Chapter 19

"Salute," said Sirius and all raised their glasses and clicked them together. "To Draco Malfoy, who's too stubborn for his own good."

"Sirius," hissed Harry as everyone chuckled. Even Draco had a smile on his face.

"Well, he is stubborn," said Sirius.

"It's all right, Harry," said Draco. "I am stubborn. It's part of my vanity. And you know how vane I am."

"To Draco," said Sirius lifting his glass.

"To Draco," said everyone and clicked glasses. Harry smiled at Draco beside him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Sirius, Harry, Molly and Arthur, Ginny, Blaise, Ron and Hermione were sitting around Sirius' living room, all with glasses of fruit juice. Molly wouldn't let them drink anything alcoholic while congratulating Draco's freedom from his parents. Draco had been amazed that the Weasleys had come but he guessed Harry persuaded Ron into it.

Molly had an arrangement of food for Draco's celebration, making everything from salad to glazed ham. They had soda, fruit juice and Sirius stashed a case of beer for the adults.

"Thanks you, everyone," said Draco smiling at the group. "I can't tell you how much this means to me. Thanks to you, I have a place to stay and people who care about me."

"Suck up," said Ron and everyone laughed, even Draco. Harry punched Ron in the arm hard enough to prove a point and soft enough to be friendly. The party went off like any other, through Harry and Sirius had it planned Draco played the good host and mingled among the guests. He kept his quips to Ron down to a minimum but only for Harry. Draco never saw what Harry did in Ron as a friend but he was trying to get along with the redhead, and with Hermione on his arm Ron had no choice but to be civil with Draco. So far no punches had been thrown.

"Hey, cuz, how're you doing?" asked Tonks walks up to Draco with a smile that seemed to glow. Draco smiles back at her.

"I'm doing fine," said Draco. "I somehow managed to make a good appearance."

He gestured to his clothes. Right after the trail Lucius had locked Draco out of the home. There was no way he could get to his things, but he didn't care. He was leaving that life behind. He was now wearing clothes given to him by Molly and Draco was polite in receiving them, but inwardly disgusted in wearing tacky hand-me-downs. But if there was one thing he learned from Harry it was to use what you were given. The only thing he did take back from his old life was his money in his bank accounts. He took out everything from his parents joined account and put it in a separate one for later use.

"You look smart," said Tonks plucking the light blue shirt Draco wore. "Very nice."

"Thank you," said Draco and looked up at his cousin. "But what about you? Are you all right?"

Tonks looked at him surprised. "I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"You're…well, you're glowing!"

Tonks face went red and she ducked her face to hide it. "You can tell?"

"Tell what?"

Tonks smiled. "Remus and I found out last week."

"Found out what?"

"Well, since you're going to live with us, you should know…"

"Know what?

Tonks' smile brightened. "I'm pregnant."

Draco eyes widen in surprise. "What?!"

"Shush!" Tonks looked around to see if anyone had heard but the rest of the group were busy talking among each other. "Remus and I don't want anyone to know yet."

"Wow, Tonks! Congratulations," said Draco and hugged her. "How far are you?"

"Six weeks. We want to be surprised on the gender."

"You should tell everyone."

"Remus is still getting used to the idea." She looked over at her husband worriedly. "I don't think he was expecting a baby, not this soon after getting married and with his job…."

"Either way it's a miracle," said Draco.

"It's weird," said Tonks placing a hand on her still flat stomach. "I've never thought about having a kid, not even when Remus proposed, and now…."

"It's happening," said Draco smiling at her. It was weird. This was the first time he had thought about Tonks as his cousin. Tonks smiled at him.

"Yeah, it's happening." She smiled brightened. "Like you and Harry."

Draco looked over at Harry who was talking to Ron about a game they had watched a few days ago. Harry was in a green shirt that complimented his eyes and blue jeans. Before he had always known that Harry was handsome, but had never actually looked at him till this year. Something about Harry pulled Draco to him. Like gravity.

"Yeah, like me and Harry," he said. With one last smile at her he walked over to Harry and Ron. "Hello, Harry. Weasley."

