Hey, hey lovelies. So the angst has come and gone, and we have all survived. *plays Eye of the Tiger*

This chapter has a teeny bit more, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Also, this is the second last chapter. There will be one more and that's a wrap.

I apologize for the lack of smexy scenes...truthfully, this fic wasn't supposed to span such a monster. But its nearing 20 chapters and every single one has been worth it thanks to your wonderful, brilliant comments. I hope you've enjoyed this mad tale as much as I have writing it.

Well, here we go then- Chapter 19

One month later…

The alarm rang insistently, heralding another day. Its rising shriek was pure agony. Harry slammed it with his fist and trudged out of bed, not really caring if the stupid thing was broken or not. It wasn't like he was going anywhere.

Shaking himself awake, he dragged himself to his table to sort his mail.

Bill. Bill. Letter from Bill. Howler from Oliver.

Harry sighed. Might as well get it over with…

"POTTER! GET YOUR ARSE TO PRACTICE NOW! I DON'T CARE IF YOU OWN THE TEAM NOW, YOU WILL SHOW UP TO PRACTICE OR MERLIN HELP ME, I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND… AND DO SOMETHING! BLOODY HELL, HOW CAN YOU…"

Harry Incendioed the shrieking thing carelessly, cutting off Oliver's rampage. He knew bloody well that Harry wasn't coming in to practice. As far as he had heard, Oliver was scouting for new Seekers every day. Harry didn't care. Quidditch just wasn't what it used to be. Nothing was.

He sorted through the rest of the pile. A note from Ginny reminding him to shower. Typical. Ron sent a letter and a fruit basket, for Merlin's sake. Nothing from Hermione.

Nothing from Draco.

Harry slumped down in a chair and tried to will away the stab of pain in his chest. He missed him so much. It was all he could do not to break down and sob like a child.

Draco had disappeared into thin air. Harry had been relentless in his pursuit. After his owls and gone unanswered, he Flooed to the Manor every day. Lucius never stopped him. He simply explained - in an uncharacteristically gentle tone - that Draco wasn't there and he couldn't tell Harry where he was. Not if he wished to hear from his only son again. Harry understood, but that didn't make it hurt any less.

Andromeda hadn't been any more forthcoming. She had been positively frosty to Harry at first, holding him completely responsible for Draco's pain. But as the days went by, Harry's relentless visits to the Manor and his adamant refusal to give up on Draco softened her up. She wouldn't tell him where he was, but the last time he was there she had greeted him a sympathetic, motherly embrace. "He left this behind," she had said, gently thrusting a package in his hands. "Perhaps you should have it. I don't think he'd mind."

It was the novel Draco had been reading when they had gone to Hogwarts together. Harry had never actually read the thing. His only interest had been to nick it from Draco when he was deeply immersed and watching him pout. He almost laughed out when he read the title. The Taming of the Shrew. Talk about irony. The book hadn't left his bedside since.

He didn't know how long he sat there, wallowing in his own grief. A sharp tap to his shoulder brought him back to reality. Hermione stood in front of him, hands on her hips. "Honestly Harry," she scolded. "Didn't you even hear your own Floo go off? I could have been a serial killer or something!"

He managed a weak chuckle. "Yes, because I certainly have no experience with those," he retorted.

She rolled her eyes and sat next to him. "At least you haven't lost your sense of humour," she smiled.

"No. Just everything else."

Hermione bit her lip in sympathy. She took a deep breath and Harry sighed, recognizing the ominous beginning of The Lecture. "Harry," she began in true form. "This… this can't go on. I know you're devastated. We all feel for you. But you have to start putting your life back together."

"I can't," he replied dully.

"Yes, you can!" she snapped. "What is wrong with you? Things happen, Harry. Life goes on. And… surely you can see Draco's point of view. It's obvious he needs some time after you… after what…"

"After what I did to him?"

"I didn't say that," she protested. "I'm just saying that Draco is trying to move on. And you should too."

