Hello again...sorry for the late update. I've had alot of work at the moment and I haven't been feeling that well but now i'm back and here's the next chapter. Reviews are always welcome, enjoy :)

Chapter 8 The Truth

The argument had been going on all morning. My voice was already sore from repeating the same question.

"Why do you have to go?"

"Because I do, it's a work thing. If I had a choice I would choose not to go but I don't."

That was Draco's reply every time. I didn't believe that he didn't have a choice. Everyone has a choice. I needed more information so I changed my tactics.

"So...who are you taking as your plus one," I said too casually.

Draco looked at me then answered, "Well I was going to ask you but seeing as you're totally against the idea of me going I was kind of thrown off and now I don't know."

I knew he was lying and would have still asked me. I wanted to go and yet I didn't. My opinion of Harry and Ginny's relationship wasn't very positive. She had stolen from me the one person I could have. But now my opinion was below zero. She, the ginger, was getting married to my ex-husband not even a year after we divorced. I understood that they were having a child together but that doesn't mean they had to flaunt it by getting married. Harry knew I wanted children and he also knew that I wanted to grow old with someone I loved. I couldn't understand it. And to top it all off, Draco had been invited to the wedding. And Harry also knew that I was close to Draco and would be affected by the invitation. I'd bet the elder wand that it was Ginny's idea to invite him.

"I'm sorry. It's just hard for me because of the divorce and stuff."

"I surprisingly do understand. What I don't understand is why you always bring these situations back to yourself," Draco said, turning around quickly from the death stare I gave him.

"I don't bring them back to myself. You have no idea what it's been like for these past few months," I argued.

"Actually I know quite well what it's been like for you-"

I cut him off by saying, "you may have been my friend for the whole time but you weren't inside my head. You don't know the thoughts that came into my head."

Draco turned to face me and I saw true pain in his eyes. He looked like his heart had been ripped out and dangled in front of him as torture. He didn't seem capable of words. Our eyes met, a smoke screen seemed to have clouded his vision as he didn't seem able to focus.

"What's wrong," I asked softly.

I reached out my hand tentatively, intending to touch his shoulder, but the look he gave me made me freeze.

"What's wrong, you ask. WHAT'S WRONG," he stepped back and took a deep breath. "After the battle of Hogwarts my life was terrible. My parents intended for me to stay in hiding in case Death eaters came searching for the ones that didn't fight for Voldemort that were meant to be true supporters. Everyone was saying how Potter was a hero and we should bow down to him. I felt like I had no purpose, no soul inside me. It was like living with a Dementor. While I was locked away I began to think and to change myself. Everything about myself reminded me of darker times and I hated it. When I was alone I began to plan how to escape from myself and the world I was held prisoner in.

"What's this got to do with..." I fell back into silence and let him carry on with the story.

Draco sat down at the kitchen table and thought for a moment before regaining his voice.

"One day I got a visitor, which was very rare. She said that she was here to help so we talked. A few days before, I had sent out patronus' with a message of help and she had found one. After this first meeting she kept coming back and we became very close though these meetings were few as my parents were mostly there. But after a while we devised a plan and I managed to escape. I thought this moment was going to be where we ran off together into the sunset together."

"But it wasn't?" I interrupted again, not being able to keep quiet.

"No," Draco whispered. Then he began again. "We spent time lying low as she also knew about the threat of the death eaters. We spent time in busy muggle cities so it would be hard to find us. Um...as I said before, we became close and in the end we got together. Life was hard but being with her was worth it. Then it all went wrong. One night they came, the Death eaters took Sally. That was her name. I went to find her and I did. When I got to the place she was at I found out that it was a trap and she had just been lying to me to gain my trust. I managed to get away but I was a wreck. I had just enough strength to apparate to England, where the Death eaters would not and could not come. When I arrived I began my life again and tried not to look back."

I stood in silence, lost for words. His story was so upsetting and yet he stood before me like he was made of stone. My problems where nothing compared to this. I felt so bad for all the times I'd complained about my life when all the while Draco had suffered much worse.

"What did you do when you got to England?" I asked softly.

"I found a cheap room in Diagon Alley. I got some gold out from Gringotts but after a couple of weeks the gold began to thin so I went looking for jobs. I tried everywhere in Diagon Ally but there was nothing so I went to the Ministry of Magic. Most of the jobs needed qualifications that I didn't have. I started at being the Daily Prophet seller and worked my way up. I got promoted to assistant for the head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, and that's where I've stayed. When I was first welcomed into the Ministry of Magic there was a lot of people against me. I remember my first day at being an assistant. Most people avoided me and spoke loudly when I passed about letting any worthless person join the Ministry. Potter tried to get me fired on more than one occasion but it never happened."

I stepped forwards and took a seat next to Draco. Many things streamed into my head but no words of wisdom stuck out. I wanted to apologise for everything I had said and done though it didn't feel enough. Some one that had suffered so much had been putting up with my stupid problems.

We stared at each other for a long while. The silence between us didn't feel awkward; it was more sadness and understanding the other through silent observation. Draco and I suddenly jumped from our seats as giant silvery dragon flew through the wall and came to rest on the table.

It turned its shimmering head and spoke to Draco in a harsh voice. We are coming! The creature suddenly transformed into an eagle. The wispy eagle stared at him them began to burn, its cry of pain muffled by the crackling flames. As this process went on the words reverberated round the room. We are coming, we are coming, we are coming.