First of all, a massive apology for the late update of this - the final chapter of Guardians! I've been very busy over Christmas and not had any chance to get around to updating but now.. Here it is! A massive, massive, massive thank you to all those I always thank for reviewing this story, it has been lovely to know so many people have enjoyed reading the story I've written!

To make up for the lateness of this final post, I have also completed the first chapter of my newest multi-chapter fic "". It will be uploaded today, probably not long after I've uploaded this chapter so, if you've enjoyed Guardians as much as I have, please head over to my page and check out my new story. :)

Once again a big thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed, making all the time spent writing this worthwhile.

Chapter Nine

Next Time

Harry soon found himself engulfed by the whirlwind which was Molly Weasley. He had always known the fierce maternal instincts she had but he didn't think he'd ever seen anything like the look on the witches face when he told her of his plans for a birthday party, fuelled by the guilt of the promise he made on Teddy's previous birthday. She had planned, sent invites and baked one of the most impressive cakes Harry had ever seen. Harry had only found himself intervening when plans had been made to hold the party at The Burrow – he had found himself nervous enough at the prospect of inviting Draco and he didn't think that holding the event in a stronghold of Weasley's, however much Draco had changed since the war, would give much hope toward his attendance.

An evening a week before Teddy's birthday Draco brought the young boy back to Gimmuald Place after spending the night with him. As always Teddy hugged Harry fiercely as he opened the door then turned to hug Draco just as fiercely in goodbye before running through the door and disappearing. As soon as his cousin had disappeared Draco turned on his heal, barely gracing Harry with a nod as he said "goodnight, Potter."

"Wait!" Harry called, then instantly cursed himself for the high-pitched, strangled tone in which the word left his lips. It wasn't like he was telling Draco anything yet, merely inviting him to the party. He had originally planned to do so via owl and then told himself to pick up his supposed Gryffindor courage and actually talk to Draco face to face. After all, if he could bring himself to offer a simple invite in person, how could he hope to achieve the intimacy of a conversation where he could explain the tangled emotions of his mind?

Draco turned back on the spot, his eyebrow arched in questioning. As always his face was impassive, his eyes void of any emotion and his lips set into a slim, firm line. "Yes?"

"It's Teddy's birthday next Saturday." He stated then berated himself for stating the obvious. "Well, you know that, obviously, but what I mean is I'm throwing a birthday party for him. He deserves a happy birthday after last year…" Harry paused uncomfortably, swallowing the emotions that particular thought always gave him before he continued "and, well, it would make him much happier if you came, obviously." Harry knew his words were clumsy and awkward and it was all he could do not to kick himself. If he tripped over his words simply inviting him to the party, he would never be able to master the elegance and eloquence an apology to Draco would undoubtedly require.

Malfoy paused, genuine surprise appearing to flicker through his careful mask for just a moment, before he once again tightened his expression and nodded. "You'll owl me the details?" He asked.

"Of course." Harry replied, a little too eagerly, but found himself unable to hold back his tone. True, Draco hadn't been overcome with gratitude about the invitation and, well, he hadn't exactly accepted it, but he hadn't downright refused Harry's offer either. In return Draco merely nodded and turned once again to walk away. This time Harry let him go, closing the door behind him with a genuine smile as he bounded up the stairs after Teddy, in search of a hug from his godson and, importantly, a quill, parchment and ink.

After he had found Teddy had already happily settled himself back into his bedroom and was playing what appeared to be a complicated imaginary game involving his stuffed dragon, a toy kneazle and an chocolate frog packet he had declared 'the goblins gold' he slipped away to his study in search of what he needed to send the details of the party to Draco.

He eagerly dipped his quill into the ink and scrawled;

Saturday 21st April, 1pm. Surprise birthday party here at Grimmuald Place.

He hesitated; his quill hovered above the parchment for so long it cast a blob of ink down onto the page which made Harry swear under his breath as he vanished the stain away with his wand. Giving himself the kick of confidence he needed, he continued;

Feel free to bring a guest.

Harry

He told himself, in his logical mind, that if Draco brought his assistant – whose name Harry still did not know, and did not care to know – that the speculations in the Prophet were true and that Harry had no hope, anyway. Although he knew deep down that even if Draco did turn up with a guest, that wouldn't stop Hermione from forcing Harry on him anyway.