"I can't, okay?!" he snapped, glaring at her. "I don't think you've noticed Hermione, but I've kind of fucked up here. I was happy. For four months, everything was brilliant. And then it turned on me and I lost the one person I couldn't do without. You think I don't know he's gone? He's not coming back, I get that! But I am not going to stop looking. I am not going to stop trying to find him because it's all I've got. So please, as my friend I'm asking you for this. Don't take it away from me."

Hermione was silent as a mouse as he railed, and when he finished and slumped against the table, shaking and shuddering she rubbed his back soothingly. "Harry," she whispered, and he thought he heard tears in her voice. "My poor Harry…"

He let her comfort him for a while. It felt good and when he was done, he felt a little better. Not much, but at least he had control. Hermione sat with him in stoic silence. "You're not going to stop, are you?" she asked.

Harry shook his head. He couldn't.

"Well then," she sighed. "I…probably shouldn't give you any more ammo for a mental breakdown but… Merlin, Ron would kill me…"

"What?" Harry demanded, sitting up. He felt more alert than he had in days. "Do you… do you know where he is?"

"Harry…"

"Hermione, please!" he sounded shrill and frantic and he couldn't manage to keep the hysterical, pleading note out of his voice. "You know, don't you? You do…"

"No," Hermione said firmly. "But I know someone who does."

"Ginny! Open this damn door!"

Ginny blinked at the sudden commotion before recognizing the voice. She threw the book she was reading at a wall and rushed to the door, swinging it open. Harry stood before her, panting and holding his side. "Why can't you just get a damn Floo?" he demanded.

"Harry!" she shrieked, plastering herself against him. "You're here! Oh Harry, I've been so worried! You…"

"Is Zabini around?"

Ginny immediately stilled and stepped away. Her face was guarded and she bit her lip uncertainly. "No," she supplied. Harry's face fell and she sighed. "He'll be back in ten. He went out shopping."

"Zabini went out shopping," Harry echoed, following her in. "Exactly how long have you been living together?"

Ginny fidgeted uncomfortably. "Two weeks," she explained with a light blush. "It happened really fast. I… didn't want to tell you because of… well, you know."

"It's okay," he grinned. "Get a Floo and I'll burst in unannounced when you're snogging on the couch. You know, return the favour and all."

She stared at him before bursting into giggles. "There's my favourite prat," she murmured, ruffling his hair fondly. Harry smiled in response. She leaned against the kitchen counter and fiddled with a coffee cup. "I think I know why you're here."

"I need to talk to him," Harry said. "He might know something."

"Harry…"

"Salazar's silk knickers, woman! You and your damn muggle supermarkets! They didn't have your brand of olive oil so I just got all of them. Thank your stars you're so damn pretty or I'd…"

Zabini trailed off his rant as he barged into the kitchen and caught sight of Harry. He immediately screeched to a halt and dropped his bags, eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Now Blaise," Ginny said tentatively, slipping in between them. "Stay calm, okay? Harry just…"

Blaise wasn't interested. He lifted her up effortlessly and deposited her safely on the side, before taking two strides towards Harry and slamming his fist in his jaw. Harry's world exploded in pain and he collapsed to the floor, only vaguely aware of Ginny's outraged shriek.

"Blaise!" she screeched, hitting his chest. "You stupid, brainless lug! He's been through enough without all that!"

"It's okay," Harry muttered, getting up. Merlin, it hurt. "I deserved that."

"What you deserve is a Crucio in the bollocks," Blaise snapped at him. "What the hell are you doing in my house?"

Ginny went vermilion. "First of all, it's our house. And secondly, he's my friend and he's welcome here!"

"Fine!" Blaise snapped. "Then I'll leave!"

"Zabini, wait!" Harry managed, as he watched him storm off. Blaise halted and turned around. The easy, cheerful man Harry had come to know had been replaced by something fearsome and protective. He glared at Harry, anger radiating from his lean, tall frame. "I'm not letting you near him again," he declared. "I told you to be careful! I warned you! You have no idea what it did to him. That's my best friend, Potter! And you nearly shattered him."

"I know," Harry murmured, feeling tears prick his eyes again.

"It's been hell, I hope you know," Zabini carried on. "He was heart-broken. And then he found out that I knew and he wouldn't talk to me either! Me! We've been mates for decades! He's been gone for a month…."

