Srry for the long wait, things been a little off lately, I hope to have the next chapter soon, before I pack up all my computers and move… don't want to leave u hanging too long.

LP

Chapter thirteen:
To Dry Her Eyes

Draco stared down at the blushing blonde, who he still held within his tight embrace. He didn't know what to make of what had just happened. Except for that she had kissed him.

But why had she, he wanted to know. He waited till her gaze lifted to meet his and he studied her flushed cheeks.

But she wouldn't speak, wouldn't tell him why. And he was too much of a coward to ask. He didn't think he could handle hearing that it was just a kiss of gratitude.

He valued her friendship too much, to question it. But there were times, when he hoped for more. It was silly.

He was older than her, her being barely an adult now, didn't need an emotional wreck like him hanging onto her. But he feared that day, when she would leave. When she finally decided it was time to move on, and live her life to the fullest.

What would he do?

He couldn't simply just go back to his lonely solitude. He'd enjoyed her company too much, longed for their nightly talks. Longed to see her smile, to hear her laugh.

How could he live without that?

He would do anything to keep that, to hold onto those memories. Even if it meant they would be just friends. He felt like a foolish old man. Longing for a child, and yet she held him like a woman would.

Draco touched her cheek and smiled. But he stepped away, letting her go. He went back to the counter, putting his back to her, as he returned to making their dinner. He would not make her think, he expected sex in return for helping her. Like her friends had told her he would.

All he wanted, was to see her happy.

"Would you set the table," he asked. She didn't answer, but he heard her moving about the kitchen, getting plates and cups and silverware for their dinner.

When she neared him, to get the napkins, Draco stopped her by touching her arm. Dropping the knife, he turned towards her.

She wouldn't look at him and he realized that he must have hurt her feelings. When he had only wanted to appear civilized, he had come out more brutal by ignoring her feelings. And ignoring his own.

"Serena," he said her name and she looked up then, her eyes filled with unshed tears, tears she refused to let go. Saddened, that he had hurt her, he leaned down and kissed her eyelids, and tasted the salty tears she shed because of him. They were bitter, but he hoped to change that.

Draco made sure to kiss her other eyelid, taking away her tears. And then he kissed her lips, not lingering long, but just enough to show her, that he wished to stay.

When he drew back, he held her startled gaze. "Don't cry," he begged her. "Not because of me. I want you to be happy Serena. And I hope you can be, with me."

Her bottom lip trembled, but to his word, no tears came. She nodded, and her trembling lips broke out into a warm smile. "Of course Draco," she shouted and threw her arms around him.

He laughed, his arms encircling her waist as he drew her off her feet. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else," she admitted in the crook of his neck.

Warmth filled his heart, and he swung her around, his arms holding her in a tight hug. "And neither would I," he said in return.

When he finally set her back down on her feet, they were both smiling. The tension that had fallen on them was lifted. "Now that dinner is almost finish," he began. But he didn't have to say more.

Serena danced away from his arms, and grabbed the napkins. "Then I will finish setting the table," she said with a grin, and hurried back to the adjoining dinning room.

----

The weeks that followed her birthday, were the best weeks, he had ever had. August had turned out to be a very hot month, the sun's heat, making the temperatures rise up into the nineties.

Today, both Serena and himself lingered inside the house, even though as the sun began to set, the temperature was slowly cooling to a much more comfortable heat. It was going to be a warm night, but Draco wasn't in the mood to care about the heat flux.

Instead, while he held his recent book, he watched from the corner of his eyes, as Serena drew. They were huddled on his couch, before the muggle TV, which of course was blank.

She had her legs curled beneath her and her sketch book laying in her lap. With her right hand, she sketched with the new drawing pencils he had bought her just the other day.

From his angle, he couldn't see what she was drawing, but their was determination in her expression as she focused on her art.

But that wasn't what held him distracted tonight. No, tonight he thought about the last two letters Harry had sent him. Harry was begging him to stop using magic, to stop spending. That he needed to be cautious.

The last letter, the one he had received last night after Serena had gone to bed, held his attention. The Ministry knew where he was.

Harry had written it would only be days, before they arrived. Harry had told him he needed to leave now.

But he couldn't. And he wouldn't.

If he chose to leave, Serena would want to come with him. She had already told him once, she would follow him anywhere. And he would gladly take her with him.

But she had a life here, he had argued with himself. She has friends, and memories, not all bad, in this city. He didn't want to take her away from that.

That was why he had written Harry, saying he couldn't. He had written, he was sorry for all the trouble he had caused, but he was in no shape to leave.

Draco sighed, his eyes falling shut as his mind warred within his head. But if the ministry came for him, what would happen to her. More than likely they would Obliviate her memory.

She would forget everything about him. And then she would be back in that hell hole, living her youth all over again. He couldn't let that happen.

Serena looked up from her drawing, her head tilting towards him. "Draco, what-" she was cut off, by the sudden pop.

