I do not own Harry Potter or anything like that... just to let you know.

Harry groaned when he heard his alarm clock go off. I was one of those alarm clocks with the two bells on top that rang incessantly. He reached up and knocked the alarm clock off the bed side table onto the floor in a loud crash. He rubbed his eyes and surveyed the blurry room as he did every morning before putting on his eyeglasses. The world seemed softer, more manageable in the morning light and without the assistance of his correctional lenses. Sighing he put on his glasses and everything came into harsh focus: his life, his past, and everyone he had lost. He pulled on an old red robe and shuffled downstairs. He put another log on the embers of the fire and stirred it up to start up the day's fire. Then he quietly went about making breakfast for himself and the visitor sleeping upstairs. He had made a fair stack of pancakes when he heard an unholy scream coming from the floor above him. At first he thought that maybe Draco had been exploring and had found one of the spirits of the house, but then he realized that it wasn't a spirit, it was Draco. Harry grabbed his wand out of his robe pocket and took the stairs two at a time. He burst through the door of the guest room expecting to find anything, but all he found was Draco thrashing on the bed in the grip of a nightmare.

"No! No! Please don't! Please! NOOOO!"

"Draco!" Harry said from the door. Harry hurried forward and grabbed Draco by the shoulders. "Draco! Wake up!" Draco opened his eyes suddenly and looked straight at Harry.

"I'm sorry... Harry... I..."

"It's ok. Are you all right?"

"Just a nightmare. That's all."

"Didn't sound like just a nightmare."

"Well let's just call it a nightmare. I don't want to discuss these things this early in the day and on an empty stomach."

"All right, I've made pancakes. Come down when you're ready." Draco nodded and Harry left the room. Draco seemed very shaken by the nightmare, but Harry didn't feel the right to push Draco into telling his secrets just now. After all, Harry had his own secrets as well.

By the time Draco had shuffled downstairs Harry had finished brewing a pot of coffee and had cooked a stack of fifteen pancakes. Draco sat down in one of the four chairs at Harry's little kitchen table. Harry put down the platter of pancakes between them and also sat down a cup of coffee in front of Draco.

"Cream and sugar?" asked Harry.

"No thanks. I prefer it black." Harry nodded as he sipped his own cup of black coffee. Draco moved five pancakes onto his plate, slathered them in butter and syrup and then began to eat them.

"Planning on fattening yourself up I see," Harry said trying to keep his voice light.

"What do you care? It's not like I'm trying to keep my girlish figure for you. I have my pride." Harry smirked, but wondered at Draco's comment. He shrugged it off and put five pancakes on his own plate.

"What's the plan for today?" Harry asked casually.

"Tourism, shopping, reading, catching up on the magical news I hope, and then back here to drink and go to sleep. And you?"

"I go in to work at ten, I have to open the restaurant today. I work until five. I have some grocery shopping to do so by the time you get back there should be more food in the house." Draco nodded along and at his last pancake. "You put away the pancakes fast." Draco shrugged as he put another two pancakes on his plate.

"I'm hungry. I haven't had food this good in months."

"Months? You told me about wandering the great expanse of Europe and you're telling me that my pancakes rival the creations of the finest cooks in the finest restaurants which I'm you visited."

"No."

"No?"

"No, I didn't visit the finest restaurants in Europe. I don't know how these compare to the finest creations of the most brilliant chefs. But it doesn't matter. It's still the best food I've eaten in months." Harry sat back in his chair with a look of amazement on his face. He hadn't expected this. He thought that Draco had just been too tired the night before to make Harry jealous with tales of all his exploits throughout Europe. This Harry had not expected.

"Why not?"

"Again Harry, it's too early in the day. And further more I'm far too sober. Ask me again tonight." Draco stood and put his plate in the sink before trudging back up the stairs. Harry heard the door to the guest room close quietly as he finished his pancakes. After washing the dishes, he got dressed in his black slacks and green polo shirt for work.

Lunch was busy at the Witch's Hat where he worked. At four things were starting to die down when he saw one of his old professors walk through the door. It was Professor Dumbledore. In his entire life he was not sure if he had ever seen Dumbledore in a restaurant or shop that he and the other students frequented, until now. Dumbledore soon spotted Harry and smiled. Harry walked towards him with a menu and said,

"Good afternoon Professor Dumbledore, would you like a booth or a table?"

"I would prefer to sit at the bar actually, if that would be all right?"

"That's fine. Do you still need a menu?"

"Yes, I would like to have some early dinner while I'm here. Tell me Harry, when are you getting off?"

"I get off at five."

"I will be here. I need to speak to you."

"What is it professor?"

"It's nothing serious Harry. I simply want to chat with one of my favorite students." Harry nodded and sat the old wizard at the bar. Harry continued to attend to his remaining two tables until it was time to get off. After cashing out his tickets he went to Dumbledore who was still sitting at the bar with a butter rum still in front of him.

