Chapter 7

Hermione dropped the paper in front of him before settling back into the huge book she had been paging through for the past half hour.

"Hmm," Harry hummed as he flicked through it. "Page four. Apparently the new goblin protests take precedence now."

Hermione looked up from her book. "I should hope so," she caught his eyes and gave him a soft smile. "Looks like it's blowing over then."

"Maybe I'll even be able to join you out in public by the end of the week," Harry told her with a wink.

"Or you could babysit the kids while Ron and I go out on Friday night," she suggested. Harry spun around on the couch to gape at her. She just raised a questioning eyebrow.

"You can't be serious," said Harry, starting to panic a little bit. Just yesterday Hermione had been the one suggesting he brave the possibility of a press onslaught by going to Diagon Alley ("to show them you don't have anything to hide, Harry!" she'd said). "Ron would skin me alive. He's already been on my case about-" He stopped when he heard her giggle. "Oh."

"You should have seen your face!" Hermione all but squealed as Harry launched himself at her. He tickled her till she was a pile of tangled limbs beneath him, laughing into the cushions of her couch. "Har-ry! You're going to ruin-my book!" Harry only stopped when the huge tome landed on the floor with a thud. Her hair was a mess and Harry could see her trying to bite back a smile as she tried to fix it. "Honestly, no one would ever guess you were a grown man."

Harry shrugged. "You're the brightest witch of our time, Hermione, if I can't fight dirty I wouldn't stand a chance." She rolled her eyes, carefully setting the book on the coffee table. "Look, all I need is one night to drown myself in alcohol and self pity."

"Isn't that what you did last night?" she asked, leaning back on the couch and easily swatting away the cushion Harry half-heartedly threw at her. One look and Harry was obediently replacing it.

"Drowning in self-pity is more fun when you can share the experience, 'Mione," he informed her. "Also Kreacher cut me off after about half a bottle." Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, you know I don't do well with guilt! I ruined his one moment- that book was his redemption- all he's ever wanted and I went and ruined it."

Hermione didn't speak for a long moment, just watching him with a mixture of fondness and something else. Now that Harry thought about it, this was the look she gave Hugo when he tried to reach the jar of biscuits she kept just out of his reach on the counter top. "Harry, you didn't ruin his night. If anything, I hear the publicity even helped his book sales."

"Yes, for all the wrong reasons!"

"That's the nature of media," Hermione smiled. "You of all people should know that by now. Good or bad, you unwittingly may have actually helped Draco's image. They'll be able to show his human side now, paint him as the heart broken ex-lover or something."

Harry frowned. "I didn't think about it that way."

"You don't tend to think when you're drowning in self pity," Hermione said, patting his leg. "Besides, we both know it'll take more than that to take down Draco Malfoy. His ego might be bruised but he'll recover."

"And then he'll get to play the victim?" Harry asked slowly.

Hermione nodded. "I'm sure Pansy is working on spinning it in their favour as we speak."

"So I can be mad at him again without feeling guilty."

"If that's what you want," Hermione sighed. She looked like she was going to reach for her book again and Harry couldn't have that. This whole 'work from home' thing he had asked Robards to grant him was just a charade. If he was being honest he had missed Hermione terribly and now was the chance to have her all to himself. Like he was going to throw that away.

"You don't think I should be mad at him?" Harry prompted.

"I think that the fact that you are still mad at him means that you still care," said Hermione. "And that can be dangerous. I am usually all for second chances Harry, you know that but I also love you and want what's best for you and-"

"Ron's given me a version of this speech already, 'Mione," Harry said, barely containing his eye roll. He immediately felt bad for how sharp he had sounded when Hermione nodded, worrying her lip like she didn't know how to continue. "If it makes you feel better, I really don't think he's a big fan of mine either so really the chances of us getting back together are rather slim, wouldn't you say?"

"I think time is the only way you are ever going to heal this, Harry," Hermione said slowly. "And no I don't just mean what happened at the award ceremony."

"It's not fair," Harry groaned, trying not to pout (he probably was). "It was so easy for you and Ron. It sort of makes me question my relationship!"

Hermione actually smiled at that. "Be honest, Harry, if it had been easy with Draco you would have left him long ago because it was too boring."

Well she sort of did have a point. He had never really been one to take the easy road.

"It's not like that anymore," he told her, trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince Hermione. "I want to settle down. I need him to settle down."

She nodded. "Before you go any further you need to make sure he's here to stay."

"He'll stay," Harry found himself saying. He really wished he were more certain. "He'll need to for Narcissa, won't he?"

