- I'm sorry that I hurt you
It's something I must live with every day
And all the pain I put you through
I wish that I could take it all away
And be the one who catches all your tears
That's why I need you to hear
I'm not a perfect person, I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know… -


Draco stopped talking as Harry wandered downstairs into the front hallway.

"Happy birthday, Harry!" Hermione called out cheerfully.

Harry smiled and glanced between the two. "I hope I'm not interrupting," he teased.

"It's okay." Hermione giggled. "We're done." She discreetly slipped a piece of paper into the pocket of her pink zip-up hoodie and shared a secretive smile with Draco before heading out the front door.

Draco crossed his arms over his chest and regarded Harry with a smile. "So, do you feel any older?"

Harry shrugged. "Nope."

Draco reached into his cloak pocket and pulled out a small velvet pouch.

Harry stepped over to get a closer look. "Hey, isn't that the same…" he trailed off, biting his lip.

"The very same," Draco answered, knowingly. "It seems Hermione had to fish it out of the Ministry fountain after you'd accidentally dropped it in."

Harry raised his eyes to Draco's face. "It wasn't an accident.

"I know." Draco smiled. "It's okay."

"I'm glad you got it back, I regretted it the minute after I'd done it. It really was a beautiful gift," he said, fingering the soft fabric.

"You can have it back after I'm done with it."

"What are you doing with it?" Harry asked, curiously.

Draco loosened the gold drawstrings and opened it up for Harry to see inside. "It's holding the portkey."

"What portkey?"

"The one you and I are using today."

"To go where?" Harry asked with a suspicious smile.

"It's a secret." A flash of worry flitted across Draco's face for an instant then it was gone. "We need to get you out of the way for awhile while we set up for your big party."

"And you're coming with me?"

Draco nodded. "I'm not so evil that I would just send you off to some unknown destination alone."

Harry smiled in relief.

"Ready?" Draco cinched the pouch and dropped it back into his pocket.

"I guess so." Harry smiled, feeling a little thrill of excitement.

Draco opened the door and Harry followed him out into the bright sunshine and up the road to the old church.

Draco took out the green pouch and opened it. He flipped it upside down and a silver keychain fell out onto the broken pew. Draco glanced at his watch then touched his wand to the keychain.

"Alright," he said, putting his wand away. "We've got ten seconds."

They each pinched a side of the keychain between their thumb and forefinger and waited.

Harry closed his eyes as Draco's watch ticked down the seconds. He hated travelling by portkey and braced himself as the time wound down – three, two, one…

The two were whisked away, the wind swirling around them with bright flashes of colour. They slammed into the ground and Harry fell over while Draco staggered and managed to remain upright.

Draco gave his head a little shake and put away the portkey. He looked down at Harry and waited.

Harry blinked a few times and froze.

They were standing in the middle of the long sloping grounds of Hogwarts.

Draco was grateful that the day had turned out so bright and sunny, it might help the place look less threatening to Harry.

Harry held his breath and slowly stood up, his eyes transfixed on the old familiar castle.

"If you want to leave we can," Draco said. "But I think you should give it a chance."

Harry's chest rose and fell rapidly as he appeared to be struggling with his emotions.

"Harry?"

"Just give me a sec…"

Draco shed his light-weight cloak and hung it over his arm as the hot sun beat down on them. "I figured this was the only way to get you to come back."

"You were right." Harry licked his dry lips as his eyes travelled over the rest of the grounds. "Did you have to choose to do it on my birthday, though?"

Draco smiled hesitantly. "I thought it would help. You know - another year older another year stronger."

Harry still looked slightly pale and shaken but he smiled a little in return.

"So…do you want to stay?"

Harry exhaled resignedly. "Alright, but I don't want to go inside…yet."

"Sure, why don't we start by walking over to the quidditch pitch?"

"Okay, I can do that." Harry fell into step beside Draco and walked the familiar path towards the distant quidditch pitch, the hoops standing tall against the back-drop of clear blue sky.

