Granger's Café

Pairing: Draco/Harry.

Disclaimer: Hermione decides that the drama in the wizarding world is growing too much. She decides to open up a café in the muggle world, so as to enjoy simplicity during the day. Little does she know that one of the applicants for a job there, will cause a whole new circle of drama for her. And how exactly will her little café benefit Harry and Draco's lives, and how will it banish the drama from both worlds they live in? You know what they say, about Granger's café; her food is like magic, that's what they say, because it keeps all your problems and troubles at bay.

Reviews: Okay I am not getting e-mail alerts for any of the reviews, faves and adds of my stories (I know that sounds extremely big-headed) and so any reply's may be severly delayed.

Thank you for all your kind cliff-hanger related reviews in the last chapter, along with the much-appreciated 'Ginny-must-die' Reviews. They just make my day!

~000~

Chapter Seveteen: No Place to Call Home

Draco sat in a stunned silence, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. Gone? How could his son be gone? He had only just gotten him back? He swallowed back the tears. "W-what do you mean gone?"

Narcissa, now sitting on her sons bed, wiped at her eyes. Albus fidgeted in his chair. "He wanted to go to the bathroom alone. He kept saying something about Malfoy Pride and dignity. I told him I didn't mind, but he was insistant" the young boy burst into tears.

Draco wanted to be angry at the child for being so reckless. But he couldn't. He would have done the same at that age. However he still would have wanted someone there to be so concerned about him. He felt jealous of his son. He sighed and wiped his eyes with the hospital gown. A shiver ran through his body. "What do we do now?"

Narcissa placed her hands on Draco's and squeezed them. "Do not worry, love, I have a ... gut-feeling about where they might be"

Draco's face darkened with a haunted memory. "The Manor?" Narcissa nodded. Harry noted the look and tone of fear that had began to dominate Draco. "Oh Merlin!" he slumped into his pillows and cried.

Narcissa looked just as upset but she help her cool. "Now you listen to my Draconis Lucius Abraxas Malfoy. No good will come from crying, do you hear me?" she softened her voice and pulled his head into her lap and stroked his hair, much in the same manner Harry was aching to do. "Your father is many things, but he will not harm Scorpius"

Draco lent back up and wiped as his nose, his eyes red and puffy. "It's not him I am worried about ... it's her"

Narcissa nodded in understanding. "I know it will seem bitter sweet now but Hermione still expects us to have dinner at her house, now hurry and dress and we will leave together"

Draco sighed and edged to the end of the bed. He lent down to retrieve his clothes when he stopped short of everyone staring at him. "Do you mind? I can dress myself" he snapped briskly. Narcissa and Harry knew best not to argue, and left the ward with Albus, leaving Draco to dress and silently cry himself into an exhausted state.

~000~

Scorpius stood stock still as a pair of House Elves measured every inch of his body for new clothes to be tailored. His skin was pinched my a million needle heads. He tried not to wince too much but it became harder and harder with each jab the elves aimed at him. He did not want new clothes. He did not want to be in this drafty, grey manor. He just wanted to be back with his dad. "OW!" he yelped and stepped away from the elves who glowered at him with beady black eyes.

"Master Malfoy is to be still" snapped the elderly elf. Scorpius glared at the creature. He suddenly remembered why he hated these two particular elves.

"Oh shut up!" he snapped, feeling red flush his cheeks, rubbing at his body where the pinpricks were so deep they were beginning to bead blood. They stung. Tears were wetting his golden eye lashes. "Leave me the hell alone! I don't want new clothes!" He had glimpsed at the designs for his new clothes in a small portfolio that his mother had handed over to the elves. The clothes looked like the Victorian ones that had been worn for old family portraits. He hated them all.

The elves bowed. "As Master wishes" with a snap of their fingers and a dusty sounding 'pop' they were gone. The pins they had been holding twinkled as they hit the floor.

Scorpius leant back against the cold wall and slid down the wallpaper. His bottom stung as it perched on the frozen flagstones. Christmas was coming. He wished not to spend it in this dreary manor. He looked down at his legs and sniffled. There were still a few pins jutting out. Those elves had actually been pinning the fabric to his skin! Tears fell down his white cheeks. With trembling fingers he slowly began to pry the first of thirteen needles out of his skin. He was thankful so far that none of them had hit a serious nerve. Small pieces of fabric fell to the floor leaving behind cold white legs exposed to the evening air with angry red holes dotting his skin. "Stupid ... ugly ... bitchy ... creatures ..."

"Scorpius Malfoy!" came a shrill yell from down the corrdior.

