Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to the amazing JK Rowling, and sadly, not me.

Thank you to my beta, HPalto87.

A/N: I've got a new story in my LJ, an nc-17 HD one-shot that's too pwp for The link to my LJ is in my profile.

Also, thank you to all my reviewers, you guys make me happy!

---

6

Harry had become captivated by Draco's letter. He was amazed that his boyfriend- no, ex-boyfriend- was able to recollect their relationship in such detail.

He hated the way it was all laid out for him, however. Everything they had been through during the war was right in front of him. Everything they had gone through just to be together. It was so hard back then, but they had been so determined, so confident in their love for one another.

It was horrible that they had to end it all like this. 'We were so in love.' Harry thought. He was beginning to doubt his decision. Harry pushed these pesky thoughts aside and continued reading until one line caught his attention.

Somehow you had managed to work your way into my life. I had to know more about you. It was like I hadn't known you at all for the past five years. And I hadn't really. I had never bothered to get to know you.

Harry sighed. 'You still don't know me, Draco,' he thought. Harry had thought they had made such improvement over the last six years, but it turned out that they didn't know each other as well as they thought. They still had secrets, and they still didn't completely know what the other was capable of.

For example, Harry was unaware that Draco was capable of attacking the person he supposedly loved in public.

Harry returned to the letter.

you could be dy- you-
I might never see your smile again. Your bright green eyes. You might never again hold me close; kiss me on the cheek, neck, lips. I may never taste the sweetness of your warm mouth on mine again. I can't do this.
Merlin, Harry, I need you to wake up.

He couldn't do this. He just couldn't keep reading. He suddenly realized that he would never again be the one to make Draco smile. They would never again lay together at night, staring into each other's eyes. He wouldn't ever feel Draco's arms around him, or his lips on his…

No, Harry couldn't think about that. Draco had hurt him. They had hurt each other, really.

'Just because Draco felt this way at some point doesn't mean he still does.' Harry reminded himself. He wanted to cry. He wanted to comfort Draco and hex him into oblivion at the same time. He wanted… well, he really wasn't sure what he wanted.

Up until recently, Harry hadn't been able to picture a life without Draco. Ever since they had secretly begun to spend time together at Hogwarts, he hadn't been able to imagine loving anyone else. But when Oliver came back into his life… and the jealousy…

Merlin. It was just too much.

Harry removed his tear-stained glasses and placed them on the cluttered desk. He dropped his head to his hands and tried to convince himself that it was all going to be okay, with or without Draco.

When Harry thought about the first four years they had been together, he felt like he could give this another chance. From their start at Hogwarts, all through the war, through Harry's stay at St. Mungo's, and through Draco's Death Eater trial, they had stood by each other. They supported each other while they tried to convince the wizarding world that they really were in love, and it wasn't a trick this time. The years after that were happy ones.

This last year, however, had been emotionally draining on them both. They had always been able to work through their problems, but ever since last Halloween, it had all been very… strained.

No, it wouldn't work. It really was over now.

---

flashback

Halloween had been horrible. It just showed that both boys were unwilling to make sacrifices for the other. It proved that they didn't fit into each other's worlds. Harry would never be comfortable within the upper-class, pureblood society of the wizarding world, and Draco would never be able to look past money and bloodlines to accept the people Harry considered family.

They were both just so stubborn!

The day after Halloween Harry and Draco barely spoke to one another. Eventually, Harry couldn't stand it anymore. Rather than try to talk about the situation with his boyfriend, like he knew he should, he flooed to Ron and Hermione's place.

He stood in the study for a moment, but when no one greeted him, he began wandering around the house, looking for his friends. He knew that he was the only person Hermione and Ron would allow to do that.

"Hermione? Ron?" He called, brushing the soot from the floo off.

Hermione's voice floated down the stairs. "In the baby's room!"

Harry followed the voice to the pink, frilly room at the top of the stairs. Hermione was holding a crying 2-month-old Penelope in one hand and trying to clean up spilled baby powder with the other. She had her hair tied back in a messy bun, her clothes were stained with baby food, and she looked like she hadn't slept in a week.

Harry took the baby from her and rocked her in his arms. He began talking and cooing to her, and eventually she calmed.

Hermione finished cleaning up the baby powder and left the room to change her shirt. Harry sat in the rocking chair, hugging his goddaughter close.