"And seven days," Harry felt compelled to add.

Zabini glared at him. "I didn't know where he was until last week if that's what you're thinking. He sent me an owl out of the blue. Said he missed me. And that he didn't want to see me yet but he wanted to catch up anyway. So if you think I'm going to tell you where he is and have him disappear again, you better…"

"Is he okay?" Harry asked softly. Zabini halted his tirade for a second. His eyes reflected surprise and then he sighed. "Mostly," he offered. "He's getting there."

"Does he ask about me?" He felt Ginny's soothing hand on his shoulder.

"No!" Zabini snapped. "Well… not always. He's mentioned you."

"Does he still…"

"I'm not telling you anything, Potter. He doesn't need you. That's all you need to know."

Ginny snorted and he scowled at her. She glared back defiantly. Blaise shook his head and turned back to Harry. "I like you, Potter. Nobody wanted the two of you to work out more than me. But I'm not going to help you wreck him again."

Harry nodded. "I understand," he replied, feeling hollow inside. "Thanks for your time."

"Harry, where are you going?" Ginny demanded.

"To the Manor," he replied with a shrug.

"Why?" Ginny demanded.

"Lucius won't help you either," Zabini pointed out.

"I don't care," Harry shrugged. "I won't stop looking. You can't take that away from me," he added looking at Zabini.

The man gaped at him. Then as if realizing what he was doing, he shook his head and sneered. "You'll have to stop someday," he said. "You can't hang on forever, Potter."

"Watch me." He wasn't trying to pick a fight. He was just so tired of being turned down. But he wasn't going to give up. He'd chased Draco for as long as he could remember. He'd do it for the rest of his life. He'd do it all over in a heartbeat…

"Potter…"

Harry turned back. Zabini was regarding him with cool, speculative eyes. Harry wanted to tell him to fuck off. But this wasn't Blaise's fault. And it didn't really matter. The Italian continued to stare at him, like a miner searching for diamonds in the rocks. He groaned and ran his hands through his curly hair. "Merlin, he is going to hate me forever…"

Harry's heart surged. "Are you…"

"Look, you can't just walk over to him and beg his forgiveness, okay? He's a Slytherin. He'll want more than promises and pretty words. So if you're going to go after him, give him something to prove that he means more to you than anything else."

"Zabini, I…"

"That's Phase One, Potter. There's a Phase Two and Three. We've done this before, remember?"

Harry did and he smiled. Zabini ignored him, continuing his scheming and plotting, pacing across the kitchen floor.

"Phase Two, take him by surprise. That works well for you apparently, so we'll stick to the classics."

Harry nodded. "What's Phase Three?"

Zabini looked at him seriously. "You absolutely never and I mean never heard any of this from me."

Ginny laughed and Harry grinned. "You have my word," he declared. "So… will you… can you tell me where he is?"

Zabini smirked. "The same place you would go if you were miserable as hell and just wanted to be surrounded by happy memories for a while."

Harry stared at him. Of course. It was so fucking simple.

"I'm an idiot," he declared.

"Very true," Zabini agreed. "Now get going, Potter. And please, do it right this time?"

"I will," Harry promised. On an impulse, he marched over and grabbed the Slytherin in a hug. Zabini gawked and flailed and Ginny burst into laughter. "Thank you," Harry murmured. "Thank you so much."

"I'll consider myself thanked for life if you promise not to do that again," Zabini snapped, pushing him off. "Start working on Phase One. Remember, words are not enough. You need to prove that…"

"I already have it figured out," Harry replied. He did, really.

"What?" Zabini gaped. "What are you going to…"

"Good luck in the Finals, Zabini," Harry shouted as he headed out the door. "I'm rooting for you."

"What?" Zabini called after him. "You play for the Canons, you moron!"

But Harry was already racing back to his apartment. He felt lighter and better than he had in days. Now it was only a matter of chasing Draco down again. And Harry would.

In a heartbeat.

Zabini to the rescue. I love him so much *smishes flailing Blaise*

Reviews are love ^^