He went to seek out his owl, glancing at his watch as he did so. He realised then that only half an hour had passed. Draco would, of course, arrived home instantly thanks to apparition but the speed of Harry's invitation would give away more of the eagerness Harry had shown at the door… And who was to say Draco would even be alone? He could be spending the night with his assistant which would further humiliate Harry's eagerness when the owl arrived.

Firmly telling himself he was being an idiot Harry went to his owl's perch and securely attached the note to its leg. He offered an owl treat as thanks for the journey and received an affectionate nibble of the bird's beak in return. Harry watched as the elegant wings spread out into the night sky then turned away from the window in search of Teddy and the distraction he would bring.

He had, not long later, just finished changing Teddy for bed and had settled him in the covers with a promise of a real story – Teddy had suddenly become fond of real stories about Harry's life rather than the books that lined his shelves and Harry was all too happy to oblige him, with some details carefully omitted, of course – when a tap at the window took him by surprise. His owl had already returned and, by the looks of the parchment attached to its leg, had a reply.

Harry jumped to the window to let the bird in, impatiently freeing the note from its leg. The response was short, and offered Harry no clue as to Draco's relationship with his assistant, but it made Harry smile all the same.

I'll be there.

Harry folded the note and slipped it into his pocket and saw that Teddy was watching him keenly as he made his way back to his bed.

"Who's that from?" He asked as Harry sat beside him.

"Draco."

Teddy looked up at Harry's face, eyeing him carefully as he smiled. "Are you friends again?" He asked, offering Harry a smile in return.

Harry didn't question how his godson had picked up on the indifference between him and Draco – they had always been perfectly civil to each other when Teddy was around – but smiled at his ability to read adult situations. "I don't know, Ted. I hope so." He answered truthfully, tucking his arm around his godson.

"Me too." Teddy replied, nestling his head into the crook of Harry's arm. Harry said nothing, smiled softly although Teddy's position meant he could not see it, and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of his head. "What story would you like?"

"One about my daddy and your daddy, when they were at school," he requested, already sleepy enough that the story would need to be a short one if the tone of his voice was anything to judge by. Harry's smile grew broader in response; of course, these stories were nothing more to Harry than stories themselves, tales he know felt would be passed on through the generations – from Lupin and Sirius to him, from him to Teddy. He knew how much comfort the stories of his father had brought to him when Sirius and Lupin had offered them to him and he was happy to be able to offer the same to Teddy.

"Well, at Hogwarts, as you already know they had a special map which showed the whole school and everyone in it…"

The Saturday of Teddy's birthday dawned a bright, clear and sunny day. Harry smiled to himself, hoping that the weather was an omen for the day ahead. Even if it wasn't, the sunny weather meant that the doors at the back of the kitchen could be opened up and that the party could be stretched out onto the garden. As Harry looked out of the window to the large, yet narrow expanse of grass behind number 12, he smiled to himself as he remembered the day he and Draco had begun to clear it when Teddy had requested the chance to play outside. It had been overgrown and unattractive and had provided quite the challenge. Kreacher had almost gone crazy when he caught them working away and demanded they leave him to do the 'job the proper elf must do for his masters'. As the memory began to fade away Harry frowned with longing, but forced the feelings away. Today he would find a moment to talk with Draco, to offer his apology and – if he could summon the courage – his feelings. If Draco arrived with a guest, if Draco accepted his apology, if Draco returned his feelings… They were all ifs and Harry had no power over them; all he could do was deliver the words he had already carefully rehearsed countless times since Draco's owl confirmed his attendance.

An excited woop as his bedroom door burst open dragged Harry instantly from his thoughts. He laughed, turning around to see Teddy happily bounding through the door.

"Happy birthday!" Harry said as he bent low to sweep his godson into a hug then over onto his shoulders, making him squeal with delight. "Would you like to open some presents?"

After Teddy had opened presents from Harry and various Weasley's he frowned, looking around the living room that Harry had piled the presents in as if there were one he had missed.

"Have I not got a present from Draco?" He asked, his voice suddenly small and timid. Harry instantly held out his hand, motioning for his godson to come over.

"Of course you have, he wanted to give it to you himself, that's all. He will drop it round later." Harry soothed him, pulling him to sit on his lap.

