AN Phew! I finally got to the good stuff! PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW!

All The Way To Heaven

Draco was true to his word. Sundays were the only days he didn't work as a rule, and so he didn't have to deal with Chantay. Instead, he squared off with Hermione. He'd always imaged that Ron and Harry had exaggerated when they said how fierce she could be, but he now knew that, if anything, they'd not done justice to her temper. It had taken him a good hour's argument before she let him out the door alone. But it was well worth it. He didn't want Harry to feel threatened anymore than absolutely necessary. Once more, he had to hold a hand over his face as he walked the halls to Harry's apartment to ward off the stench. How had Harry come to this low?

His hand barely grazed the door when it opened. Face down on the bed with his arms and legs sprawled at odd angles, Harry slept. Draco would have been panicked, except he saw Harry's body rise with steady breaths. He could stay forever and just watch him sleep. The ache that had ripped through him every time he thought of Harry was slowly dissipating. It was almost enough to know that he was alive…almost. He needed to have Harry in his life, and he now saw that he needed Draco whether he would admit it or not.

"Excuse me?' called a female voice from behind him. Draco turned to face an older woman. She appeared to be in her late sixties with fashionably dyed blonde hair and expensive clothes. In each arm, she had a grocery bag. "Exactly what are you doing in James's apartment?"

"I came to see him and he's sleeping. The door was open," he added as he gently closed it behind him, not wanting to disturb him. "I'm Draco Michaels. James and I went to school together."

She nodded and took his offered hand. "I'm Beth Ramsey. I guess you could say I'm a friend of sorts." She cocked her head slightly to the side. "You're the one he sent the roses to, aren't you?"

"Yes, I didn't know he was in New York. I didn't even know…if he was alright," he didn't know why he felt the need to explain himself to her.

"Alright is a matter of opinion. Why don't you and I go for a cup of coffee? James rarely gets any real sleep and we shouldn't bother him."

They ended up at a run down, but clean diner a few blocks away. She stared at him, but he could tell she was being cautious rather than rude. He couldn't fault her with that. She had yet to decide how trust worthy he was. Finally, she set her cup down. "Did you get your scars in the same accident that he lost his arm in?"

He wasn't quite sure how to answer that. There was no way he could know what Harry had already told her. "Yes." He feared elaborating would only dig a hole with the woman. "How do you know James?"

"He worked in my store for a while, before he took the turn for the worse. James is an exceptional person beneath all of that anger, but I don't think I have to tell you that. I'm not sure what it was that led him to this, but I don't doubt that it was traumatic," Beth added. "Do you love him?"

"With every part of my being," Draco assured her. "He's not doing very well is he?"

"No. In fact, he's slowly killing himself. Whatever demons he has have been ripping him to shreds, and the drugs have only been speeding it up."

His stomach dropped. "Drugs?"

Pale blue eyes stared at him with hurt. "I assumed you knew."

"I didn't, but please tell me," he begged.

" I really should start at the beginning I suppose. James came in to my shop—I own an antiques store—a little over two years ago looking for work. He was such a quiet boy, and he seemed so nice. I hired him and he became something of a second son to my husband Frank and I. Not long after, I realized how much pain he seemed to be in all the time. I didn't think anything of it when he started taking oxy contin for the pain. That's when we lost him. Things started spiraling out of control from then on. He started crushing the pills and using them to escape. His whole personality changed. He became so angry and mean. In the end, I fired him hoping that it would serve as a wake up call, but he just started working over nights in some convenience store. Now, I only do what I can in hopes that he will straighten out," she said sadly.

"My God, I didn't realize," Draco stammered. He had never imagined Harry Potter—the-boy-who-lived would ever fall into something like this. Harry was always so straight laced and good. "I have to reach him."

A thin wrinkled hand reached across the table and took hold of his. "I think you already have."

"What do you mean?"

"When he saw that picture of you, he begged me for the money for the roses. It was the first time in months that I've seen him care about anything but those damn pills," she told him hopefully.

