Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns the wonderful little boys; I'm just borrowing them for my plot.
Author's Notes: Oh, I love you all!!!
To HPDM-Slash-Rocks: Thanks for your review! Enjoy the chapter!
To ajheetractor: I'm so glad you like the fic so far! Hope you like this chapter as much as the first two!
To venilia: Flapjack? O.o Lordy, that's something I'll never get to . . . A straddle split is like a regular split, but instead of one leg sliding to the front and the other to the back, both legs slide out to the side (also something I'll never accomplish). Sorry about the cliché-y/unlikeliness. I'm trying for a fic that's different and here I am, being cliché-y . . . {dramatic sigh} Hopefully, the fic will get less cliché-y as it goes. I was listening to "Fever" and just making the thing up as the song went. I wish I could do those things, too. I'm working on it! If you're double-joined that much, you could probably manage to flip over like our Draco does. Just don't get hurt; it's really not fun! Go to a gym or something and have someone help. Rambling's okay; I ramble all the time. Why haven't you slept properly and here's a better question: why aren't you sleeping now instead of reading this fic?!? Anyway, enjoy!!
To Isis-mystic: Glad you enjoyed it! You think Frankie's a bastard?! I wrote him like I wanted to then!! Yay! {jumps up and down and does a funny little dance} Of course Drac's gotta be down to earth. Who wouldn't be after being put through all he has? Enjoy the next chapter!!
To grace: Squeee!!!! You're so nice!! Thank you sooooooo much for the wonderful review. Hope this chapter's as good as the other's!!
To Charisma Black: Don't worry about not reviewing a chapter!! Thanks so much for taking time out of your day to send me a little note. Reviews completely make my days. Enjoy the chapter!!
To Noename: {runs and hides under my desk} Here, take it!! {pushes chapter at Noename and scampers back under the desk} You're soooooooooo sweet!! Thank you soo much for the fabulous reviews. I can't believe you added my fic under your favorites after only one chapter!!! {squeals} Hope you like this chapter as much as the others!!
To Miss Lesley: Thanks so much for your review! Lots of questions and comments; I like. The "stripped-wizard Draco being found by successful Harry" has been done so many times. I had to do something different (I hope it's different, anyway). And as my teachers say, "There's no such thing as a dumb/stupid question." So here are as many answers as I can give without spoiling future chapters. 1. No, Draco was never convicted of being a Death Eater. This chapter clears up the reason why. 2. Draco's wand? {looks around nervously} This answer lies in a future chapter . . . (I've now turned into Trelawney) A very-soon-to-be-written chapter. 3. Draco isn't wanted by the Ministry for any crimes. He fought on Dumbledore's side in the war against Voldemort. Again, in a future chapter, more will be revealed about this. 4. Most of his friends were . . . shall we say, incapacitated in the war. Again, a future chapter. 5. About Draco's hate: He learns something very important about his parents nearing the end of the war. I can't explain it here (spoilers, you see), but there will be flashbacks and such in later chapters. His realization will also explain your question about his profession. 6. Ahh, again Draco's wand . . . 7. After the war ended and our favorite Dark Lord was killed, Harry and that side searched the surrounding areas where the war was held and when they found no sign of Draco, they assumed he had been killed and his remains so obliterated there wouldn't be anything left of his to identify. Kind of gruesome, but so was the war. You've also got to realize that it was Harry and his friends looking for Draco. Can you imagine them searching any more than they need to find a guy that they've hated for seven years?
To kt: Ain't the song great?! Glad you like the story! Enjoy!
To Pixie Goddess1: Lol, you're so nice! {seriously} Do the pins and needles hurt much? I've kept you guys waiting a little more than I wanted. Well, I'm happy to prove you wrong on both accounts!! I've never been able to write a HP/DM single-shot fic. I'm an overachiever. O.O DOUBLE-FUDGE CHOCOLATE BROWNIE ICE CREAM!! {drools} I love that stuff . . . O.o What on earth is Alizee?!?