"He didn't stay for her last time, did he?" Hermione, the voice of reason spoke again. Harry winced. "I'm just playing devil's advocate here, Harry. He really might have changed but we need to consider all the possibilities."

"I know, I know" Harry sighed. "He needs a reason to stay." He let the words 'and I wasn't reason enough' hang unsaid but he knew Hermione would hear them.

"No, Harry," she said softly. "He needs to find the reason in himself. It's not on you."

Harry had almost singularly consumed the jug of beer he was supposed to be sharing with Dean. The man didn't seem to mind though because he was too busy making eyes at a young witch he had met at St Mungo's during his short stay there last week. He had finally given up on wearing the muggle cast and resorted to magical means to fix his broken arm.

Harry watched the game with interest. They would lean in every now and then, exchanging words he could barely make out. The healer-in-training, Rinalda would then let out a peal of laughter, leaving a hand lingering on Dean's arm. When Dean turned back to Harry to refill his glass, Harry winked taking great pleasure in the way it made Dean blush and duck his head. Rinalda would brush against his arm again and he'd smile at Harry and turn back to her.

"Ah young love," a voice said beside him. Harry almost jumped.

"Neville!" he cried without needing to turn. Ron and Hermione hadn't arrived yet and Luna and Parvati were by the bar chatting to a woman dressed all in red. That really didn't leave many other options.

Neville gave him a one armed hug that Harry tried to return, albeit clumsily.

"Oi, paws off my man," Ginny grumbled from somewhere behind them. Harry just gave her a lazy wink and ruffled Neville's hair for good measure. "Nice to see you could finally join us Harry," Ginny continued, snagging the seat next to him before her husband could.

"Ron actually threatened physical torture," Harry told her. "Turns out he ended up being a no show himself."

"Oh, he's probably yelling at George," Ginny said, waving it off like it was an every day occurrence. It really wasn't. "You know how he was supposed to visit Charlie in Romania? Apparently the idiot snuck off in the middle of the night on a broom and flew to Moldova of all places and now he's at St. Mungo's being treated for Dragon pox."

"Oh," said Harry, taking a long sip from his drink. He really needed a refill.

"Yeah, we weren't that surprised either to be honest," Ginny sighed.

"Actually," Neville added. "We were more surprised Charlie didn't see it coming."

"Moldova!" Ginny fumed. "My brother is an absolute prick. Angelina was practically in tears!"

"I'll go get us some more drinks," Neville suggested. He gave Harry an apologetic look and escaped before he could be further subjected to his wife's spiel. Harry knew he'd probably had to listen to this at home already so he could forgive the guy.

"So is it true dragon pox can make you sneeze fire?" he asked Ginny with a wink. She shoved at him, almost making him lose his perch on the stool. "Is he bright green now?"

Ginny laughed. "You should have seen his face when I brought him a mirror! He actually squealed!" she added, apparently delighted with this particular outcome. "Serves him right too! Fred drew the most hilarious picture. Remind me to show you the next time you come around. I'm going to have it framed."

"What's this about Fred?" asked Dean, finally pulling himself away from the lovesick bubble he'd been consumed by.

Rinalda smiled over at them and Harry tried not to linger on the way they had their hands intertwined on the tabletop. It was the sort of innocent, carefree gesture that had his stomach in knots. Not even endless nights spent at random clubs with his hands all over the most beautiful men in London could fix the ache for that intimacy.

"His father caught dragon pox in Maldova," Ginny explained as Neville arrived with Luna and Parvati in tow, both struggling with their hands full of shot glasses and a huge jug of beer. "It's a long story, Dean. I'd rather you introduce us to your friend instead."

Dean ducked his head but Harry could see he was smiling. "This is Rinalda," he said, an arm on the small of her back. "She patched me up after my little accident. Rinalda, this is Ginny and her husband, Neville."

"It's lovely to meet you," Rinalda gushed.

Ginny gave her a broad smile. "So, did Dean ever tell you how he broke his arm in the first place?" she asked reaching around Harry to slap Dean on the back. Dean just groaned and buried his face in his hands.

"He said something about a thestral," Rinalda said thoughtfully. She turned to Dean. "You said you wanted it to heal the muggle way because you had always wanted a cast when you were younger, right? It's a good thing you came to us when you did, your bone was growing in wrong." she added, patting his arm fondly. "Although I do think reconnecting with your muggle heritage is sweet."

Dean nodded solemnly, catching each of their eyes like he was daring them to challenge his story. "Having your arm in a cast was all the rage back at my muggle school."

