Hope you enjoy it as always.

Chapter 3

Draco always lied to himself. He tried to pretend he didn't think he was wasting his existence being fucked into a damp, slimy wall, he acted as though he didn't hate himself and he tried to convince himself he was not bothered by Longbottom's blatant rejection.

After all, he should not have expected anything more.

He was a cheap whore, Longbottom was a functioning member of society and the best of friends with Potty, the possibility of him becoming a slave to lust and taking what was handed to him on a platter was a remote chance.

To survive this life, Draco had to block out his memories and hide away from his past. He had adopted a story, the exact replica of every broken body around him and they all believed him for who would lie about such a wrecked life.

In the beginning, he had tumbled into the Muggle world, a mass of blood soaked and dirt-laden robes, muttering incoherently and shivering uncontrollably. She had found him and took him into her home.

It was a state, half-naked women walked about dreamily, smoke trailing after them, their eyes dead under their heavy eyelids.

The woman resembled a mouse, always fidgeting and twitching but she was handy with a needle and never asked questions.

He was with her only a matter of days before he was urged to leave, the clients scared by his haunted presence. Aware of what he knew now, Draco realised they did not want anyone sane to observe their disgusting sins as they took girls so far away from reality it wasn't anything but an injustice.

This woman was wise enough to know, Draco knew little of their world and told him to find Bruce. At the time, this man was his saviour and took him into his "home".

He owned a run down hotel, in the back streets of London where the top floor was inhabited entirely by young men, all of them pale and thin but pretty.

Draco felt an odd sense of comfort surrounded by these other tortured souls, their stories of anguish and suffering ringing with him as he suddenly realised his cushioned upbringing for what it truly was.

The first time he had a client, he furiously scrubbed his skin red raw and cried for hours.

Max, another boy who lived on the top floor, sat beside him in the shower cubicle, washing his hair warmly and telling him that it became better in time.

Now it became habit, a horrible thought but it almost felt unreal most of the time.

He was fucked, paid and handed his payment to Bruce and then he would walk back to the hotel when light started to pierce the sky and would sleep in the room he shared with three others.

Max died during Draco's second winter of a drug overdose but he didn't cry. Everyone could sense the other boy's hopelessness and he was almost happy for his friend, he did not have the urge to survive that Draco could not free himself of.

Things were different after Longbottom had thrown him back to the street.

He felt differently.

The gnawing horror of being cheap and worthless flooded back and every man he had felt like another punch in the gut, he felt a distinct taste of unworthiness and wondered how he had ever managed to block it…

No longer could he simply accept this was his immediate future, it did not feel like the only reasonable way to survive and he could not understand why it had ever felt like that.

His only barricade from the terminal uselessness was Longbottom; he needed this man to escape… As pathetic as he sounded to his own ears, Draco need his Potter…He needed Longbottom to accept the role as the saviour, he couldn't find the will on his own but he appeared to be so far away…

Harry sat on Neville's couch, the exact same place as Draco had, with a sparkling grin across his face. He clutched the dark green mug in his hands and jiggled his knee as he always did when nervous or excited.

"What do you have to tell me then?" Neville said, sitting down in his armchair.

"I'm getting married," he exclaimed, his smile expanding.

"Honestly? So soon?" said Neville.

"I've known Severus for ever…it just feels like the right thing to do…" Harry said, his face becoming slightly more serious.

"I'm not doubting you, just surprised…"

"I know…How are you anyway? Any luck with the whole finding someone thing?"

Neville choked on his tea, Draco's strained face dancing before his eyes and he avoided Harry's emerald ones…

"Not really…"

"Maybe you try find a blond, you liked Malfoy at school right?"

"Do you know what happened to him after the war?" Neville asked, trying to keep the accusing tone from his voice.

"Not really, people say he's sitting in a cushy manor in France after marrying some rich woman… Severus doesn't believe it. Why?"

"I need you to promise me, you won't tell anyone this…"

"What's wrong Nev? You haven't met up with him have you?" Harry smiled.

"He's selling himself…"

"What?!"

"I saw him…"

"You didn't…"

"No but…I brought him back here…"

"Where? We need to get him…Severus is gonna go crazy Neville, he worries about him all the time…"

"No! Please…I said I would not embarrass him…"

"We are not going to tell anyone…we need to get him out of there."

Harry stood up and paced like a frustrated animal, his eyes burning with the thought of a mission.

Neville knew his friend found his current lack of occupation excruciatingly tedious but he almost resented Draco becoming his new project. For the first time in his life Neville thought Harry did not deserve the victory.

Against Neville's wishes, Severus was called and he stood in front of them, his face pulled back in anger as he shouted at Neville for not telling them sooner. Whenever he tried to defend himself Snape shot back quickly with the way he should have behaved and Neville caved in, tears hitting him.

Harry snapped at Severus and sat next to Neville on the floor.

"It's alright you know, I know you think you were doing what's best. Its just Malfoy is so stubborn, he probably didn't want to admit he needed our help."

"What the hell do you know about what he needs or wants? What do you even know about him Harry?" Neville exclaimed, pulling away from his friend's heavy arm.

"Look Nev, I know you think you are protecting him but is this what you think is best for him?"

"Longbottom, I know Draco much better than you could claim to and I know it's in his best interest to get him here…" said Severus calmly, contradicting his earlier outburst.

Harry and Severus had no idea where Draco stood so Neville had to accompany them, he chewed his nails until they bled as he marched wobbly in front of Severus and Harry, trying not to envisage the complete rage Draco is going to feel when he realised he has betrayed him…

Draco wasn't there but Neville could hear the soft hit against brick and little waves of grunts.

"Where is he Longbottom?" Snape said, his voice dripping contempt.

"Wait and be quiet, if he hears you he will run for it," whispered Neville, putting his hood up to cover the majority of his features and urging his companions to do the same.

The man soon exited the alley and Snape stalked towards him but Harry grabbed his arm and squeezed tightly, hissing fiercely in his ear.

Draco staggered out next, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and made his way to the group of them.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" he asked, jokingly.

"Yes you can Draco, come with me," said Severus simply.

Even under the cover of the hood Draco recognised his godfather instantly and his face contorted viciously into anger, he wanted Longbottom to save him. Not Potty and certainly not his godfather…

Then he realised exactly how they had found him…

Longbottom had told them…

"You need to fucking leave…and tell Longbottom to stay as far away from me as possible."

"I will do no such thing, now come with me willingly or will you force me to take more violent actions?"

"Severus fucking listen to me, you a have a chance to get the life you deserve, please don't fuck it up by bringing me into it."

"Do not be stupid, you were a child and you still are."

Draco snorted and whipped around, attempting to flee down the alleyways, well aware his godfather and those with him would never be able to locate him.

But he underestimated Severus' agility, still perfect after the end of the war and his godfather had him in his arms within seconds.

He struggled futilely against the grip, more to preserve a bit of self-respect than for a genuine escape, but Severus constricted his movements further, mumbling about how he was getting too old to be chasing after Lucius' problems.

With a direct nod to Harry, he activated the portkey that was looped around his neck and took Draco to the house he shared with his younger lover.

Harry half smiled at Neville who stood blank and shivering and pulled his friend against him, taking him back to Godric's Hollow, to where Severus and Draco would be waiting.

Sorry this is a bit shorter than the other chapters or at least it feels like it is. I also want to apologise for the gap between chapters as I didn't really want to make you wait but I was not home all weekend. I will try and update tomorrow ^^

Review pwetty pwease ^^