Another Author's Note: This ("###") will now signal time/place change as has decided not to allow the little squiggly lines. Also, these ("{...}") will now signal crazy little moves or whatever by me as has also decided not to allow astericks. grumbles
Chapter 3Harry sighed as he left the pulsing beat of the music behind and stepped into the cool night air. He glanced around and saw Ron leaning against a nearby telephone pole. He headed over to meet his friend. Ron looked up and grinned, pushing himself off the pole.
"Well, hello, Romeo," he greeted with a smirk. Harry was caught completely by surprise at the fact Ron knew about the famous (although fiction) Muggle lover.
"Who?" was all he could come up with as a reply.
"Romeo. Of Romeo and Juliet?"
"When did you ever read Shakespeare?"
Now it was Ron's turn to act clueless.
"Who?"
"The Muggle playwright that thought up Romeo and Juliet," Harry responded. Ron laughed as they left the parking lot and walked down the street.
"Thought up? Harry, what are you talking about?" he asked, still chuckling. "Romeo was a wizard in the thirteenth century. He fell in love with another witch, Juliet, but she . . ."
"Was from a rival family," Harry finished, rubbing his head. "Oh, I give up trying to figure out who's a wizard and who's not."
"Yeah, it's so hard," Ron teased as they slowed to a halt three blocks from the club, looking around to be sure they were out of the reach of any lamplights. Harry made a face at Ron as they both Disapparated.
"I knew magic was real!" whispered a little girl excitedly as she watched the disappearance of the two men from her bedroom window.
###
Hermione was dozing lightly on the couch when Harry and Ron Apparated into the apartment. Ron's face softened as he walked over and knelt down, pressing a kiss to her forehead. She sleepily opened on eye and smiled at him.
"Hi," she murmured groggily, sitting up. She perked up when she spotted Harry sitting in a nearby rocking chair. "Oh! So . . . how was it?" she asked eagerly, leaning forward.
"Harry met a guy," Ron told her before Harry could open his mouth.
"Oooh, you did?" she squealed. "Tell me about him! What's his name?"
"His name's . . ." Harry fell silent as he remembered the promise he'd made Draco. "Well, he's . . . You know, I'd rather wait until I know him better before I tell you guys about him," he lied lamely. Hermione's face fell.
"You can't even tell us a little bit about him?" she wheedled. Harry thought a moment before he broke out in a wide grin.
"He's a bloody brilliant dancer!" he called as he skipped to his room.
###
Draco had finally stumbled into his apartment at six-thirty in the morning, bleary-eyed and dying for a few hours sleep before he had to go back to the damned club he worked at that night. He slept until nearly two o'clock, when an insistent tapping on his window woke him up. He cracked an eye and saw a snowy white owl waiting a bit impatiently outside, an envelope attached to its leg. He groaned and reluctantly pulled himself out of bed. He opened the window and stepped back as the owl fluttered in, sticking its leg out and looking at Draco expectantly. He took the letter and looked at the bird. It stared unblinkingly back. Draco sighed and proceeded to ignore it, choosing instead to open the letter.
Malfoy,
If you're free this afternoon (or you have some time before you have to go to work), Apparate to my place whenever you can. I'll be here and we can talk about your problem. And don't worry, I can make sure Ron and Hermione will be gone from probably six p.m. on.
Harry
P.S. Sorry, I forgot. I live at 34 Russell Street, flat 4D.
"Trust Potter to forget the information that's most important," Draco sighed. He ran a hand through his hair and decided to go immediately at six o'clock. Well, after he took a shower and dressed anyway.
While he was dressing later, he found himself closely examining whatever he picked up, tossing it aside after a moment. {Why am I being so picky with my clothes?} he asked himself. {It's not like I'm getting dressed for a date or anything.} He finally decided on a loose, dark blue sweater and jeans. He raked a comb through his hair and dried it, heading for the door. At the last moment, he wheeled around and hurried into his bathroom. He did so love his eyeliner.
At long last, he was ready, and he Apparated to the hallway in front of Harry's apartment. The door to 4D was just opening and Draco dove behind a plastic potted plant to avoid being seen. A tall redhead and a pretty brunette were being pushed out the door. Draco peered between two overly bright green leaves and gaped as he got his first glimpse of his old torture victims for the first time in five years.