Ginny was the first to break. She let out a hoot of laughter before Neville, Parvati and Luna joined her and then even Harry couldn't keep a straight face any more. Luna to her credit tried to give a very confused Rinalda an apologetic look but it was short-lived.

"You what, mate?" Ginny demanded, practically gasping for air. Parvati was thumping her on the back and doubling over at the same time.

"Wanted to reconnect with your muggle heritage was it?" Harry managed to get out. "How noble."

Neville muttered something that had Ginny in fits again.

"Oi, what's this then?" asked a new voice. They all spun around (Dean muttering "I knew I should have never brought her to meet you," under his breath) to find a red faced Ron and an extremely tired looking Hermione helping him with his coat. "What're you gits laughing at without us?"

"Dean told his girlfriend that he wanted the cast on his arm to reconnect with his muggle heritage," Parvati informed them, somehow managing to keep a straight face.

"She's not my-" Dean began but thought better of it.

Ron guffawed, slapping him on the back as he and Hermione took the only empty stools at their table. "Seamus help you come up with that one, did he?" He held a hand out to Rinalda. "Ron Weasley," he said as she took it, looking between him and Dean almost nervously. "Don't believe a word this git says. Seamus convinced him that it would be a brilliant way to pick up girls at-Ow!" he complained, rubbing his arm where Hermione had just elbowed him.

"Ignore my husband. Dean is a great man," she said, smiling at the two of them.

"It wasn't a thestral accident by the way," Harry added. "Dean here is just really clumsy." When Dean scowled at him he just shrugged and gave the guy a one-armed hug. "It's our job to embarrass the hell out of you mate."

"I think I still have the pictures of-" began Parvati, laughing when Dean all but growled: "No! No pictures! I will buy every single one of you shots right now so you shut the hell up."

In between the laughing and the bickering Harry somehow found himself forgetting his plans to 'drown in alcohol and self pity'. He had the alcohol, sure, but he also drowned in the general happiness and the love radiating off the people around him. He even ended up making some sort of half-arsed toast about Dean and friendship and muggle heritage.

Even Rinalda began to grow on him. The sickly sweet looks she kept throwing at Dean weren't as irritating as the night wore on and they even managed to bond over their dislike for paperwork. Apparently healers had just as much of that stuff to fill out as aurors did.

He didn't even care when Rinalda announced she was going to head off and Dean offered to walk her back to her flat, his hand attached to her waist the entire time. Harry just smiled and waved when first Neville and Ginny and then Ron and Hermione carefully helped each other out of their stools and to the fireplace (wobbling here and there but thankfully making it across the room in one piece).

At about midnight he looped one arm around Luna and one around Parvati and let them help him back to his own place, muttering 'thank you' and 'I love you guys so much' every few seconds into each of their ears. They just laughed and complained good-naturedly about his growing beer gut as they helped him up the stairs and out of his shoes.

Harry reflected that yeah, he had more fun tonight than he had in weeks and if that was the case he obviously had been prioritizing terribly lately. Perhaps his hangover may even be worth it, he thought as he drifted to sleep.

Harry knew lunch was going to be an awkward affair and perhaps if he hadn't ended up sleeping in, he may even have spent hours dreading it. He woke up with a gruesome headache and barely half an hour to spare before his customary Saturday lunch with Andromeda and Teddy.

Usually this wouldn't be a problem. Kreacher always whipped him up the best hangover cure possible (the house elf never spilled his secrets but apparently many of the Black family ancestors had been heavy drinkers). Even Andromeda could usually tell when he had a big night and would greet him with a fond but stern nod and an aspirin, a combination that her husband had apparently sworn by for hangovers. To be honest, the queasy feeling in his stomach this morning was probably less his actual hangover and more the thought of facing Draco again.

Either way he was barely alive until he stepped into the shower, opting for a blast of cold water to wake him up. Kreacher waited by the floo with his glass of concoction in one hand and the morning's paper in the other.

"Thanks," he muttered to the house elf, gulping down the liquid without actually tasting it. He didn't need to. It always tasted terrible.

"Master Harry will be back for dinner time," the house elf told him. It sounded more like an order than a question but Harry nodded anyway.

"I'll see if I can convince Andromeda to send Teddy as well," he added, if only to see the small smile on the old elf's face. Kreacher nodded, handing him the bowl of floo powder and probably already planning to cook up a feast of Teddy's favourite meals for dinner.