"But won't we miss him, if we're going to Granny Molly's?" He asked, frowning with worry at the thought of missing his visit. Of course Harry had told Teddy they were going to The Burrow for a birthday lunch, keeping every trace of the party a surprise.

"We won't." Harry said firmly. He knew he offered no explanation why but his tone was certain and unyielding, a tone that an adult could use with a child and expect no further questions. Indeed Teddy accepted this and nodded, burrowing into Harry's side for a moment more before he slid of his lap and picked up a toy from the pile of presents he had unwrapped.

The morning passed in a blur of Teddy demanding to play with toy after toy until Harry had lost all sense of time. After a while he sat back, watching his godson leap around excitedly after a toy snitch and smiled happily to himself. The piles of gifts Teddy had received could be thought of as extravagant but, after a childhood devoid of any pleasures, he was determined to make sure wanted for nothing. Of course, deep down Harry knew that the one thing he would always want for was the one thing Harry never received himself and, sadly, could never give. He frowned as he thought of Lupin, Tonks and Andromeda. Teddy would always want parents, always want a family.

As he listened to the joyous bubbles of Teddy's laughter as he raced around the room Harry knew he had the confidence to say what he had to say to Draco. He had the chance to make sure Teddy wanted for one less thing – true, he and Draco could never be his true parents – but they could make a family.

Soon enough it was time to drag Teddy away from the pile of presents and take his upstairs to get dressed. Harry selected his robes carefully, choosing a pair of emerald green robes he knew would bring out his eyes. Not that he thought himself overly attractive, but he was a decent looking bloke, and if he could pull out one of the features he had a feeling Draco liked, what was the harm in that?

He smoothed his robes down in the mirror and moved into Teddy's room. Teddy, of course, had made no attempt to change from his pyjamas and had re-released the toy snitch to chase it around his room. Harry laughed, scooping Teddy up over his shoulder. "It's time for you to get ready!" He insisted as he caught the snitch in the hand that wasn't holding Teddy, smiling to himself when he saw that his natural seekers instincts hadn't dulled over the years.

Once the snitch was safely back in its case and Teddy was dressed Harry took his hand and led him toward the stairs. He knew that all the Weasley's has entrance to his Floo and that they would all have arrived to set the party up in the kitchen and out in the gardens beyond. Draco, of course, was still keyed into the wards but had not used the luxury since the day he left. Harry wondered for a moment if he had arrived with his usual knock at the door and who had answered him. He hoped that it had been Hermione or Ron; true, they might not be genuinely pleased to see him for their own sakes, but they would be for Harry's. Pushing his thoughts away he guided Teddy down the stairs and toward the closed door of the kitchen.

Teddy, of course, pushed it open without a second thought. Harry was close behind when a chorus of "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TEDDY!" filled the air. The Weasley's packed out the kitchen, minus Charlie who was in Romania still – Molly and Arthur, Hermione, Ron and baby Rose, Bill, Fleur and their daughter Victorie, Percy with his wife and daughter, George and Angelina and, of course, Ginny. Harry smiled to them all and to the few other guests in attendance, Andromeda's formed neighbour who had children of a similar age for Teddy to befriend. What was most notable to Harry, however, was who wasn't there. He looked over at the clock; five minutes past one. He had told Draco the party started at one and he was never late. Was he not coming? Surely not, he wouldn't do that to Teddy. But then again, Teddy had no idea the party was happening. Draco could come and visit him later with no hard feelings.

Teddy turned to look up at Harry, his eyes bright with wonder. "This is my party?" He asked, his voice high pitched with disbelief.

"Yes," he said, affectionately ruffling Teddy's hair and giving him a smile. His godson returned the smile so bright and happily it made Harry's heart ached before he barrelled into the room squeaking excitedly. He instantly made a beeline for Victorie and a small, mousey haired boy who had lived next door to Teddy whose name Harry could not remember.

He went around each guest with a welcoming smile and a thanks for coming before he reached Hermione. "Draco?" He asked, unable to keep the hope from creeping into his tone. Hermione did nothing more than offer him a look which contained such pity it almost made his stomach turn. He looked away, unable to subject himself to the disappointment.

"I'm sure he'll be here." She soothed, reaching out a hand to rub his arm consolingly.