She shrieked, but Draco had been ready for it. Despite his torn thoughts, despite the distraction, he had been waiting for their arrival.

Draco pushed Serena to the floor before the couch, all the while getting to his feet to meet the arrival. And he wasn't disappointed by who stood in his living room.

"Potter," he said aloud, his body relaxing, but only some. Standing behind the couch and not far from the front door, Harry Potter straightened his robes with a huff.

"Bloody hell," the man growled, his face twisted in a grimace. The man's black hair had grown some over the years, but only to the point that it curled over the collar of his robes at the back of his neck. Bright green eyes, once filled with frustration and anger, glared at Draco through wire rimmed glasses.

"You better be careful, Potter," he teased the other man. "You're starting to sound just like me."

"I doubt it," Harry shot back, and crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes left Draco, and inspected the living room he had just apparated into. "Love what you have done to the place," he mused aloud. "Now, I came from all the way from England, to see what the hell is keeping you here."

Again, the man looked around. "Can't say I see much," he said.

Serena must have tried to peek out behind the couch, or something, because suddenly, Harry's gaze singled her out, even though she was down on the ground and out of his eye sight. "Who is that," Harry asked, trying to get a good look.

Harry stepped forward, rounding the couch and stopped when he towered over the young blonde. "Oh well now it all makes sense," Harry mutter. "Malfoy, just because you have a girlfriend, doesn't mean you should allow yourself to get caught!"

"The Ministry will be here soon, you'll be lucky, they don't just kill you on the spot," Harry continued to rage.

"Wait," Serena said and hurried to get to her feet. "The Ministry. You mean the one that's after you?"

Serena looked from him, to Harry, and then back again. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked. "We need to get you out of here, before they find you." She whirled around, racing towards the front door. "I'll call for Hegwig, she shouldn't be far," she said and slipped out through the front door, before he could stop her.

"See," Harry exclaimed, waving his arm at the girl. "Even she understands the dire situation!"

"Harry," Draco said softly. "I need to ask you a favor."

Harry paused in his tirade on how Draco was being completely astute and that he needed to get his head out of arse and take a look around once and a while. "I know I'm not in the right position to ask you this, but I could really use a friend's help," Draco continued. He was playing on Harry's loyalty to his friends, in hopes the man would forget the fact that he had already given Draco a favor.

"Of course," Harry replied. "What is it?"

Draco sighed, his head falling forward so that his chin rested against his collar bone. "Serena is the reason why I couldn't leave," he said at last. "I cant leave her behind, but I cant take her with me. All I'm asking you, is please look after her."

"What are you saying," Harry asked him.

Lifting his head, Draco stared at the one man, who had given him friendship, when everybody else had given him scorn. "I'm not going back into hiding," he answered. "When the Ministry comes, they can do to me, whatever they please. But I need you to make sure, Serena is kept safe. She can't go back to the life she had. She's barely survived it so far.

"Please Harry, please make sure Serena is able to grow up living the life, neither of us were given."

Harry's expression was one of confusion, but the man nodded. "Of course," he said in reply.

But before the man could say anymore, there were several loud pops that filled his living room, startling the two.

Looking around, Draco stared at the end of five different wands. At the other end of each wand, were five well trained Aurors, ready to either curse him, or haul him off to Azkaban.

"Harry, what is the meaning of this," Mad Eye Moody snarled.

At first, Harry didn't answer, but then slowly his head dropped, defeat slumping his shoulders. Harry wanted him to still try and run.

"I was sent a letter from Malfoy, in which he was surrendering," Harry spoke carefully. "I came here, alone, in hopes of bringing him back, without any harm."

There was no argument. But being the savior of the Wizarding World, gave him that kind of political power.

The door behind Harry, suddenly opened and Serena stepped inside. She gasped, her eyes widening. "Draco," she called and tried to run to him. But Harry held her back.

Draco looked to the floor, his gaze hollow. "I'm ready," he said and held out his arms.

He only looked up once to look at her. He was flagged on all sides by the Aurors, as they bound him and got ready to lead him back to be sentenced.

He held her gaze steady as he waited to be hauled off. "Its okay Serena," he said to her in a soft voice, not wanting them to hear. "Harry will make sure you're taken care of."

"But I don't want to be taken care of," she cried, her eyes swollen with tears. "I just want to be with you."

His gaze fell away, as he felt tears of his own fill his eyes. "Keep your promise Potter," he warned the dark haired man, who still kept Serena from running to him.

"I will," Harry replied. "I will keep all of my promises."

"Lets go," Moody growled and gave Draco a shove out the door.

"Draco!" Serena cried, struggling against Harry's restraining arms. "Draco no!"

Draco didn't look back at her. He couldn't stand to see the tears he caused her. He had never wanted to make her cry, to be the cause of her sadness. But it seemed, he hadn't changed all that much from the boy he used to be after all.