CHAPTER 2

Draco Malfoy was not ready for the sight in front of him when he opened the door. But he sighed gingerly and made way for Harry Potter to enter his home and life again.

Though it was Blaise who Harry started a relationship with, Draco was the one who got to know the other man the most. Draco knew the way Harry smiled when he was truly happy and knew the smile when Harry received a gift but really wanted more than simple material items and also knew the smile on Harry's expression when he was hurt beyond belief but was trying to hid it. Draco knew all of Harry Potter's smiles all too well even though it was not he who was currently dating the other man. But when he opened the door and saw the pretend smile on the other man's face he could not be more ecstatic to have opened the door.

"I'm sorry to intrude Draco, I-"

"Just sit down on the couch and don't touch anything. I'll get you a warm cup of something or other and then you can start blabbering away."

Harry threw Draco another smile and this one Draco knew as well, "Thanks."

Draco shrugged and went into his kitchen and as soon as he was out of sight of Harry, he put on a pot of cocoa and gripped his counter. He should just walk into the living room and kick the other man out of his house. Harry did not hold any right to just waltz back into Draco's life especially when it was so unannounced. Harry should at least muster the decency to prepare Draco with his arrival. But Draco could not let the other man walk out the door again. Instead, he poured Harry a cup of cocoa and entered his living room once more handing the cup over to Harry.

Harry took the cup with in both hands to warm them despite the warm temperature of the room already; it was just something Harry had to do.

Harry didn't take a sip of the cocoa but instead waited for Draco to get comfortable on the couch across from him before he said anything.

"Draco, I know you and I haven't been best of friends even after Blaise and I got together."

Draco raised an eyebrow and smirked, "So you and Blaise are over then."

Harry's eyes went wide, "How did you know?"

"You're so easy to read."

Harry stared at Draco for a while and shook his head free from shock, "Anyways, you know how we usually resolved our arguments by going to a club and flirting with someone else?"

Draco nodded as Blaise told him how easy it was to make Harry feel better or apologize for something.

"Well, this time, I found him in bed with someone. And he smiled at me when he saw me."

"What were you two fighting about?"

"I wouldn't marry him."

"And what do you think this means?"

"That he's given up on me."

"Well, I'm sure I'll hear something from him soon. He might even drop by. Did you want me to tell your friends so you can stay over at their place?"

"No." said Harry abruptly, "No, I don't want to bother them."

"And you're fine with bothering me?"

"Oh, I'm sorry Draco, I didn't know. Were you doing something?"

Draco sighed, "No, I was just asking. You know that I don't ever have anything to do. With the bloody Malfoy money and my lack of motivation to do anything with my life, I am left with doing nothing all day. Until night time rolls around and I decide to go out of course."

"Have you taken up a hobby or anything?"

Draco doubted his nightly escapades counted as a hobby but he didn't want to sound like he was a total bore so he said, "Yes, I have a hobby. Just a small one though."

"Oh," asked Harry, not picking up on what Draco meant, "What is it?"

Draco just looked at Harry for a long time and it wasn't until the silence stretched on too long when the blonde finally caved in and sighed, "When I go out at night, I don't just have fun, I meet people as well."

"Oh, that's not what I meant Draco. I meant some other kind of hobby like reading or drawing, something like that."

"Well no. Nothing like that interest me."

"So then what do you do with your day?"

"Look, we aren't talking about me, we're talking about you and you are trying to avoid the important topic. What happened between you and Blaise?"

Harry looked at Draco for a while, hoping to think of another distraction but he knew there was no way Draco would let this go so easily. "You know how we get over disputes?"

Draco nodded, knowing all to well what the two did. When Blaise first informed him of how Harry was so easy to control it made Draco feel so much lighter, not because Harry was so easy to manipulate but that at that moment he knew that Harry and Blaise would not last forever. What would a relationship be if the only way to forgive someone is to let them go to a club and make you jealous? And how long can a relationship last if one must dance with a slew of guys that holds nothing of interest to get your point across? Draco was not into commitment but he was not stupid either, he knew that in order for things to get fixed, you must work at it, not just let it ride itself out through jealousy and betrayal.