"Yeah.." Harry said, mustering a smile he knew wouldn't convince her before standing to grab a butterbeer and join the animated conversation Ron and George we having about quidditch. He only half listened to the conversation, interjecting nods and murmurs of approval where necessary. He spent most of his time looking out of the kitchen window, watching Teddy play with his friends. He seemed so content it made Harry's heart swell and forget the pain of Draco's absence.

He was so lost in watching their games he didn't notice the soft hand on his elbow, only heard Molly Weasley's voice as she whispered in his ear. "Someone's here to see you, Harry dear." Harry jerked his head toward her, shooting her a questioning glance. She merely smiled, nodding her head down the long corridor which led to the front door. There he saw Draco standing in the open doorway of number 12. Before he was even aware that his feet were carrying him Harry sped toward the door, taking in every inch of Draco standing before him. He had clearly taken as much effort in his appearance as Harry did; not that it took Draco much effort to look handsome, obviously. He had chosen a pair of almost silver robes which shone in the sunlight which bathed the front step. His hair was, as always, neatly styled and the sun illuminated his face in a way which made his cheek bones as prominent and strong as ever. What Harry noticed most of all, however, was the thing that made Draco most attractive in that moment.

He was here and he was alone.

"Draco." He said as he reached the door, gesturing for him to come inside. Draco nodded, but didn't return the friendly greeting.

"Sorry I'm a little late… I didn't know how a crowd of Weasley's would receive me without you there." He admitted as he stepped inside, the material of his robes swaying against him in a way which just outlined his body, showing a suggestion of broad shoulders that made Harry's mouth water in a way that it shouldn't. Not before he had apologised, at least.

"They were expecting you." He told him as he closed the door behind him. "Ron and Hermione were hoping to see you." He added, telling himself it was the truth. It was, in a way. They were hoping to see him, for Teddy and Harry's sake if not their own. Draco raised a withering eyebrow but nothing more, casting his gaze down the corridor.

"Teddy?" He asked, providing Harry with no more in roads to conversation. He nodded down the corridor, deciding it best to let Draco spend some time with Teddy before he tried to confront him. At least that way, if Draco was driven away by Harry's attempts at an apology, Teddy would know he hadn't missed his party.

"He's outside." Harry told him, leading him down the corridor and telling himself that the way he swayed down the corridor was a natural happiness to his step in celebration of his godson's birthday, not a blatant attempt to get Draco to look at his arse. Merlin, he'd belong in the lonely hearts columns of Witch Weekly if he carried on.

"Thanks." Draco nodded as they reached the kitchen, Harry gesturing to the door which would lead outside onto the back garden, although, of course, Draco already knew it well. Harry followed him outside as most guests had now taken themselves outdoors anyway as the fine April day offered a glorious chance to sit in the sunshine. Hermione was sitting under the shade of a large tree, swinging softly with Rose gurgling happily in her lap. When she saw Harry and Draco walk out onto the garden she caught Harry's eye and offered him an encouraging smile. He tried his best to return it but, with apprehension churning in his stomach, found it difficult.

"Draco!" Teddy's excitable voice called as soon as he saw his cousin, bounding over to greet him and receive his birthday gift. Harry watched their exchange for a moment before going to the table of food and drink Molly had carefully laid out under protective charms to collect himself another butterbeer.

"Are you ok, dear?" Molly asked him as she approached from behind, yet again taking him by surprise.

"Me? I'm fine." He said, smiling distractedly at her as he sought out Teddy and Draco once again. He had opened his present from Draco – a toy broomstick. He was showing it off excitedly to his friends and, before Harry knew it, was bounding over to Harry.

"Uncle Harry! Uncle Harry! Look what Draco got me!" He squealed, pushing the broom in Harry's face. Harry smiled down at Teddy, nodding at the gift.

"It's great Ted. You going to have a go?"

"Well I told Draco you got me a toy snitch and I thought I could try and get it. Can you get it Uncle Harry? With your wand? Please?" Teddy's eyes were so bright with joy Harry could hardly refuse. He chuckled to himself, pulling his wand from his robes and muttering 'Accio Snitch'. Soon enough to case came flying from an upstairs window, landing neatly in Harry's palm. He passed the toy over to his godson who cheered in delight, turning on his heal and flying back towards Draco and his friends. "It's here Draco, look, the snitch Uncle Harry got me! Now we can try and catch it!" He called happily as he ran away.