"Hey, Draco," said Harry smiling at his boyfriend wrapping an arm around Draco's waist.

"Malfoy."

"Are you enjoying yourselves?" asked Draco.

"Of course," said Harry. "Sirius said that if you wanted to stay over you could. Tonks and Remus don't mind."

Draco looked at Harry with surprised interest. "They really don't mind me staying over?"

Harry smiled at him. "No they don't," he said. Ron coughed as his face went red.

"I think I'll leave now before I hear something that I don't want to," he said and left. Draco chuckled as Ron joined Ginny with Fred and George.

"You love to tease him," said Harry smiling at Draco.

"Because it's so easy."

"You are an evil git," said Harry nudging Draco softly. Draco chuckled.

"And that's why you love me," said Draco. Harry smiled stay but his head turned away.

"Yeah, I do," he said. Draco frowned when Harry turned away.

"Harry, is something wrong?" he asked.

"No." Harry shook his head. "Nothing's wrong."

"Was it something I said?"

"No!" Harry looked at him surprised that Draco actually said those words. "Definitely not something you said, or did. It's not you."

"Then what's wrong?" Draco was glad the discussion was quiet and the rest of the party members were loud.

"What do you mean," asked Harry as the doorbell rang.

"Every time I say I love you, you either agree or say you too. Why?"

Harry breathed heavily; clearly disturbed on the subject Draco was getting into. Draco knew there were things in Harry's life Harry wasn't ready to tell Draco and this was one of them. Draco knew Harry loved him, on that he had no doubt, but the reason why Harry didn't tell Draco he did was a mystery to him.

"Draco, someone here to see you," said Sirius. His voice sounded agitated. Draco stayed by Harry, searching his boyfriend's face for an answer.

"I'll tell you later," said Harry smiling weakly. Draco gave him a disappointing look before walking to the door. The moment he knew it was he knew the reason for Sirius' agitation.

"Father," he said stopping shot or the door.

"Draco," said Lucius as he took in Draco and his second hand clothes. "You look horrible."

"According to my friends, I look fine," said Draco crossing his arms.

"Want me to stay," asked Sirius behind him. Draco shook his head.

"No, I'll be fine," he said. Sirius nodded and backed off, but Draco knew he was keeping a close eye on Lucius. "What do you want?"

"For you to come home and stop this frivolous rebellion," said Lucius. Draco's eyes flashed in anger.

"You come here after I assert my independence and order me back like I was a good little soldier? I don't think so."

"Please don't argue, Draco. We need you back."

"As a son or heir?" Draco crossed his arms.

"Does it matter?"

"Yeah, it does. I feel more at home here with this band of misfits then I ever did with you and Narcissa."

Lucius' eyes flash this time. "Have some respect, boy. She is still your mother."

"I stopped calling Narcissa "mother" when I was seven and you both stopped being parents," said Draco.

"You would rather stay with these miscreants and that boy then be with your flesh and blood?"

"Technically, Tonks is my cousin and Sirius is Narcissa's cousin, so I'm good on the family bit. And unlike you, they actually want me around." He had hoped Luicus wanted him back and understood his feelings about Harry. He actually hoped his father had changed but like everything in Draco's life, Lucius screwed it up.

Draco didn't know the room had gone quiet behind him till he closed the door. Turning around he saw the group watching him, including Romulus. Most of them were quiet except Harry, Sirius and Tonks were smiling at him.

"What?" he asked.

It was Harry who applauded first, followed by Blaise, then Tonks and soon the whole room was clapping. Draco felt he stepped into a vortex but he didn't care. He had never been as happy as he was now.

They walked over and congratulated him, the adults shaking his hand and clapping his shoulders. The women hugged him and Harry softly kissed his forehead. For the first time since he was seven years old, Draco felt like he was a part of a family.

XXXXXXXXX

Harry smiled as he was Draco from across the room. Ho longer was the blonde walking on eggshells. Now he was as much at ease around Hermione and Ginny as he was with Blaise. Ron was the only exception. Right then he was talking to Hermione about the preconception of the Dark Ages on the supernatural.