Scorpius froze before frowning. He always wondered why his mother never used his middle name. He reamined silent. 'Let her come and find me' he thought bitterly. All the pins were out now. He stretched his legs out and then curled them back, trying to ease the pain away.

"SCORPIUS GET HERE NOW!"

He shivered. He needed to get out of here. But how?

~000~

Hermione was at her wits end. She had wanted her little business to thrive and make everyone feel good. And it did, however the people working there were not happy at all. She was just relieved that she had fired Ginny before things could get any worse. She had no idea as of yet about what had happened to Scorpius as she had been preparing a pre-christmas dinner. Ron still was not back from work yet and Hugo and Lily were watching some cartoons on the muggle television. Her hands trembled as she placed food in the oven. What would Ginny do now that she had been fired?

"Mummy!"

"What is it Hugo?" she called out as she set the timer for the oven.

"Someone is coming through the floo!"

Hermione's heart lurched. It could be friend or foe, but she would not know until they appearred completely. "I'm coming!" she hurried to the living room and was relieved to see Georg Weasley, Sirius and Remus step through. "Good Evening gentlemen" she smiled warmly.

"Good morning you four" Remus smiled winking at Hermione as he did so. Hermione felt her cheeks burn red. She had forgotten that the werewolf would be able to smell her pregnancy. It made her feel even more on edge.

"Boys' the liquor is in the dining room please help yourselves" she pivoted on the spot and hurried back to the kitchen. What was wrong with her? Why was she so jumpy?

"Honey I'm home!" Ron's voice called as he came through the fire place, earning a cheer from the children. His foosteps were heard and then stopped. "Oh and hello gentlemen" he grinned in a mock posh voice.

"Dinner is almost ready!" Hermione called out.

Ron walked in and kissed her temple, "hello my lovely lady" he buried his lips aganist her neck, making her moan softly. "You shouldn't work yourself too hard, Hermione, you'll get grey hairs with all the stress"

Hermione snorted, "unlike your sister I don't care obsessivley if I have a single silver line"

Ron grinned and stroked his hand absently over her stomach. "We should tell Rose soon. She would want to know that she's expecting another sibling"

"I know but it is still early days yet" Hermione stated, ignoring the pang in her chest as she said this. Ron nodded in understanding and said nothing more on the subject. He went into the dining room to converse with his brother and the two older men, leaving Hermione to her thoughts.

Mona and Majorie were the next to arrive. Hermione just prayed that no one would floo in through her fireplace, and that no one would perform ludicrous spells that could not be passed off as a random trick from Weasley's wizard wheezes. Next to enter were Harry and Albus who had taken a taxi from where St. Mungo's was located, up London. Albus quickly went to hug his little sister and Hugo before settling down to watch the cartoons with them. Harry decided to help Hermione with the food. Mona ventured in shortly after also to lend a hand.

A little way away from the house, stuck in traffic in the main road, Draco and Narcissa were sitting side-by-side in a cramped taxi. Draco was dressed in a pair of large jeans, a baggy checked shirt, and a tight white vest underneath. His secret favourite beanie hat he had gotten from the homeless shelter pulled down over his messy blonde hair. Narcissa had objected saying the temperature was dropping but Draco merely ignored her. "Draco are you sure you don't want to just go upstairs and sleep?"

Draco nodded vaguely, "some food may do me good, mother, I don't really feel the cold"

Narcissa had discreetly placed a warming charm on him just before they left the hospital, which is why she did not protest at her son's statement. "As long as you don't catch a cold I am fine with it"

"Mother ... Scorpius was at St. Mungo's because he was distressed" Draco started, eying the taxi-driver suspciously. "It was because you had been reported dead"

Narcissa did not respond right away. "I know" she licked her lips, "your father has been up to his tricks again"

"They ... t-they said they had found your body"

Narcissa breathed out through her nose, watching as it misted up the window-pane. The road zoomed by making her feel dizzy. She was not used to cars. "It wasn't mine"

Draco narrowed his eyes. This woman could easily be an imposter. "Not yours?"

"No ... it was Fleur Delacour's little sister"

"The french girl? But surely they would have known!"

Narcissa shook her head, "not with the way your father works. He combined an aging potion with an altered polyjuice potion and voila! My very own doppleganger. Dead" her voice dry and clouded with rage and bitterness.

