Thank you to ALL my reviewers and to ALL my readers!
Disclaimer: see previous chapter.
Thank you to Merlin, GoldenSunnyGrl, and Malombra for being such great BETA'S.
AU.
ENJOY!
CHAPTER TEN
The weekend was hell on Draco's frazzled nerves. He stayed holed up in his apartment, afraid to go out. Come Monday morning he looked like he felt, tired, scared, and alone. He had become used to it, being alone, and seeing Ron standing there in all his righteous anger had done something to Draco. He had finally been able to put his own anger and fear behind him but seeing Ron had dragged it all up from the depths he had pushed it too.
With a heavy sigh he walked to the Library, casting furtive glances around him. He didn't want to see anyone from his past. He hoped that Ron had taken the hint and left. But he knew that Ron wouldn't do that. Draco knew he was well and truly caught.
And in a sense it was freeing. He no longer had the stigma of being found hovering over his head. They knew where he was at now. It was up to Harry to come to Draco, if he wanted too. Draco's one fear was that Ron was wrong, Harry couldn't still love him. With that heart-wrenching thought he opened the door to the Library and without even acknowledging Sam's gruff call of 'morning boss' he went to his office.
Draco sat behind his desk for hours, staring at the wall. He knew, deep in his heart, that he still loved Harry. But what he didn't know was how he was going to react when, if, he showed up.
A light knock on his closed office door drew his attention out of his troubled thoughts. His heart fluttered and he just knew that this was it.
"Mr. Foy," Sam called through the door, "there is someone here to see you."
Draco settled his shaking hands on the top of his clean desk and after a deep breath called for Sam to enter.
The door slowly opened and Draco couldn't stop himself from holding his breath. He couldn't see who was standing behind Sam and for a second he wished for his magic so that he could hex the old man out of the way. And then the person stepped into view and Draco let his breath out in a strangled gasp.
"Are you Mr. Draco Foy?" the cold voice of the uniformed man standing there broke into his scattered thoughts. He had been so sure that it was Harry standing there.
"Yes." He finally answered the man's question, his startled gaze still not believing what he was seeing.
"Mr. Foy, can you come down to the station to answer some questions for us?" The officer's face was expressionless and his voice toneless. He flipped out his wallet and Draco saw the police badge there.
Draco stared at the man in shock. "What?" Was the only thing he could think to say.
"Come to the station with us." The other man stated. Draco had almost missed seeing him, so short was he.
Draco slowly stood, "May I ask why?"
The short man asked, with a definite sneer to his face and voice, "do you know a Joseph Dulaney?"
"I do." Draco said as his stomach began to sink to the floor. "What is this about?"
"Your answers at the station." The first officer said as he waved his hand for Draco to go out the door before him.
In a daze Draco nodded and slowly straightened his desk before turning and donning his jacket. He walked towards the door and with a slight nod to Sam left with the two plain clothes officers. As he was about to get into the car he thought he heard his name called but when he looked, he saw no one he recognized.
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The second he got out of here he was going to kill Joe. And then he would have a real reason for being in this stupid cell. Joe had been found, unconscious, on the bathroom floor of the bar and had named Draco as his attacker the second he'd regained consciousness. With the funny looks that the two officers were sending him he knew that they didn't believe Joe's story. Joe had a good two inches and about fifty pounds of pure muscle on Draco. Though Draco wasn't exactly a lightweight he was more on the slender frame with hidden muscle.
Draco sighed for the fifth time in the last hour and leaned his head against the wall he was leaning on. At least this cell was clean, or so he hoped. The questioning, once he had figured out why he was there, had been ridiculous. He had been informed that he could counter-press charges against Joe but told the officer's that if Joe dropped his charges, Draco would not file any against him. He was sitting here waiting for the officers to get back with Joe's answer.
If the other man was smart he would drop the charges. It wasn't often that Draco had to contact his father and he would be damned if this was one of the few times that he did and it was not going to be used for this. Besides, they had found him. There really wasn't a reason to hide anymore. He hadn't been hiding per say, he had just never told anyone where he was living. As far as he knew not even his father knew where he was exactly.
A sound down the corridor brought him back to the predicament he was in. Draco didn't like being in this tiny cell, it reminded him to much of the times he had spent on the Astronomy Tower, alone, mourning the loss of a loved one that had been there the whole time if only he had opened his eyes, and heart, to see him. Harry had been there for him, even when Draco had screamed and raged at him, and what had he done? Left him. Draco had been the one to leave, not Harry. He just couldn't deal with it all. He had needed to get away. Knowing it was no excuse he had to be content with it being the only thing that he had to go on. He had been so overcome by everything that he felt as if he was ready to explode.
So, he had run. Because of Harry. For Harry. He had given up his magic and his life so that Harry could have his. And now that Ron had found him, he knew he couldn't run anymore. Draco wasn't even sure IF he wanted to run anymore. The nightmares and tears of the last weekend, added to being cooped up in this cell, had forced him to face many facts about himself. He was a coward being the first and foremost one. He was content to live here but he wasn't happy. Deep down he knew he needed Harry to make him happy. He could only hope and pray that Harry still wanted him.
Another noise pulled him from his thoughts and the second officer that had come to pick Draco up, he had not bothered to even try to remember their names, walked up to the cell. Draco eyed him before stating in a cold cultured tone, "well?"
With his distaste clear to see on his face the officer opened the cell door. "You are free to go, Mr. Foy."
Draco slowly stood and taking exaggerated care to brush non existent lint from his clothes, slowly walked from the cell. He was given back his belongings and after signing some papers, told he was free to go.
He stood outside the station on the steps for a few seconds. All the time in that cell had given him time to think. He now wasn't afraid if Harry came. He wanted him to come.
A cab stopped in front of the station to let someone off and Draco hurried to get it so that he could get back to the Library. As the man stepped out and turned to pay, Draco couldn't help but check him out. His heart leapt at the wavy dark brown hair and slim hips that he could see. Yes, he couldn't wait to see Harry.
He stopped dead in his tracks and his heart stopped beating as the man turned to face Draco.
"Hello, Draco." Harry said in a very quiet, controlled, voice.
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Here is the next to last chapter for this story. I do hope that everyone has enjoyed reading it as I have enjoyed writing it.
I want to thank each and every one of you readers that was patient with me. And those that were not too!
Please check out the co-authored story by me and Merlin. It's called 'Wishmasters' and it is now on my account. Also, the second part of 'The Place' is up and it is called 'The Room', let me know what you think about those two-will ya?
I want to thank each and every one of you readers that was patient with me. And those that were not too!
I hope that each of you that read my stories will be able to take something from it to help you. They say a great writer doesn't write for themselves but for those that read. I feel that I am one of those that do that.
Thank you again.
ENJOY!
LMG