"All right, everyone," said Molly. "Time to go home."

"But, Mum, it's the weekend," said Ginny.

"You'll see them tomorrow," said Molly fathering her group. "Come on. Let's go."

"I'll taker Hermione home, Mum," said Ron.

"Very well, Ron. Remus, about time you went home as well. That dog of yours is anxious and Tonks is half asleep."

All glanced at Tonks who was laying her head against the side of the couch, Romulus laid next to her feet and an empty glass of fruit juice on the coffee table.

"You're right, Molly," said Remus. "We should be going."

Remus softly shook Tonks, who woke with a start but quietly composed herself and agreed it was time to leave. The group left in high spirits, Molly not saying anything about Draco staying the night. When they all left Sirius stayed long enough to help clean up before leaving to go clubbing with a friend.

"He's out more often now," said Draco as he and Harry washed and dried dishes. Harry washed and Draco dried. "I take it he and his 'friend' are on good terms."

"Very good terms, if Sirius' face was any indication," said Harry with a smile. Draco smiled back, more because of Harry then Sirius. Draco noticed in the time he spent in the Black-Potter house that when Sirius was happy Harry was, and vice versa. The two were connected in such a way that Draco's love for Harry only scratched the surface.

Draco's smile fade as a memory from several hours ago came to you. "You never answered my question," he said. "Why won't you say it? Why won't you say you love me?"

Harry stopped washing a pot and just stared into the dishwater. Draco wondered what he was thinking. It must have been serious by the crease on his brow. Finally Harry sighed, put the pot down, dried his hands and sat on a chair. After drying his hands Draco sat on the chair next to him.

"The first people to love me, my parents, died trying to save me," said Harry look at his hands. "Killed by Riddle. The first person I said I love you to was Cedric, and he died pushing me out of the way of a speeding car. Ordered to kill me by Riddle. The ones I love die because of me."

"No!" Draco grabbed Harry's hands, gripping them hard making Harry gasp. "Riddle killed them. Don't you think otherwise?"

"He wants something. Something he thinks I have but I don't know what it is!"

"What could it be?" asked Draco. Harry shook his head and wrung his hands.

"I don't know!"

Catching one of Harry's hands Draco reached up and gently cupped Harry's cheek. "Don't worry, Harry. I'm here. And I'm not leaving."

"You should," said Harry and Draco looked at him in surprise. "You should leave now. Go back to Tonks and Remus. Like it was at the beginning of the year. Just hating each other."

"I'm never going back to that," said Draco and took Harry's face in his hands, forcing Harry to look at him. "Harry, I know you, the real you, was the best thing that happened to me. I would never change it for the world."

"But I'm a walking death trap…"

"And I'm an evil git who can't stay away for a minute." Harry's lips pulled into a small smile. Draco smiled a little. "Made you smile. Harry, I remember how you were after Diggory died. You were as wreck, a shell of a person. And I still don't know what snapped you out of it."

"Sirius, he said I should do something to avenge Cedric instead of staying in a living hell. I did. I applied for a part time internship at the agency. Supposedly a mail boy. I learned how to use a gun, martial arts, anything I needed to know how to survive. I wanted to be prepared."

Draco softly touched Harry's face, watching his boyfriend's face. Harry was a mass of emotion, sadness, dear, anxiety. Draco didn't know how Harry wasn't falling apart.

"Harry, I don't want to hear you say you love me. I know you do. As you still love your parents and Diggory. Sirius knows you love him, and the Weasleys and Granger and the Lupins…You don't have to tell us. We know."

"Draco…" started Harry but Draco cut him off with a kiss. Harry sighed in surprised but returned it.

"Come," said Draco pulling away. "Let's go to bed."

"But the dishes…"

"Sirius can do them, when he gets back." Draco smiled and took Harry's hand. "Come on, Harry. The night is still young and we have a lot to do."

The look on Draco's face told Harry exactly what Draco wanted to do and Harry smiled in agreement.

"You're right. We have a lot to do."

TBC