"Harry, are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Hermione asked.
"I'm positive," Harry reassured them. "You two need some time alone; soon we'll be heading back to Hogwarts and as Head of Gryffindor House, Hermione, you'll be pretty busy, handling all those homesick first-years . . ."
He let his voice trail off and hid a grin as Ron's face drained of all color.
"Harry's right, Hermione," Ron agreed fervently. "Come on! Harry, we'll be back later this evening!" With that, he shepherded Hermione down the hall and out of sight. Draco was grinning as he emerged from behind the plant.
"Quick thinking, Potter," he congratulated. Harry grinned.
"Thanks. Come on in."
Draco followed Harry into the cozy apartment, glancing around as he did so. It appeared to be a large apartment; he could see three doors down a hallway, leading to the bedrooms and bathroom, he assumed. They were standing in the living area at the moment, with a small counter separating the carpeted section of the room from the kitchenette.
"Nice place," Draco commented, standing uneasily just inside the front door. Harry looked at him.
"Thanks," he replied. He gestured to the couch as he sat in a plush blue armchair. "Have a seat."
When Draco was comfortable on a matching couch, Harry crossed his arms and looked at him.
"Now, all we have to do is figure out how to get you out of this guy's club . . . for good," Harry remarked.
"So . . . we'll probably be here for a while," Draco added helplessly, placing his head in his hands. Harry's brow creased and he moved onto the couch, tentatively placing a hand on the distressed blonde's shoulder.
"Hey, don't worry, we'll figure something out," Harry reassured him. "I don't care if I have to modify his memory a bit, I'm not letting you stay at that place."
Draco smiled tiredly at him.
"Thanks," he whispered. Harry smiled back.
"– my earring and – Harry?!"
The two men on the couch whirled around to stare at a shocked-looking Hermione and Ron.
"And Malfoy!" Ron growled, whipping his wand out. Harry leapt over the back of the couch and placed himself between Draco and Ron.
"What the bloody hell d'you think you're doing?" Harry demanded.
"Well, I was planning on cursing this arsehole from here to hell and back!"
"Harry, have you forgotten how he treated us all seven years we were at Hogwarts?" Hermione asked evenly, glaring daggers at Draco. Draco looked back at her unflinchingly.
"He's changed, Ron, Hermione," Harry insisted, taking a step forward. "He's not the same person he was before."
"Why are you defending him?" Ron cried.
"I told you, he's different!" Harry shouted back. No one noticed Draco slowly getting to his feet.
"Harry . . . is Malfoy the guy you met last night?" Hermione interrupted, placing a hand on Ron's arm.
"Well . . . you see . . . I can't really say without breaking a promise," Harry replied shiftily. Draco stepped around the couch and stood next to Harry, glancing at him curiously.
"Potter, forget your promise; I don't want your friends to be angry with you because of me," Draco told him quietly.
"Are you sure?" Harry asked him in a tone of voice just as low. Draco nodded and looked at Ron and Hermione.
"Listen, I know you two hate me for everything I put you through at school and honestly, I don't blame you," Draco began. "I'd feel the same way. But I have been through . . . horrors that no one should have to go through and I'm here today asking for your help."
"Why should we?" Ron demanded angrily.
"Because . . . I've no one else to turn to," Draco replied. "I've been almost completely cut off from the wizarding community for almost five years, at first by choice, then by force. I want to come back, but I need your help to do so."
"Well, forget it! There's no way I'm helping the likes of you!" Ron snarled. Hermione looked at Draco, a calculating look on her face.
"What do you need our help with?" she asked.
"Hermione!"
"Shush, Ron."
Draco sighed.
"It's quite a long story," he confessed.
"We have time."
"All right, then. I'm a dancer at the Blue Moon. I go by the name The White Dragon. Four years ago . . ."
He told them everything about how he came to work at the Blue Moon, leaving out a few details he didn't want anyone to know. When he was finished, Harry and Hermione were looking at him with sympathy shining in their eyes and Ron was still glaring at him.
"So . . . what do you say? Will you help me?" Draco asked nervously, twisting his hands as he looking from Ron to Hermione.