"It's amazing how much you are loved, Penny," he said. "I hope you never have to feel hurt like I am now. I wish I could protect you from making these sort of mistakes in life. I can try, anyway."

Hermione came back and smiled. "Now there's a wonderful sight," she said. "Someone other than me taking care of the baby. Merlin knows I love her, but I'm stuck in the house all the time and, well, I just get so restless."

"I can take care of her once in a while," Harry offered.

"I know, but you're always busy with Draco and work," Hermione said.

"I can make time. She's important," Harry replied.

"Thanks," Hermione said.

"When do you go back to work?" Harry asked. "I'm sure St. Mungo's is suffering without their top researcher."

While Harry had been in St. Mungo's, Hermione had been inspired by the Medi-Wizards. This was a place full of new things for her to learn, after all. She went through the Medi-Wizard training, but decided that the hands-on approach wasn't for her. She now worked in the research department, coming up with new magical remedies to help the patients. It was difficult work, but rewarding.

Hermione smiled. "I'm not the top researcher. Not yet, anyway. And I go back part-time next month."

Penelope was falling asleep in Harry's arms, so he carefully placed her in the crib. Hermione turned the baby monitor on and they left the room quietly.

Harry followed Hermione to the kitchen, where she began to make tea.

"Ron's been working non-stop all week, I've had no help with Penelope at all," Hermione explained. "This whole Quidditch strike is driving the Magical Games department mad!"

"It's a shame, the professional teams are probably going to lose some good players over this," Harry said.

"It's a shame that it's forcing my husband to work all the time!" Hermione replied. "Honestly, Harry, Quidditch is fun and all, but there are more important things. Ron has a family to take care of now. I… I really need him here… Maybe I'm being selfish, but I just want the strike to end so I can have my husband back."

Harry wasn't sure what to say to that.

Just after Penelope was born, there had been a horrible Quidditch accident at a rather big match, in which both seekers and a chaser got seriously injured. Ever since that match, Q.U.A.B.B.L.E, the Quidditch union, had initiated a strike among the players, demanding better compensation for injury and better working conditions. Several players had already threatened to leave if the demands were not met. The Department of Magical Games and Sports, where Ron worked, was having a difficult time negotiating with the teams.

So, at a time when Hermione needed him the most, Ron was stuck at work all day. Each night, he came home late to sleep, then went back to the Ministry early in the morning. Both he and Hermione hated the situation, but they needed the money. If Ron tried to take the time off during this disaster, there was a great risk him of getting fired. Harry had offered to give them money, but they refused to accept it. He had put the money in a vault at Gringotts for Penelope instead. It would pay for her Hogwarts education when the time came.

Hermione sighed heavily. She poured the tea and placed one of the cups in front of Harry, who obligingly took a sip.

"So why are you here, anyway?" Hermione asked.

Harry looked away from her. "Draco and I… we're not… well, you know what happened last night."

Hermione nodded. Harry had gone directly to the Burrow from the Zabini mansion, and told his friends what had happened. They all agreed that Draco was being an arse, but Ginny had pointed out that Harry was being just as stubborn.

Hermione took Harry's hand. "Did you talk to him about it?"

"He won't listen," Harry replied.

"You tried, though, didn't you?" she pushed.

"Well, yes, but…" Harry started.

"But what?" Hermione was growing impatient. Ginny was right about them both being stubborn!

"Well, I didn't exactly try very hard," Harry mumbled.

"Harry! You can't expect all your problems to just fix themselves!" Hermione scolded.

"Well, why do I have to be the one to apologize? It's his fault, after all!" Harry exclaimed.

"It's partly your fault too. You're just as stubborn as he is! Can't you two put your pride aside for one minute? You love each other. You can work this out if you just try," Hermione insisted.

There was silence for a moment. Harry sipped at his tea and didn't look at his friend.

"What if we can't?" Harry said softly.

"I have confidence that you can. Love requires sacrifice, but it's worth it. I think this is a situation where you both need to realize that," Hermione said.

They finished tea, and Hermione sent Harry home with instructions to sit down and talk to Draco.

Which he did.

It had been difficult, but the two lovers had been able to talk through the situation, with only a little bit of accusatory yelling. Somehow, they managed to apologize, to find a half-way point. Everything wasn't fixed yet, but they loved each other enough, and they figured they could just make the rest up as they went along.

It would all work out eventually, right?