"We shouldn't be bothered," Draco spoke up. "I let Dumbledore know that we would be visiting today and to keep everyone away."

"I see you still take great pleasure in ordering other people around."

"I thought you said I was sweet and sensitive?" Draco chided.

"I never said sweet," Harry reminded. "And I might take it all back after the stunt you pulled today."

Draco glanced sideways at him as they neared the empty stands. "You're not really mad about it, are you?"

"I should be, but…I need to do this. I can't avoid this place forever and if it takes a sneaky, underhanded Slytherin to force me into it – so be it."

They stopped at the edge of the grass pitch.

"So I'm kind and sensitive and sneaky and underhanded?"

"Yep." Harry walked out onto the pitch and shielded his eyes with his hands as he looked up at the stands, the colourful flags and the six hoops.

Draco joined him. "Does it look the same?"

"Yeah, hasn't changed a bit."

"Care for a quick game?"

"With two people and no brooms?"

"I just happen to know how to get past the lock on the equipment shed." Draco smiled smugly.

Harry turned to look at the shed located on the far side of the pitch. "That's where it all started…" he thought aloud.

Draco looked at him with concern.

Harry shook his head as if to chase away the memory. "Do you mind if I wait here? And please don't ask why."

"Of course. I'll be right back." Draco smiled reassuringly and jogged off to the shed. One of the conditions he'd set for this trip was to not push Harry in any way.

He bypassed the locking charm with a quick spell and grabbed one of the school brooms for himself. He smiled at the shining Firebolt hanging on the wall – Harry's broom. It was still here waiting for him.

Draco sat astride his broom and flew back to Harry with the Firebolt under his arm.

Harry's eyes widened. "Is that mine?"

"Yep." Draco smiled at Harry's excited expression. "Here."

Harry caught the broom as Draco sped off into the air. He smiled and fingered the polished gold label fondly.

"Are you just going to stare at it?" Draco called back.

Harry grinned and jumped on. He pushed off of the ground and soared up to meet Draco.

Draco nodded in satisfaction and the two started a spirited race around the perimeter of the stadium. For two hours they raced and played tag or floated carelessly. Draco eventually flew back down to the grass and sat back, watching Harry fly joyfully around at breakneck speed for another twenty minutes.

Harry dove down and made a perfect landing right beside the sprawled blond. He dropped his broom and flopped down onto the grass; sweaty and exhilarated.

"That was great!" he gasped, leaning back on his elbows.

Draco smiled to himself, feeling particularly content.

"So how was the last year of quidditch?" Harry asked, a smile permanently plastered on his flushed face.

"It was brilliant; Slytherin won hands down."

Harry chuckled. "You act like you had something to do with it."

"I did – I was seeker."

Harry blinked in surprise. "You were?"

"Yeah," Draco said, hesitantly. "The position was open after Christmas and I decided to play for the rest of the year, then one year turned into two."

"Congratulations."

"As the Gryffindor team so liked to remind me, it wasn't a true victory since you weren't there."

Harry sniggered.

They paused to watch a tawny owl soar by over their heads.

"I don't really know much of what went on here last year," Harry mused.

"Not much to tell really. It was quite boring without you to draw attacks form Voldemort or crazy monsters and the like."

"I'll try and make up for it this year," Harry replied, sarcastically.

"Don't worry about it." Draco grinned.

"So I really didn't miss anything? What about the graduation ceremony, what was it like?"

Draco let out a loud exaggerated snore.

Harry laughed. "Okay, never mind."

Draco cracked open one eye and smirked up at him.

Harry turned and lay down on his stomach, chin resting on his arms. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Where does your father think you are right now? I mean, you spend all your time at Moony House, doesn't he wonder where you are?"

"He thinks I'm spending the summer with Severus."

"Doing what?"

"Being his sex slave."

"Ew!" Harry grimaced through his laughter.

Draco chuckled. "Severus convinced my father that it would be safer for me to stay with him since Lucius is almost constantly at Voldemort's side, and I shouldn't be left at the Manor alone where the Ministry is keeping a close eye on things."