"Of course," she answered instantly. "No one, no matter how awful they are, should have to go through that."
Draco, Harry, and Hermione looked expectantly at Ron.
"Fine. I'll help, too," he sighed. "But that doesn't mean I don't still hate you!"
"I can work with that, Weasley," Draco told him, grinning. His smile fell as he glanced at his watch. "Uh, I've actually got to leave now. Work, you know."
"Right. Well, we'll try to figure out what to do and we'll owl you," Hermione said. Draco gave her and Ron a brief smile as they passed into one of the bedrooms. He glanced back at Harry and caught his eye. They stared at each other for a moment before Draco left. Harry sighed and turned around, following his friends into their bedroom. Hermione was digging around her jewelry box while Ron lounged on their bed.
"What are you guys doing back here?" Harry asked. "I thought you were going out."
"Hermione only put on one earring," Ron explained shortly, refusing to look at him. Harry groaned.
"Ron, why are you so angry with me?" Harry demanded.
"Because you brought Malfoy – Malfoy! Of all people! – into our home!" Ron shouted back.
"Weren't you listening to a thing he said? He needs our help!" Harry pleaded. Neither man noticed Hermione quietly slipping out of the room.
"Why can't he get one of his Death Eater friends to help him?"
"Because he's not a bloody Death Eater, Ron!"
"Do you know that for a fact?" Ron inquired, his eyes narrowing.
"Yes!" Harry yelled, throwing his hands into the air.
"How?"
"Because I watched him dance quite closely last night!" Harry shouted. Ron looked at him in a sort of stunned silence.
"Bloody hell . . ." Ron said faintly.
"What?" Harry snapped. All of a sudden he was feeling a bit peevish.
"You fancy Malfoy," Ron whispered. Harry felt as if he'd been doused with cold water.
"What in Merlin's name are you talking about?" he asked evenly.
"You do! You fancy Malfoy!"
"You're being stupid, Ron." Harry turned and stalked out of the room. Ron followed him.
"I'm not! I saw the way he looked at you and you looked at him and you fancy him!"
"Who fancies who?" Hermione asked. She'd heard snatches of their argument and when she heard the word "fancy" float into the living room, she couldn't suppress her curiosity.
"Harry fancies Malfoy!" Ron cried, pointing and looking scandalized. Hermione looked at Harry with growing interest on her face.
"Harry fancies Malfoy?" she asked.
"No, Harry does not fancy Malfoy!" Harry cried.
"Why not? He fancied you at school," Hermione commented. She was met with a shocked silence. "What? He did."
"How do you know?" Harry asked, trying and failing to hide the interest in his voice. Ron made a strangled sort of noise in his throat. Hermione shrugged.
"The way he looked when you two fought," she told him. "The grins he got on his face, his eyes totally lit up, and when you walked away after either you or Ron completely blew up at him, he couldn't stop staring at you. Maybe he still fancies you."
Harry seemed to be pondering this as Ron's face grew steadily more enraged.
"You knew this and you never said anything to us?" he shouted, his face reddening.
"Do not raise your voice at me, Ronald," she advised him coolly. "And I didn't tell you because I knew you would react like this."
"Well, honestly, can you blame him?" Harry asked weakly, sitting in the same armchair as before. Hermione smiled sympathetically at him.
"Come on, Ron," she said then, turning to the redhead. "I've got my other earring." With that, she took hold of his shirt and pulled him from the apartment. Harry sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes. He glanced at his watch and saw it read seven o'clock.
"I need some sleep," he mumbled to himself. He slowly made his way into his bedroom and threw himself down on his bed. After a few moments, he found sleep just out of his reach. His mind was plagued with thoughts of his best friend shouting at him and thoughts of Draco's eyes locking with his. He rolled over and groaned into his pillow.