"You don't look fine." Molly spoke gently, her presence so silent as he spoke with Teddy Harry had forgotten she was there. "I'm no fool, Harry. I saw the way you defended him so fiercely and I've seen how low you've been lately. I saw your face when I told you he'd arrived and I knew."

Harry merely gaped at her, disbelieving that she was taking the conversation so calmly. The surprise must have shown of his features as she instantly shook her head, although her smile never faded, and she added;

"Make no mistake, Harry, I'm not saying I understand this. I'd be much happier with another choice… I'd have been much happier if you had stayed with Ginny." She sighed and the sound was so sad, so wistful, that Harry had to fight back guilt. "But as I said, you're a son to me and always will be. Family stick together, no matter what choices we make." Harry noticed how her gaze lingered on Percy as she spoke, a signal of how forgiving the Weasley family could be. "If he makes you happy, dear, I think we've all known enough loss to know that life is too short." She patted his arm softly and, before he could mutter a single word of response, disappeared into the garden, seeking out a conversation with a pregnant Fleur.

Harry watched wordlessly as she left, his heart bursting with love for his adoptive family. He slunk back toward where Ron and George now gathered with Bill and joined their conversation. None made a comment about Draco's presence and Harry was glad. He fell into the easy conversation, trading jokes and jibes with the brothers as if he had always been one. His attention, however, was never completely diverted from Draco. He watched as he continually helped Teddy to mount his broom, brushing him off with a laugh after each tumble.

"Cake!" Molly called, her voice so loud and booming after raising seven children that she didn't need a Snorus charm to gain everyones attention. Everyone gathered around the large cake she had placed in the centre of the table and, helped along by a charm Hermione span to play a tune in the background, began to sing.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Teddy…"

As they sang Harry's gaze shifted to Draco who stood on the edge of the party, singing along but staring back at Harry. Harry offered him a tentative smile which, to his relief, was returned. He turned back to the cake with the smile still firmly in place, newly determined to seek Draco out as soon as possible.

When the song and applause were over Molly began to cut the cake, first feeding the hungry little hands which tugged around the hems of her skirts before slicing more for the equally hungry adults she called sons. Harry watched as Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron's blatant attempts to jump the queue and, out of the corner of his eye saw Draco slip away.

This was his chance.

He approached cautiously, slowly stepping over the grass to the shadowed seclusion of a heavy oak tree by the foot of the garden. Draco had already leant himself against its solid trunk, the casual posture of his body at odds with the intense look in his eyes as he gazed out at the party guests spilled across the garden. Good, Harry thought, he won't notice me coming. As he slipped up on the opposite side of the tree he found his confidence faltering, his throat drying, choking back the apology he had so carefully prepared. He swallowed several times, trying to find the strength he needed to push the words from his lips.

"I know you're there, you might as well come round." Draco's voice was so soft that it startled Harry. He hadn't called him Potter, he noted – true, he hadn't called him Harry as he once would – but not Potter. That, along with the gentle tone to his voice, coaxed Harry from his spot on the other side of the tree to a spot beside Draco. Draco didn't alter the direction of his gaze even though he must have felt Harry move beside him; he simply stood, waiting silently.

Harry knew he had to speak, yet he still couldn't summon the words of his apology.

"Remember when we cleared out this garden?" He blurted out instead.

Draco was silent for a moment and Harry instantly cursed himself. Now he would probably sneer at Harry, walk away and gone would be the only chance he'd had at making things right.

"Yeah," Draco replied eventually, with a faint trace of what Harry hoped, but didn't dare believe, was amusement. "Hottest day of the year, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," Harry replied, trying to adjust to the sudden casual tone of their conversation. It was alien to him, after so long, discussing such trivial matters with him. Not only that, but he knew there were so much more important things he needed to say. Nevertheless he continued; "thank Merlin for cooling charms."

"Thank Merlin for Kreacher, taking over from us." Draco shot back and this time Harry definitely heard the tone of laughter in his voice.

"You didn't bring a guest." Harry stated, suddenly shifting the conversation. He hadn't realised he'd begun to speak the words before they were tumbling from his lips with Harry too late and too helpless to stop them. He dared a glance at Draco and, although Harry could only see his profile, he saw the blink of confusion that past across his face.