Harry barely had time to brace himself when he was all but bowled right back into the cement walls of the fireplace he had just stepped out of.

"Harry!" cried Teddy, wrapping his arms around his godfather much like a limpet. He seemed to remember himself a few seconds later because he quickly let go and darted back a couple of paces. "Sorry, Grandma said you weren't coming," he explained warily as Harry brushed himself off.

Harry smiled, pulling him into a hug again and ruffling his hair. Teddy ducked away and scowled, frantically trying to settle his turquoise locks back down. He had grown tired of platinum blonde apparently.

"I wouldn't miss your Grandma's cooking for the world," said Harry, following his godson to the kitchen.

Andromeda seemed just as surprised as Teddy had been to see him. "Harry dear, I didn't think you would be over today," she smiled, pulling him into a warm hug. "Plenty of food to go around of course. I must warn you, we do have other guests joining us today. My sister and her son…" he paused as though she was trying to gage Harry's reaction.

"I figured as much," Harry told her. "I'll be fine, don't worry."

Andromeda nodded. "Good, good." She paused, studying him again. "Harry Potter, I thought I instructed you rather strictly the last time you were here to take better care of yourself! You look like you haven't eaten a decent meal all week and not a wink of sleep either! I will have a word with that house elf of yours if you aren't careful."

"I slept in today actually," Harry told her but it only made her frown grow more intense. He noticed Teddy sticking his tongue out and making a goofy face from the corner of his eye and vowed to tickle the boy later as revenge. "Right, point noted, more food. Kreacher has been taking care of me, don't worry and I had dinner at Hermione's the other day."

Andromeda nodded. "Aspirin's in the cupboard," she told him, summoning a glass of water as well. "Teddy Lupin stop making those ridiculous faces, I may be old but I am not blind."

Teddy pouted. "Wait!" he told Harry just as he was about to follow the boy to the living room. He disappeared into the room, shutting the door firmly behind him so Harry couldn't make out what he was doing.

"Is he alright?" he asked Andromeda instead.

She shrugged. "He's been jumpy all week," she explained. "To be honest he's spent more time at the Manor than he has here. He's been going over there most days after school."

"To see Draco?"

Andromeda nodded. "It was all over the papers," she said, watching Harry carefully. "I think Ted just wanted to make sure his cousin was alright."

Harry nodded. "And is he? Alright, I mean." When Andromeda didn't answer straight away he was compelled to add, "Is Draco alright?"

The door slammed open before she could answer. If Harry had been an inch closer it probably would have knocked his nose off.

"Sorry!" Ted cried, ignoring the fact that Harry was silently saying his prayers. "Let's go!" He grabbed Harry by the arm and all but dragged him into the living room.

Narcissa was seated on the far corner of the room watching them with barely veiled amusement. "Harry," she said, smiling. "My sister said you wouldn't be joining us."

Harry laughed nervously, wondering not for the first time if he had been mistaken and shouldn't have come here. He felt Teddy squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I assumed she would be expecting me I mean I didn't know-"

"Relax, Harry, I'm glad you could make it," said the Malfoy matriarch. "It has been a while since we last met, has it not? I was hoping you would pay me a visit at the Manor soon. We never managed to finish that last game of cards."

"I will be sure to," Harry assured her knowing all too well that he didn't sound very certain.

He suddenly felt very awkward where he stood by the doorway. He let Teddy guide him to the couch, a double seater that was currently half occupied by one Draco Malfoy.

"Hey," Harry said, barely registering the way Teddy practically shoved him into the other seat.

Draco visibly straightened and smiled. "Hi. I-we didn't think you were-"

"If you finish that sentence I will leave right now," Harry told him.

"Right," Draco nodded.

There was a silence afterwards that stretched out, threatening to reach awkward proportions when the sound of music made them all jump. It wasn't coming from the TV though. In fact it sounded like it was coming from behind them.

"Is that-" began Draco.

"The Weird Sisters?" Harry finished. He hadn't heard them in so long and yet the song was familiar enough. He caught Draco's eyes and found that the other man was just as confused as he was.

"Do you like it?" Teddy asked, bouncing into the room again and squeezing himself into the small space between Harry and Draco. "I fixed Grandpa's old..." He looked to Narcissa for support.

"Record player," she supplied.

"Yeah!" Teddy cried, "The old music box grandma keeps in her room. Aunt Cissa helped and we fixed it so now we can play music and dance!"

Draco coughed in the way he did when he was trying to hide a laugh. When he met Harry's eye, Harry couldn't bring himself to hold it, looking down at the excited boy pressed against his side instead. "Why the Weird Sisters?"