He was able to get about three hours of restless sleep, and he felt as awful when he woke up as he did when he fell asleep. His mind was just as full and, even though he knew Ron would probably pop a vein when he found out where Harry was, he decided to go back to the Blue Moon. He quickly pulled on some clothes, dressing in a dark green tee shirt and dark blue jeans. He snatched up some parchment and a self-inking quill as he entered the kitchenette, scribbling a short note to Ron and Hermione for whenever they returned home. "Gone out, back later." It would drive Hermione mad, he knew, but he really didn't feel like explaining where he was going. He Apparated to the same spot he and Ron had the night before and ran down the street to the club. He flashed his ID card to the guard at the entrance and bypassed the main area of the club completely; instead, he hurried straight to the dressing room area. He was in luck. Draco was standing in the hallway, chatting with the guard, Roscoe. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw Harry.
"Po—Harry!" the blonde cried, covering his mistake as Roscoe still thought Harry and Draco had been school-time friends. Harry approached the duo cautiously. The sheer girth of the muscular guard made him slightly nervous.
"Hey . . . Draco," he greeted with a grin to the guard. "Uh, can I talk to you for a moment? Privately?"
Draco looked at him curiously for a moment before nodding.
"Yeah, sure." He turned to the guard and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "I'll talk to you later. Tell Jenna I said hello!"
"Don't worry; I will!" With a wave and a glare at Harry, the guard disappeared down the hall. Draco grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him into his dressing room.
"Jenna?" Harry whispered as the blonde closed the door.
"Roscoe's daughter. The most adorable three-year-old I've ever seen," Draco responded by way of explanation. Harry nodded, as he surreptitiously looked him up and down. He had to admit, Draco looked good, even in sweatpants and a grey muscle shirt. His makeup was already all applied; he must have already performed tonight and just thrown on something more comfortable in between shows.
"Potter. What are you doing here?"
"It's making me very uncomfortable, you being here with that . . . that Frankie," Harry told him in a low voice. Draco smirked.
"Be careful, Potter, it's starting to sound like you actually care what happens to me," Draco warned him cynically as he made his way further into the room.
"Like it or not, I do care what happens to you," Harry hissed, placing his hands on his hips. Draco looked at him quickly.
"Really, now?" the blonde asked, picking up a clear, plastic cup filled with a frozen-looking drink and taking a sip from it.
"Yes. What is that?" Harry asked. His curiosity overcame his indignation at the blonde.
"Frozen cappuccino," Draco told him, setting it down and walking closer to Harry. "So you care about me?"
"What happens to you, yes," Harry replied, taking a step back. Having Draco so close was causing him to give undue attentions to parts of the blonde he would rather not.
"Why, Potter, I'm flattered."
"Don't be. As soon as you're situated someplace with wizards, you'll never he from me again," Harry said.
"As soon as I'm situated? I thought it was just getting me out of here," Draco reminded him coyly.
"Well, I can't very well get you out of the club, then leave you jobless in Muggle London," Harry responded, swallowing hard. Draco took another step forward. Harry didn't move.
"Ah, no, you wouldn't be a very good Gryffindor if you did that," Draco whispered, their faces mere inches apart. Harry could feel Draco's breath on his lips.
A loud crash startled them apart. They both wore slightly guilty looks as Frankie stared from Harry to Draco.
"Who's this, Dragon?" the owner asked, moving towards them.
"Uh, this is an old friends of mine, Frankie. Harry Potter," Draco told him, his face paling as the other man approached.
"Ah. Nice to meet you, Mr. Potter. Name's Frankie Larose. I own the Blue Moon," Frankie said, a sleazy sort of smile on his face. Harry instantly disliked him, but he took Frankie's outstretched hand anyway.
"Well, I can see you've done a very good job with it," Harry complemented, a fake smile plastered on his face.
"Thank you. Now, if you don't mind, our Dragon here has a performance to get ready for," he reminded Draco. Draco jumped and paled as he felt a hand groping at his arse. Harry's face was reddening with anger. Draco shook his head slightly, pleading with his eyes. Harry clenched his fists and forced a painful-looking smile on his face.
"Of course," he conceded. He gave Draco a very direct look. "Draco, I'll talk to you later."
Ignoring the churning feeling his stomach was giving him, he turned and left.
"I hope he knows what he's doing," Harry whispered to himself as he left the building.
Author's Notes: Damn horny men! They're trying to kiss waaaaay before they're scheduled to. So I piss them off by interrupting!! Review, my lovelies!!!