"Have they been watching ever since your father's release from prison?" Harry questioned.

Draco nodded.

Harry chewed his lip, staring off into the distance. "Draco?"

"Yeah?" Draco opened his eyes and glanced over, noting the serious tone in Harry's voice.

"Nobody told me…I never…I don't know what happened…to Ethan."

Draco sat up in a hurry. "Nobody told you?" he asked, incredulously. "And you didn't ask anyone until now?"

"I kind of wanted to avoid the subject, but I figure since I'm here I might as well confront everything at once."

Draco flicked his hair out of his eyes and thought a moment. "Alright…so you know he was found guilty on all charges, right?"

Harry nodded.

"Then the Ministry picked his brains for awhile. Didn't find anything of course."

"Really?" Harry looked surprised.

"Well, yeah. Ethan wasn't working for Voldemort."

Harry sat up. "He was working alone?"

"Yeah." Draco nodded. "His plan was to kill you so that he could win a place in Voldemort's circle. Problem was, Voldemort didn't want to have anything to do with him. He said Ethan was mentally unstable."

Harry snorted. "Hello kettle – you're black."

Draco quirked a brow.

Harry laughed and shook his head. "Never mind, it's just some old Muggle saying."

"Hello kettle - you're black?"

"Forget it." Harry punched Draco's arm as the blond circled his finger in the air by his ear, demonstrating the international gesture for crazy.

"Prat."

"Arse."

They both smiled in camaraderie at the friendly bantering.

Harry crossed his legs and leaned forward onto his knees. "Aren't Ethan's parents still working for Voldemort?"

"Yes, but they don't want anything to do with him either. Did you know that Ethan was practically a squib?"

"What?"

"Yeah, that's why his parents gave him up for adoption – they were embarrassed by him."

"Wow…"

"And now he's in Azkaban where he belongs," Draco said, maliciously.

Harry slowly nodded.

"Was it all worth it?" Draco asked.

"Was what worth it?"

"Going through the trial. I know it wasn't easy, I remember you didn't even want to do it at first."

"I know." Harry sighed. "Yes, it was definitely worth it. Ethan's in Azkaban and I'm…well, still here I suppose."

Draco swallowed past the sudden lump in his throat. What if Ethan had won?

Harry smiled, trying to dispel the suddenly sombre atmosphere. "I think I'm ready to go inside now."

Draco stood. "Then let's go."

Harry got to his feet. "What about the brooms?"

"You can take yours with you."

"No, I think I'll lend it to the school for awhile. I'll get it back when this is all over with…if I'm still around that is."

Draco frowned. "Don't think about that, especially on your birthday."

"Seems like as good a time as any, considering that this might be the last one I ever have." Harry picked up both brooms and sent them flying back towards the shed with a wave of his hand.

"Stop it!" Draco exclaimed. "Of course you're going to defeat Voldemort. You bested him when you were only fourteen and now you're eighteen and a hundred times more powerful. So don't ever let me hear you talk like that again because it's complete bullshit and you know it."

Harry stared, dumbfounded.

"Let's go," Draco said, curtly.

Harry nodded and numbly followed beside Draco as he started off towards the school.

"I'm sorry," Draco said in a clipped tone. "But there's no sense in accepting failure before you've even begun."

Harry sighed. "I know, you're right. It's just being back here again…it digs up a lot of old feelings."

"You'll get through this, Harry. You will."

Harry nodded, even if he didn't quite believe it himself.

Draco softened slightly and quietly slipped his hand into Harry's as they walked.

Harry looked at him in surprise, then smiled. "Thanks."

"What are friends for?" Draco smiled and gave his hand a gentle squeeze before letting go.

Harry heaved a sigh and stared at the ground as they approached the entrance doors, a pained expression on his face.

"Ready?" Draco paused, one hand on the door.

Harry nodded. His head was full of vivid flashes of memories, horrible memories of Ethan and pain and humiliation…

Draco pushed open the doors and walked inside.

Harry set his jaw and followed.