Chappy 2

The Flat

"Potter," Draco hissed after quite some time had passed. "Stop the broom! I think we've skirted any possible law enforcement that may have followed us."

Harry stopped midair and turned around to face Draco. Harry's face was ashen, full of panic. Draco feared for his life if Harry were to pass out.

"Land the broom, Potter, so I can take us to my flat."

Harry quietly landed the Firebolt in a nearby field and switched places with Draco, both were careful to keep their distance from the other.

They rode the rest of the way to Draco's flat in silence.

When Draco finally landed, Harry jumped. He had drifted off slightly and had rested his head on Draco's back.

"I hope you haven't ruined my robes," Draco sneered.

Harry, recovering somewhat, scowled. He looked around and noticed the building. It looked rundown, as if the owner didn't care if he kept up the maintenance or not. He couldn't believe a Malfoy would actually live in something that looked like this.

"You--you live here?" Harry asked, thinking he shouldn't trust Draco. What if it was a trick? What if Draco was really just helping out his father?

"Yes, Potter. I do. What? Did you think I'd be staying in a mansion?"

Harry's mouth formed an 'o' shape. "It's just, how can I trust you?"

"Good gods, Potter. I almost got killed by your uncle!"

"Well, yes, but I saved you."

"Do you remember the reason we were there?" Draco asked, ignoring Harry's comment.

"To--err--to get my wand and school stuff."

"Right, meaning I didn't have to help you. Doesn't that prove that I'm not some evil Death Eater?" Why did Draco care what Harry thought of him? This was starting to get annoying.

"Err, no, not really."

"Let's just go in," Draco said, gritting his teeth.

The elevator was broken, so Harry and Draco trudged up four flights of stairs to Draco's flat.

"I think I need to talk to Dumbledore," Harry said.

"Right now?"

"What? Is there something you've done? Are you afraid of Dumbledore?" Harry asked provokingly.

"Of course not!" Draco scowled.

"Fine, then. I'm going to Floo-call him."

"To tell him that you nearly killed your uncle?"

Harry blushed. "I did not! I only hit him with the lamp."

"Uhuh. And then you took off. Very wrong for Saint Potter." Draco smirked.

"Bug off, Malfoy."

"This is my place. I can do bloody well whatever I want!"

"Fine. So can I." Harry crossed his arms over his chest.

Draco scowled.

Harry began laughing as he looked at Draco. His once immaculate hair was now smudged with dirt.

"What?" Draco asked irritably.

"Your hair," Harry chuckled. "It's dirty."

Draco's eyes widened. Without another word, he took off for the bathroom at top speed.

Harry smirked and walked over to the fireplace. He noticed a bag on top of the mantle. It was filled with Floo powder, as Harry had hoped.

Harry knew how to work the Floo network but he was worried nonetheless that Albus Dumbledore would not be on the receiving end of the call. He had, after all, done underage magic. What if they were looking for him to expel him? Or worse-- throw him into Azkaban? He swallowed his fear and cried, "Headmaster's office at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry" into the fire.

He spotted Dumbledore right away, seemingly alone at his desk.

"Professor Dumbledore!" Harry shouted, to attract his attention. The old, wizened man looked into the blazing hearth.

"Ah, Harry, good to see you. I was wondering how long it would be."

Harry furrowed his brow in confusion. Good, so he knew already. "I, uh, got kicked out of the Dursley's earlier, and found Malfoy."

"Ah, yes, Mr. Malfoy. He denied the dark mark a few weeks ago, and has been hiding from everyone in the Wizarding World…including me."

Harry's jaw dropped. "He did?"

Dumbledore nodded. "The real question is what to do with you, my boy. What you did earlier was rather foolish."

"Do you even know the whole story?" Harry asked.

"Perhaps I need my memory refreshed. Do tell me."

Harry proceeded to rehash the night's events to Dumbledore.

"I see. Well, that changes things slightly. You hurt your uncle to protect your enemy. Yes, it makes perfect sense." Dumbledore smiled.

"He was going to kill Malfoy!"

"Yes, yes, I know. You told me already."

Harry sighed. "How is he? My uncle, I mean."