"No, I didn't. Who would I bring?" Draco asked, still infuriatingly looking away from Harry.

"Well, I thought, your assistant.." Harry trailed off, allowing the suggestion to hang in the air. His palms were laced with sweat that had nothing to do with the warm weather – it wasn't that hot and he was standing in the shade – and he wrung them together nervously.

"I didn't consider him an appropriate guest." Draco said, eventually turning his gaze on Harry, coolly raising an eyebrow at him. The sudden attention made Harry blush furiously. Of course Draco wouldn't bring his boyfriend to his young cousin's birthday party. He obviously hadn't introduced him to Teddy yet – with Teddy being the serial chatterbox that he was, Harry would know about it if he had – and who even knew how serious they were? If it was nothing but a casual fling, someone to keep Draco's bed warm at night…

With a firm shake Harry banished the thought from his head. "Of course not, no, your private life is your business." Harry muttered, nodding and casting his gaze down to the grass beneath his feet, the way Teddy often would when accepting a telling off for something he knew that Harry was right about.

"Excuse me?" Harry heard Draco ask.

"Well, I mean, you don't have to bring your dates or anything, I just thought, if you wanted to.." Harry knew he was rambling pointlessly now and kept his gaze determinedly on the ground, to hide his flushing cheeks if nothing else.

"I thought you of all people would know not to believe everything you read in the Prophet." Draco responded, causing Harry's head to whip up so quickly it almost gave him whiplash. His cheeks were still flushed and now burnt deeper with the news he had revealed; Draco wasn't dating, seriously, casually or otherwise, his assistant. Of course he could be dating someone else but Harry didn't allow that thought to break into the elation he held at the discovery.

"Sorry." He replied, thankful that he could hide the blush on his cheeks under the guise of guilt at his believing the gossip the Prophet published. Draco nodded and turned his gaze back away from Harry, out across the garden, his eyes darting about the guests as if in search of someone.

Perhaps Teddy.

Perhaps to say goodbye.

It was now or never.

"While I'm saying sorry, I have something else to apologise for too." Harry said, catching Draco's attention back in an instant. He held his gaze determinedly forward, locking his eyes with Draco's with the suggestion that he wouldn't back down. He would deliver this apology – very different now, of course, to the one he had rehearsed – but it would be honest and real and he would no longer have to live with regret. "I'm sorry for the way I treated you the night you left for France. I was scared. I was scared because you were right. I had nothing else. I'd lost my way with Ron and Hermione, I thought Teddy was all I had…" He broke off, taking the deep breath of courage he knew he needed to continue. Draco didn't interrupt; he watched in silent rapture, his eyes boring into Harry's more and more with every word. "That wasn't true, because when I got Teddy back, and Ron and Hermione back, there was still something missing. I did have something else, I had you. But when I realised, it was too late… I'd lost you."

Harry exhaled, a long, shaky breath and tucked his hands into the pockets of his robes as if he could mask the way they shook with the nerves it had taken him to speak. He stood and waited, trying to read something, anything, in Draco's painfully blank expression. He waited for the huff, for the curse, for the acceptance of the apology but the admittance that he could never see Harry in that way and, in fact, he did have a boyfriend…

Harry waited until he could wait no more, and then he kissed him.

The first touch of his lips to Draco's wasn't what he had imagined. It wasn't like finding a pool of water after days stranded in the hottest desert, it wasn't like a warm fire after weeks in the Arctic. It was flat, unresponsive, and heartbreaking.

He pulled back, his cheeks heating as he opened his lips to apologise for the third time that day.

Before he could speak, however, Draco snarled and crashed his lips to Harry's.

The second touch was perfect. It was more than he had imagined. It was like being offered one of Honeyduke's finest chocolate creations after a year of starvation, like getting his first wand, like being told that he was a wizard. It was like everything that had ever been good in his life poured into one solitary moment. Soon enough Draco's tongue was lapping for access against Harry's lips. In a daze he barely recognised the pressure but, when he did, was all too eager to allow Draco through. Draco tasted somewhat sour, like lemons and cherries, but Harry couldn't get enough. It was only when Draco put his hands on his shoulders and pressed him lightly away that Harry opened his eyes, panting slightly as he found grey ones staring back into his.

