a muttered "Please excuse me, Mother", he ran from the room.

When he got back to his own room, he quickly dived up the little bundle of letters that Harry´d written him, but he hadn´t bothered to read. He did so now, and kept hearing Arthur´s words about how Harry´s nightmares came back whenever they slept apart........

He decided to let Harry make it up to him. He would give it a week, and if nothing had happened by then, he would take matters in his own hands. And, to show that he really meant it, he would move back into the flat too.

That night he packed his things, said goodbye to his mother and apparated back to the flat. Where silence greeted him. After he had put away his things, he sat in the living room, trying to decide what to do now that there was no Harry to talk to. Slowly it dawned on him. Was this how Harry was feeling every time he was on one of his business trips?

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