"He's going to be fine. A medi-wizard team was dispatched and healed him. I daresay he is quite angry with you. As is your aunt."

"He kicked me out without even my wand! Why wouldn't I go back to fetch my school stuff?"

"It's alright, Harry. The question remains on where exactly to keep you."

"Should I Floo to Hogwarts?"

"No, no, I believe the best place for you right now is right where you are. Especially with your little act of magic earlier, you have people from the Underage Use of Magic Office looking for you as well. I'm working on reversing the decree to expel you, once again. You may well have to endure another hearing, Harry. Now if you could fetch Draco from the bathroom, I think he has washed his hair enough to suffice."

"Why haven't I gotten owled with the expulsion notice?"

"I stopped it before it was sent. Ever since last year, I've kept a closer watch on you. You do know that I had special protection set up to keep Voldemort and the Death Eaters out? Obviously, if one could get to the front yard, the protection was becoming faulty. Or the Death Eaters had finally broken down the barriers. It's a good thing we found out before they got to you." Harry stared, open-mouthed at this. "Get Mr. Malfoy, if you would," Dumbledore said again.

Harry stared at Dumbledore, but went to the door of the bathroom, knocked on it, sharply. "Malfoy, Dumbledore says you've rinsed your hair enough. He wants to talk to you."

The bathroom door opened and the steam from inside fogged up Harry's glasses.

"Professor Dumbledore, you asked to see me," Draco said in a frosty voice. He should have known that Potter would use the fireplace to contact Dumbledore as soon as he left the room. He gathered his thoughts so he would not screw things up with Dumbledore.

"Mr. Malfoy, as you know, the Death Eaters have begun to show their faces again. It is not safe for Harry to be anywhere in public. I do think, for the time being, that the best place for him would be staying in the flat with you."

Draco's anger showed through. "It's not safe here for him! There are Death Eaters after me as well."

"It is safer to keep hidden. Your flat is obviously in a Muggle town?"

"Yes," Draco said reluctantly.

"I can come by tomorrow and add security charms, wards to make the flat impenetrable and several concealing charms. Would that make it safer, Mr. Malfoy?"

"I don't want him here!" Draco said, nearly losing his temper. It was one thing to think about Harry staying with him if he got his protection, but entirely another to have it actually played out.

Harry, who had just finished cleaning his glasses, heard the last. "Poor Malfoy. Afraid I might go ballistic and hit you with a lamp while you're sleeping?"

"No," Draco answered, his nostrils flaring ever so unnoticeably, except for Harry, who seemed to notice a lot in the past few hours about the real Draco Malfoy.

"Good, then it's settled. I shall check in on you tomorrow afternoon and update you on outside matters. I will also add security charms at that time. Goodnight, Harry; Draco."

"No, it's not settled," Draco said angrily. "I. Do. Not. Want. Him. Here."

"Hmm, well, it's not up to you," Dumbledore said. "We'll worry about it in the morning. For now, sleep." Dumbledore's head disappeared from the fire.

"Wait!" Harry said. He felt sick of getting blindsided. He had to stay here with Malfoy, which was bad enough, but he didn't even know where he would be the next day.

He trudged, miserably, off to take a look around the apartment. The only real furniture in the entire apartment consisted of an armchair, a table with two chairs, and a bed, one single bed. He was not sure what would become of the sleeping arrangements.

Draco waltzed into the bedroom. "Hmm…Potter. Dumbledore didn't give us an extra cot. I suppose you should sleep on the couch." He smirked as Harry scowled. "The couch is better than the floor," he added.

Harry's scowl deepened as he left the room.

As Harry began drifting off, tucked under a light sheet, his thoughts were once again on the accidental embrace he had shared with Malfoy earlier, how it had felt pleasant, and reassuring. He could not understand why, however.

Draco's thoughts were also on the person in the other room. Why did he have to be in Potter's company? It would have been easier had he followed his father and joined the Death Eaters; but then he remembered the girl. He was doing the right thing, he decided.

He was feeling a little guilty that he hadn't asked Dumbledore, knowing full well that there was only one bed, although he wasn't sure what had come over him, to feel guilty. It was not an emotion he knew well.