Teddy shrugged. "Grandma said that my Mom used to like them," he told them. "She said it was the best songs to dance to. Mom and Dad used to dance to it and now we should all dance to it as well!" He looked proudly around at the faces surrounding him. "We should all dance!"

Harry laughed. "I don't dance, Teddy."

Teddy frowned. "Yes you do!" he cried. "Aunt Cissa showed me all those pictures the other day of you dancing at all those Balls with Dra-"

"Now, now Teddy," Narcissa said warily from her seat. "I told you, those were taken a long time ago."

"Yes, but you can't forget how to dance!" Teddy protested. "Just like you can't forget how to ride a broom! It's easy, I can teach you." He paused and Harry could practically see the gears turning in the boy's head. "Draco can dance! He can teach you! He was teaching me the other day in the ballroom. He's the best teacher ever!" He turned to Draco who had been having some sort of silent conversation with his mother. "Aren't you Draco?" Teddy prompted, nudging his cousin.

"Sure," he said, nonchalantly. The way his grey eyes were peering up at Harry through his lashes told a completely different story. It was like he was asking permission.

"Maybe another time," Harry said softly. "I never really liked the Weird Sisters all that much. They played at the Yule Ball in my fourth year." He tore his eyes away from Draco's and caught Teddy's frown instead. "Did I ever tell you how much I hated it?" he asked.

"Parvati told me," Teddy said flatly. Harry patted him on the back, hating to see the boy look so disappointed

"It was the only time you ever wore green," Draco said absentmindedly. Harry stared at him. Draco looked like even he couldn't believe he had just said that. He took it in stride though, shrugging and squaring his shoulders. "You never wore green even though everyone says it would bring out your eyes."

"I guess I never really think those things through," Harry shrugged. "I usually just pick the first thing in my closet in the mornings."

"I know," said Draco like it caused him great pain.

Well I'm sorry I don't feel the need to look like I just stepped out of a magazine all the time, Harry thought, taking in Draco's perfectly ironed shirt and slacks. His own t-shirt and jeans ensemble paled in comparison.

"Lunch is ready," Andromeda called from the kitchen.

Harry tried to not seem too relieved for the escape route but he did notice the way Draco let out a long breath. At least he wasn't the only one. Perhaps if he could just talk to Draco alone they would be able to relieve some of this tension. Okay, yeah that might have come out wrong. What he meant was they could talk things through. What his brain supplied him with were pictures where he and Draco were not talking. Ah great, just what he needed, an uncomfortable hard on through what was sure to already be a painfully awkward meal.

"No music while we eat Teddy," Andromeda added as they all rose to their feet.

Teddy groaned and pursed his lips but made to obey his Grandmother. Harry darted after him. "I'll be back," he told Narcissa when she gave him a quizzical look.

Teddy was fiddling with the record player, his back turned when Harry closed the door behind them. He leaned against the frame and waited for the boy to face him.

"Do we have to do this now?" asked Teddy, only looking over at him when he had placed the record neatly back into its sleeve.

"Depends, do you have any more brilliant ideas in store for us?" Harry asked.

"No," he admitted. "I thought the music one would work for sure."

Harry sighed, taking a seat at the foot of the huge bed and patting the space beside him for Teddy. The boy sidled over reluctantly.

"I don't need to ask what you're doing," Harry told him, resisting the urge to ruffle the boy's hair at least for now. "But I would like to know why."

"You messed up last week," Teddy informed him. "They wrote all those articles about you and Draco and he was really upset." It was sort of refreshing, Harry decided. Everyone else had been so busy trying to protect Harry's feelings that no one had actually accused him of doing anything wrong, aside from the papers of course. Sitting here with Teddy glaring up at him, Harry actually felt more secure.

"I know," he said, not bothering with excuses.

"Good," Teddy nodded. "Now you need to fix it."

Harry laughed humorlessly. "I don't know how, mate," he said, softly. "I would have fixed it by now if I did."

Ted frowned in the way that he did when he was thinking really hard. "Did you say sorry?" Harry shook his head ready to defend himself but the boy seemed delighted by this prospect. "That's it then isn't? Say sorry and then you'll be fine!"

"I don't think it'll be that easy, Ted," he said, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Why not?" Teddy grumbled.

"I don't think you'll understand." That was definitely the wrong thing to say. Ted shoved at him, face turning absolutely murderous.