"I wanted to ask you too, you know." Draco whispered, so quietly Harry had to strain to hear him above the chatter that floated over from the guests in the garden beyond. "I wanted you to come with me, but I didn't want you to reject me. I thought, if Teddy was coming, you'd want to come too. All you had to do was ask, I wanted you to ask."

Not even the realisation that he could have avoided a year of pain could douse the flames of joy that licked at Harry's very soul. The smile on his face was bright and firm and he knew it wouldn't fade. Not for a long time.

"Next time?" He asked.

"Next time." Draco repeated, flashing a dazzling smile to rival Harry's.

Epilogue

"It's going to be strange, going without you both for the same time." Draco's soft voice at the door of the study roused Harry from his reading of several long reports sent to him through the Floo, directly from Minister Shaklebolt himself, right that very morning. He'd concentrated on the ink for so long that his head was beginning to pound and, with a wince and a firm rub across his forehead, he turned to Draco and manage to muster a smile.

Not that that was hard, of course. In the seven years that they had been together, his affection for Draco had never faded. Neither had Draco's looks; the older he was the more dignified he seemed to become, the more chiselled his features became, the sharper his eyes grew and more happy memories glittered within them. All of that, of course, made it very easy for Harry to find a smile for Draco.

His trunk floated behind him, packed and ready for the annual trip he took to France at the anniversary of his mother's death.

"I know, I'm so sorry Draco, I'd be there if I could but this case is just so damn difficult, if we leave it for even half a day who knows what could happen…" Harry sighed, already thinking back to the leads he hoped he'd uncovered in the few short papers he had read so far. A group had arisen somewhere in Northern England, practising Dark Magic and taunting muggleborns. It had, of course, been alerted to the Ministry at once, but had only begun to become a real problem when the Dark Mark had been cast above the scene of the first murder the group committed. Only Death Eaters could cast the Dark Mark and, as far as the Ministry had believed, they were all dead or in jail.

Apparently not, Harry thought with a grim look replacing the smile he'd found for Draco.

"It's ok, I understand." Draco said, stepping through the door to the study and positioning himself behind Harry. Soon enough cool fingers were placed against his forehead, rubbing in small, soothing circles. "It's a side effect of dating the Saviour of the Wizarding World."

"Teddy would love to be there too, you know how he loves the visits." Harry said, his sigh this time from bliss as Draco's fingers worked against his forehead.

"Yes, but Hogwarts is important. Although from the trouble he seems to have found himself from this first year already, perhaps some time out wouldn't be so bad." Draco chucked as he finished speaking and Harry found himself joining him – only wincing when the sudden amusement caused a flash of pain to strike back against his headache.

Draco stepped away with a frown, carefully considering Harry in the chair at which he sat. "You need to make sure you look after yourself while I'm gone. I know what you're like when you get a case like this." He scolded, sounding much more like Hermione and Mrs Weasley than he would ever care to admit.

"How can I without you here to look after me?" Harry pouted, then gave Draco a wink with his eyes twinkling.

"It's not a joke, Harry." He sighed, sweeping his hand into his robe and pulling out a soft silk bag. Harry could hear the sound of glass clinking inside and, when Draco opened the bag on Harry's desk and tapped it with his wand vials rose from inside. Headache potion, Pepper Up potion… Harry smiled. Draco may never like to admit it, but he took better care of Harry than he could ever take of himself.

"Thank you. And you look after yourself." He added, standing to pull Draco into his arms and give him a long, lingering kiss. "Floo me when you're settled?"

"Of course." Draco murmured against his lips, pressing another kiss there before green flames roared into life behind them.

"Auror Potter?" A voice called from the fireplace and Harry slumped – that was clearly all the goodbye he would be able to give to Draco.

"I'll see you on Thursday." Draco smiled, stepping away and nodding toward the flames.

Harry didn't take his gaze from Draco until he had wrapped his hand around the handle of his trunk and, in a whisper so quite it looked like he only mouthed the words, said "next time" before he disapparated.

"Next time." Harry whispered back, although his lover was now long gone.

Then Harry turned his attention to the fire, seeing the Kingsley's head floating there and crouched to his knees before him.

"Right, what do we have?"

END