"What picture?" he was stunned. He NEVER allowed anyone near him with a camera.

"There was a picture in a magazine with you poking your head out of the wings watching your fashion show. He saw it when he was stocking the shelves at night," Beth explained.

"Well at least something good came of it. He told me that the roses were his goodbye."

Beth shook her head. "He's telling himself that, but it's a lie. He loves you and it might be what he needs to get away from that poison."

The two left the coffee shop, and Draco felt his mind moving at million miles per second. He had to help Harry. There was nothing more important than that. Chantay Michaels would have to do without him until Harry was safe. Walking up the stairs once more, he made himself a promise. No matter what the outcome of their relationship, he would not let Harry come back to this rat palace. Harry deserved so much more. In truth maybe he deserved more than a scared son of a death eater, but he'd cross that bridge when he came to it.

By the time they got back, Harry was sitting on the bed in somewhat clean jeans and a faded blue t-shirt with his arm hanging lifelessly and pitifully at his side. "I should have known that you two would end up together," he said rudely.

"We both care about you, James," Beth told him ignoring his glare. Suddenly, Draco remembered Harry yelling obscenities at someone when he came to the door. He had been yelling at Beth. How could he say such hurtful things?

"James" let out a snort. "I don't know why you can't just take a hint and leave me alone. I don't need either of you." Beth walked by him into the closet that posed as a kitchen and began to unload groceries into the refrigerator, and all he could do was stare at the man that he loved with shock. Harry glared at him. "Don't look at me like that."

"I honestly don't know what to say to you anymore." Draco let out a sigh. "Come to dinner with me tonight, Harry. We need to talk."

"Why would I go anywhere with you?"

Once again, the Malfoy stubbornness surfaced. "Because I will have this conversation here, or you can come with me to my apartment and we can talk in private it doesn't matter to me either way."

He ran his fingers through his unwashed hair. "I hate you, Malfoy."

"You've said that before."

Draco rushed around in his apartment putting together a meal. It was so strange that he found he actually enjoyed cooking. Growing up, he would have laughed at the idea of preparing his own meals, but he found it somehow therapeutic. The stress of a day could usually be worked out as he measured and cut and sautéed. Tonight, it simply managed to steady his mind a bit, giving him something else to think about. Dinner would be simple; chicken, rice, and steam asparagus.

He was glad that Hermione was nowhere to be found when he got home. She had left a note on the table saying that she would be in the Burrow for the evening with Molly and Arthur. Thankfully, she had promised not to tell anyone about Harry just yet. He wasn't sure that anyone involved was ready for the emotional storm that was Molly Weasley. He would tell Harry about Hermione tonight, he decided.

The clock on the wall said seven fifteen when there was he heard the phone ring. "Hello?"

"Mr. Michaels, this is Paul."

"Hi, Paul. Is there a problem?"

"Well, there's a guy down here that says you invited him to dinner…a uh…James Black."

His heart beat wildly. "Yes, Paul. He's a dear friend of mine. Let him in."

"Will do. You have a nice night."

"You too, Paul." Draco hung up and hurried to finish setting the table. Tonight wasn't about romance, but one night Draco wanted to make a dinner for two with candles and wine.

A knock came to the door and Draco opened it to find Harry standing there showered and in clean clothes. "I knew you'd end up in a place like this."

Draco ignored the barb and let motioned him to come inside. "You look better," he said. "I hope you like chicken."

The dark haired man gave a noncommittal shrug and looked around the lavish room. Everything was in perfect taste and expertly matched in shades of greens and blues. Stylish and expensive, it was just what Draco had wanted. Harry seemed annoyed by it. "Not out of you element at all," he mumbled.

"Yes, but this I paid for on my own," the blonde said with pride.

Green eyes locked on him. "What do you want with me, Draco? What could you possibly want?"