"Is it because I'm too young?" he demanded. Harry couldn't bring himself to agree so he just watched the boy pace up and down in front of him. "I might be young, Harry but I know what's going to happen if-if you and Draco don't make up again."

"Teddy…" Harry said, trying to reach out to the boy.

Teddy just shook him off. "I don't want Draco to leave again Harry!" he burst out, looking like he was on the verge of tears. "He can't but if you don't get back together he will! And-and-I hate that you're so sad all the time! Aunt Cissa showed me all those pictures of you and Draco and you were so happy together and now-I don't want him to leave!"

Harry felt a rush of anger surge through him but he wasn't quite sure who exactly it was directed at, Draco, Narcissa or himself. All he knew was that Teddy was hurting and it just wasn't right that the kid had to deal with any of this.

He bent down and hugged Teddy tight, refusing to let go when the boy struggled. He held on until he felt his godson sight and lean into him, then small hands wrapped around Harry's neck. Teddy held on just as fiercely as Harry, rocking them both slightly until Harry could hear sniffling by his ear.

"Whether we get back together or not, I can't stop Draco from leaving," he whispered to the boy. "But I can promise you on my life that I will never leave you, Ted. Not ever."

Harry rubbed soothing circles on the boy's back until his godson wasn't sniffling anymore. Then he summoned a glass of water when Teddy started hiccupping instead.

"Thanks," he said, wiping furiously at his eyes. "I know it's not your fault, Harry-I-I just wish that-I don't want him to-"

"I know, love," Harry said softly. "I guess we're in this together, right?" Teddy nodded. "It's going to be alright. We'll be okay." He ruffled Teddy's hair and this time the boy didn't complain, he just moved closer to Harry for another hug.

Harry didn't get a chance to talk to Draco until after lunch. While Andromeda and Narcissa were fussing over the dishes he watched the blonde man like a hawk. The second Teddy announced he was going to watch TV and bounded away in the direction of the living room, Harry grabbed at Draco's hand.

"We need to talk," he hissed into the other man's ear, making sure his fingers dug in enough to leave a mark on his pale skin. "Outside. 5 minutes." With that he released Draco and brushed past him to join the sisters by the sink.

"I am so full I probably won't need to eat for the rest of the week," he told Andromeda with a wink.

She swatted him over the head with a dishtowel for his effort. "Don't you dare," she told him sternly. "Remember I will have a chat with your house elf."

Harry laughed. "I know, don't worry I will look after myself."

"And you'll pay me a visit?" Narcissa asked from behind her sister.

Harry nodded. "We will finish that game," he assured her. "I think I'll head home now, Hermione said she might stop by."

"Of course, dear," said Andromeda, giving him a quick hug. "You go ahead and tell Hermione she is welcome to send Rose and Hugo over any time. Ted would love the company."

Harry smiled, "Sure, of course."

He threw one last look back at Draco who had been watching the entire exchange from the dining room, before heading out.

He found a spot on the front porch that was just out of sight from the kitchen and living room windows and close enough that he could still watch for when Draco stepped out. Luckily he didn't have to wait long.

He watched as Draco carefully closed the door behind him before turning back to look for Harry. His arms were crossed like he was cold. Good. Harry knew Draco hadn't done it on purpose but he still couldn't help blaming him at least partially for what Teddy was going through.

"Harry," he said, making his way over warily. "You wanted to talk?"

"Were you aware that Teddy thinks that if we don't get back together you're going to leave again?"

That was obviously not what Draco had expected from this talk. He looked lost for words but recovered fast. "I didn't- I mean I know he was trying to set us up before but I didn't imagine-" he shook his head. "I had no idea he felt that way."

"Well he does," Harry said sharply. "And quite frankly we're both on the same boat. Neither of us knows if you're here to stay this time."

"Harry, I told you, I'm not-"

"You need to talk to him, Draco," Harry said, cutting him off. "You need to make this better with him. He's eleven, he shouldn't be worrying about this."

"I'll talk to him," Draco nodded solemnly.

"Make sure he believes it," said Harry. "He needs to know that's you're not going to leave, even if we never-even if we're over for good."

Draco winced visibly. "I'm here to stay."

"Like I said, he's eleven. He'll buy it," said Harry, fighting to keep his voice steady. "It'll take more than just talk to convince me."

"What do you need?" asked Draco, looking like he was almost afraid of what the answer would be.

"Time," Harry told him and really, what more could he say?

A/N: Hey hey hey! Hope you like :) I'm back home for mid-semester break and home is where most of my inspiration strikes so hopefully a quicker update! Here's to hoping