Draco reached over and took her hand. "I'm scared mother"

"About the driver? Don't worry love, I cast a silencing charm around us a while back"

Draco was grateful to hear that. "No I mean ... about Scorpius"

"I am too, dear, I am not as young as I once was" she reached over and took Draco's hand in her own. "Scorpius knows the manor better than all of us. He'll survive"

Draco sighed. "I really hope so"

~000~

The taxi eventually pulled up to a fairly large house a mile or so off the main road. There was no driveway only a vibrant green lawn. Draco assumed they merely apparated to and from wherever they would go. Rose bushes obscurred the view from the road. Tree sprouted overhead from the back garden. It was a picturesque little house if anything. The lights were on downstairs and muffled laughter could be heard from within. His stomach knotted. How could he be happy knowing that his only son was missing? Then again, he was a Malfoy, well, once upon a time, and he had mastered the technique of "masks". Perhaps he should use one tonight. 'We'll see' he thought as his mother handed over some muggle money to the driver and unlocked the door on her side.

Draco mirrored her movements and soon the bitter cold evening air ripped through his thin clothes. He ground his teeth together, determined not to let his mother see how much it bothered him. He had to be brave. Trembling, he led the way up the pathway to the house. Upon reaching it he came face-to-face with a red wooden door with a brass knocker on the front. Swallowing thickly he reached up with a quivering hand and knocked a few times. He counted to ten. The door swung open revealing a very tall Ron Weasley. "Evening Draco, Narcissa, glad you could make it" the true emotion in the redheads voice made Draco want to runaway and hide.

"H-hello W-Ron" Draco stared down at the lovely carpetting beneath his feet. A soft, fluffy beige.

Ron stepped aside and let them both enter the house. "Come on this way to the dining room, drinks are in there and Hermione, Mona and Harry are almost ready with dinner"

Narcissa smiled, "we're much obliged Mr. Weasley" she floated, like an angel, into the dining room where she embraced Sirius and Remus with kisses to the cheeks and hugs all around.

Draco stood awkwardly in the hallway. He was not sure if he wanted to bother Harry whilst cooking. Laughter came from the next room. Laughter. He had not heard it for what seemed like years. He ventured across the hallway to inspect it. Nudging open the living room door he was caught with an adorable sight; Albus, Lily and Hugo were all curled up on the sofa laughing at a muggle device. Draco frowned. The square box was not doing anything. How could iy be entertaining? Or was that the joke? Albus suddenly turned his head and smiled weakly at him, "you can come in, Mr. Malfoy, we won't bite"

Draco shuddered at the word 'Malfoy' but managed to edge his way into the living room, unharmed. He stood still for a moment taking in his surroundings. Hermione had done well in her decorating. A rectangular coffee table centred the room, it was surrounding by deep red cloth sofa;s, the carpet reamined beige, and the walls were a soft cream colour on top, a white bored running through the middle, and a rich red underneath. A few cabinets and a fireplace adorned the walls. It was warm and inviting. His eyes drifted back to Albus. "May I sit?" he inclined his head to the vacant space beside the young boy.

"Of course Mr. Malfoy" Albus shifted into a more upright position.

Draco sat down, still feeling a little tense. "Thank you"

They sat in silence for a few moments before Albus spoke up. "I am sorry I lost yuor son" his voice was wounded, sincere, and it cut Draco's heart that little bit more. This child was so much like Harry, taking the blame for general faults. He could see why his son liked the boy, he had the dream friendship Draco had been unable to form with the Chosen One. He admitted he was jealous, if only to himself. And then he began to wonder. Maybe this was different, perhaps now he was on the verge of something much more exciting with Harry himself? Who knew?

"It's not your fault, Albus. Things happen, but that doesn't mean you have to blame yourself"

"But I was there and-"

"So was I" Draco stated quickly. "But Albus, listen to me when I say this, your father always made mistakes, and yes I suppose he always blamed himself for them, but you have to remember that if Scorpius, or anyone else, is that close to your heart, they with won't blame you. Because they would be blaming a part of themselves too"

Albus let out a shaky breath, "so ... who is to blame then?"

"Only two lots of people; the St. Mungo's staff, and whoever took my son"

Draco had not realised when it had happened, but Albus was leaning against his shoulder in a dazed state. "He means the world to me, Mr. Mal-Draco"

Draco gave Albus a one-armed hug, "I believe he feels the same way about you"

As Albus fell into a peaceful nap Draco could not help but analyse the child; rich dark-chocolate hair that appearred tamable, beryl orbs surrounded by thick black lashes, strong jaw and grinning pink lips. He could see why his son would like him. Or was there more to it than that?