"What did you want to talk about Professor Dumbledore?" Harry said sitting down on the stool next to the professor. The bar man put down a butter rum in front of Harry which Harry immediately began sipping on.

"There's a rumor that Draco Malfoy was seen in your neighborhood."

"He's staying at my house professor. He came to my door last night. I offered my guest room."

"I see. You do know that no one has heard from him in three years. Not since-"

"Not since his parents died. Yes, I am fully aware of that professor."

"I don't want to intrude into your affairs Harry, but why are you letting him stay with you? When you were both at school, you were enemies. Even when you were fighting on the same side against Voldemort the two of you were neutral, but you certainly weren't friends."

"I don't know why professor. When he showed up on my front doorstep last night, he just..." Harry sighed and stared into his butter rum. "He needs a friend professor. I admit that it seems strange that he came to me instead of one of his Slytherin friends, but he came to me. I think he needs to talk to someone. For some reason, he chose me. I'll let him stay as long as he wants. Even the devil needs a friends now and again." Dumbledore smiled at Harry with an almost sad smile.

"Harry you have wisdom beyond your years. I should have known that Draco would be nothing to worry about. I was just concerned."

"It's all right professor. I'll see you again soon I'm sure."

"Yes, I'm sure you will."

"Is there any news about Hermione?"

"No Harry, I'm afraid there is no change in her condition."

"You've seen her?"

"Yes. Have you seen her recently?"

"Last month. I try to make it out to St. Mungo's at least once month."

"I understand Harry, it's not easy to see one's friend's in such a state." Harry nodded. "I'll visit again soon. Until then, I wish you well."

"Thank you professor." Harry waited until Dumbledore was far from the restaurant until he got up and started making his way home. As he had promised Draco, he bought some groceries and brought them home.

When he walked through the front door Draco was sitting in the chair he had occupied the night before. This time he held a large drinking glass in his hand. The glass was half full with the brandy that was sitting on the table next to the chair.

"Well, you're certainly not sober anymore," said Harry. Draco didn't even glance in Harry's direction. Harry shrugged and put down his groceries in the kitchen. "Are you hungry? I brought home some steaks that I can cook up."

"Whatever makes you happy Harry," Draco said in a quiet voice. Harry turned back to his groceries and set his mind to making dinner for the two of them. Mixing up a quick marinade, he set the steaks in a pan and covered them with the marinade. Then he put them in the oven and turned it on. He set the timer next to the oven and then walked back into the living room. He sat across from Draco in the other chair with his own glass.

"Can I have some?" he asked holding out the glass to Draco. He obliged and filled Harry's glass halfway. Harry took a sip before looking at Draco again. "So, it's late in the day, you're not sober, up to discussing anything now?" Draco sighed and stared into the flames.

"I sold my father's house and things after they died. I didn't want to be reminded of them. Of what had happened to them."

"Fair enough."

"I traveled to Italy. I spent the summer there. I wandered not really knowing what to do. My parents were dead, and no one could understand what it felt like. None of my friends from Hogwarts understood, or they pretended to understand. But they didn't. My uncles tried, but they just made it worse. Every time I looked at them, all I could see was my father. That's why I left."

"Ok. Thus far you sound completely justified."

"I was looking for a place to belong. I found a place. At least I thought I had." Draco gulped down the rest of the glass of brandy before filling it again. "It was a group of magicians living in Romania. Not the ones taking care of the dragons, not Ron's brother." Draco had seen the look of doubt cross Harry's face and he wanted to assure him that it wasn't his friend's older brother. "These wizards were once in the Slytherin house at Hogwarts. They were nice... at first. Let's say these people had a soft spot for "little lost boys" as they called people like me." Draco gulped down half the glass of brandy. "They liked getting drunk, using magic, and then releasing their sexual tensions on us. They were especially fond of raping us on nights that they were especially violent. I was there for about six months. Then I left. I wandered, traveled, tried filling up the empty spaces with art, books, food, people... whatever was handy or whoever was handy. Eventually I wanted to be in England again. The reason I left England was no one here understood me. But then I thought of you. That's why I came here last night. I thought you might understand." Draco now turned his gaze on Harry. Harry thought for a moment to see what words to choose.

"Feeling out of place and feeling like no one understands, are things I am quite familiar with. I'm sorry that I didn't know."

"I didn't let anyone know, so don't apologize. It was something I preferred to keep hidden. I thought it would just go away. But it wouldn't, no matter what I tried." Harry was startled by the timer going off in the kitchen. "Steaks are done." Draco stood and walked into the kitchen with his glass and bottle. Harry followed him into the kitchen and put the steaks on plates and placed them on the table. Then he sat down and they started eating their second meal together.