"Well, this time, I came home and he was actually with someone. He threatened a few times and sometimes when I found him, he looked as though he was going to, but he never did it. He had never gone all the way and been unfaithful. And to think he did this in our house, in our bed none the less."

"Well, that happens with the way you two deal with your problems."

"What is that supposed to mean?" ask Harry angrily, he knew that Blaise and his relationship wasn't perfect but it was good at times.

"Look, I'm just saying that there are different ways to solve your issues, the way you two dealt with each other when things didn't go your way was insane, how could you think it would work out properly?"

"But it worked for so long didn't it?"

"That was only because you both wanted it so much. But if you truly wanted it as much as you say, why can you not forgive him?"

"I didn't say I couldn't forgive him."

"Can you?"

Harry thought for a while, he really did not know. He was stuck between two images, one of Blaise beside him every morning as it was for the past four years and the image of Blaise smiling at him with someone else's mouth wrapped around what belonged to Harry. It belonged to Harry for the past four years. But if Blaise was able to do this so easily, who was to say Blaise didn't do it before? He and Blaise were supposed to last forever, everyone thought so. Except for the few who were close to Harry, those who just did not think a Slytherin would ever be good enough for Harry. They were so good together, they always were.

"Well, can you?"

"I don't know. I want to. I want to forgive him."

Draco sighed, "Look, you obviously need time to think this through and Blaise will either floo me or show up soon. I can arrange some things with your friends."

"Not with my friends."

"Then what were you planning on doing?"

"I was hoping I could stay with you for a bit."

"Why not with you friends? And don't give me the excuse of not wanting to bother them because I can obviously see it's more than that."

"Because-"

But Harry was cut off by a voice in the other room connected to the one him and Draco were currently in. It was a good thing he was seated at the spot on the couch where the fireplace could not see.

"Draco?"

Draco kept his eyes focused on the fireplace and slowly stood up to walk towards it. He was careful not to look in Harry's direction to give anything away.

"Blaise?"

"Draco it's a good thing you're here, it's about Harry."

"What about him?"

"I need to talk to someone about this. I messed up big time and I don't know what to do."

"Alright, what was it you wanted?"

"I was wondering if I could come over. Just for a little while. I just need to talk to someone."

Draco didn't know what to do; he couldn't hide Harry if the fireplace faced the stairs where Harry could refuge in his room. And knowing the impulsive Gryffindor, he would probably give himself away some how. Draco was right about to answer when Blaise continued.

"I will be over shortly to give you some time to clean up as you always liked things immaculate. I also need to contact a few more people. I flooed Ron and Hermione but neither of them know where Harry is. I'm planning on flooing Neville or Seamus to see if they have seen him. Maybe phone a few people he knows here in Toronto."

"Alright, well once you've done all that you can talk to me here."

Blaise nodded and the green flame left the fireplace replaced by the regular red and orange flames.

Draco turned his attention quickly to Harry and the other man stared back blankly at him, "You go upstairs to my bedroom. He would never want to go there. Even if he wanted to spend the night he would spend it in the guest room and not mine so I can't have you in one of the guest rooms. Hurry up and drink your cocoa and give me the mug, I'll wash it and he'll never know you were here. Hurry and go upstairs while I clean the front door of your shoe marks. Take you're shoes with you upstairs as well. That would give away everything."

Harry stared at Draco's quick ability of thinking of ways to cover up his tracks but stopped as he remembered Draco was a Slytherin and being deceiving was practically a birthright.

"What are you waiting for? Get your shoes and go to the master bedroom upstairs at the end of the hall. Drink your bloody cocoa. You can even take a nap or something. After this is all over we can figure something out for you."

Harry quickly downed the cocoa and passed Draco the empty mug then he ran over to the front door to grab his shoes and ran up the stairs in his socks. He was able to reach Draco's room just in time before the doorbell rang to Draco's townhouse.