His throat tightened. "I want to love you. I want to see you get better."
Bitterness crept into Harry's voice. "There's nothing anyone can do about my arm."

"That's not what I meant." He stepped closer. "I want to help you get out of that hell hole. I want to see you feel alive again. I love you, Harry."

"Do you?" So many things shown in those a large glimmering eyes—need, pain, sadness, fear, and love.

"Yes, I do. So much that there were times I didn't think I could live without you. If it wasn't for Hermione…"

"Hermione?" Harry interrupted.

Draco chuckled. "Yes, we've become best friends. She and I mourned together. We even shared a flat for a time, but now she lives just down the hall."

"Does she know?"

He nodded. "She knows, but I got her to agree to give you time."

"Time for what, Draco, I'm not going to come back into the happy little group of Hogwarts graduates. I can't do this. Don't you see that I'm not the person I used to be!"

Gray eyes hardened a bit. "Neither am I. Neither is Hermione. We have all changed. No one got away without feeling it, Harry. We've been helping each other through and we can help you too, if you'd only let us," he pleaded.

"I can't. I just can't," Harry said softly. Wetness appeared on his cheeks.

"I know about the pills," Draco said firmly. "We can help you."

"Why can't you just leave me alone? I don't want to hurt like this, Draco. You don't have any idea what happened to me."

"I won't until you tell me." It was the plain and simple truth and Harry knew he was beaten.

"I can't face that again."

"But this time won't be alone," Draco assured him wiping the tears from his cheeks. "You're never going to have to face anything alone. I'll be here."

"Oh God, Draco, I can't take it anymore. I don't have it in me to fight."

Draco kissed Harry's forehead, and wrapped his arms around him. "Don't. Let me take care of you. We can do this together. You can have as much time as you need."

Harry returned the embrace. "I love you so much."

Draco felt his heart swell as he kissed Harry. His need ran wildly through him. Harry completed him. Now, he could finally breathe. "I love you, too. I promise that I'm not going to let you down this time."

When the emotions had finally cooled, Draco led Harry to the dining room and set a plate before him. "You're so thin. I'll have to do my best to get you to put on some weight."

Harry merely nodded, but he didn't really show any interest in the food. Neither did Draco. His stomach was in a tight ball, but he tried to put on a good face. When the meal was over, Harry helped collect the plates and take them to the kitchen.

"You don't have to do that," Draco told him.

He shrugged. "I've been doing housework for so many years that it's just habit. Vernon would have beat the shit out of me for not taking plates up."

"I wish I could go back and take away all the pain they caused you," the blonde said softly. He had only scratched the surface on Harry's life with the Dursley's and it made him sick to think about it. Vernon and Petunia were not fit to live in his opinion. They were every bit as awful as Lucius had been.

Sitting on the couch, Draco finally had the courage to ask, "Will you stay here tonight?"

Harry sat perfectly still for a moment, before shaking his head. "I can't…not yet."

"I don't mean to push," Draco said earnestly. "I'm just so afraid that you'll disappear again."

"I can't promise you anything," was all Harry said to that.

"Well, I promise you that I will find you no matter where you are." He pulled Harry against him and the two sat there feeling more at peace than they had in years.

"What time is it?" Harry asked nervously.

"Eleven. Why?"
"I have to be at work by twelve."

Standing facing each other, an awkward moment passed. "Quit," Draco told him impulsively. "You don't have to work there anymore; I'll take care of things."

"No. I need to…just give me time. I don't need you to take over my life for me." The bitterness was back. "This is stupid."

He stormed out of the apartment and Draco knew that it would be wrong to follow him. Harry was right—it wasn't his place to take over. He sighed and slouched back on to the couch.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Mu-chan (flower meanings vary), Katrina (wow, don't you sleep girl?), Dark Angel's Blue Fire, Tuesday night, Fudge Baby, DM Weasley, Nitwittie, Anika, Dairy Girl, Chaney, Nickel Nerd, and Love and Peace! Reviews make my day.