~000~

Dinner had been the highlight of the evening with rich food, gorgeous wine and addictive dessert. Now it was time for the coffee to sober everyone up enough to apparate, or drive, home. Majorie was galantly chattng with Sirius, Remus and Narcissa whilst the younger generation drank coffee in the dining room. The kids had been put to bed in the available rooms, Albus sharing with Hugo and Lily in Rose's old room. Mona, being the youngest in the group soon decided to have a nap before and if she and her nan left that evening. Hermione let her share Rose's room with Lily. Thye had only one spare room and a loft conversion to spare.

Sirius and Remus stated that they would floo home with Narcissa as soon as Marjorie went up to bed in the loft. Hermione protested but the slightly older woman insisted she was still extremely agile and an extra set of stairs would not bother her in the slightest. This meant that Draco and Harry would either share a room, or one would have the room and the other would have the sofa downstairs. "I'll leave you boys' to think on it" Hermione stated as she cleared the rest of the coffee cups and retired to her own room.

Harry and Draco were left alone. They had barely spoken two words to one another that evening. The silence was insufferable. "I can take the sofa if you want the bed" Harry eventually stated.

Draco looked up from where his hands were curled around the luke warm cup of coffee. He had just been about to say the same thing. "But ... why?"

"Because you have just been through another traumatising ordeal right under your nose. I think you need the comfort"

Draco's lips curled into a snarl, "Pity, Potter?" he sneered. Harry looked taken aback by the sudden aggression in Draco. "Thanks for the offer but I'll be fine" he abruptly pushed away from the table and made for the door of the dining room.

Harry managed to reach the doorway before Draco could leave. He threw his arm across the doorway, blocking the blonde's escape route. "Draco you know I didn't mean it like that"

"Oh I know exactly what you meant, Potter" Draco snapped quickly, "that doesn't mean I have to pay attention to what you suggest"

Harry sighed, "Draco please-"

"NO POTTER!" the blonde snapped, "I am fed-up with everyone trying to tell me what is best for me! I am sick of people telling me what to do and what not to do! It's exhausting being what everyone wants me to be! At least you escaped it at some point in your life! What about me, Potter? Who the fuck cares what happens to ME? WHERE WAS MY HERO DURING THE WAR? I'LL TEL YOU WHERE! HE WAS OFF RESCUING EVERYONE ELSE, TOO BUSY TO HELP ME! SOMEONE WHO HAD BEEN IN HIS LIFE LONGER THAN GRANGER OF WEASLEY AND EVEN HIS OWN DAMNED WIFE! WHO WAS THERE TO RESCUE ME, POTTER ? NO ONE!"

Harry saw small tears running down the blonde's cheeks. A pang of guilt seered through his heart. Draco was right, where had his hero been? All that time Harry was worrying about saving the wizarding world, on Dumbledore's orders, that he had turned his back on someone who was spoon-fed lies and evil since he could talk ... and who had tried to rid his life of it. Suddenly it was all clearer to Harry just how much he had meant to Draco. A lump formed in his throat. "Draco ... I had no idea"

"Why the hell would you? It's not like I could talk to you about it, not since I was put into Slytherin and everyone had already turned you against me. What was I meant to do? Come up to you after potions and say 'hi Potter by the way you may not realise this but I have this weird feeling that you and I are interconnected in some way ... like Destiny' you would have thrown your botched potion in my face and legged it!"

Harry admitted defeat. Draco was right, about everything. There was no way to deny any of it. "What about if we share the spare bed?"

Draco, still red in the face from is rant, eyed Harry suspiciously. "Why would you even offer that after what I've just said?"

Harry ran his hands over Draco's shoulders and gripped his upper arms lightly, "because, although you loathe to admit it, you'd really like some company tonight. I want to be there for you Draco ... if you'd let me?"

Draco ran a hand through his hair. "Look I don't know what your motives are, Potter, but I'm too tired to argue" he swung his arm in an arch, "lead the way"

Harry breathed out through his nose in frustration. This was the best he was going to get from Draco, and he knew better than to push the blonde further. Obediantly he turned and led Draco up the stairs to the second floor and into the spare bedroom.

The room was an okay size for a spare room, it had soft beige carpets and a double bed. The walls were painted a soft apple green and white, both colours seperated by a white border much like the rest of the house. There was a small pine wood desk and bookcase on one side of the room, and the white curtains with a green banner running across the bottom made any light shining into the room soft and calming. The bedspread was a apple green duvet and two green pillows with two white ones underneath. "This is lovely" Harry commented as he closed the bedroom door and flicked on one of the bedside lamps. Draco nodded as he stripped down to his white vest shirt and boxers. "Won't you be cold?" Harry asked, his eyes running up Draco's thin, toned legs.

Draco shrugged, "there will be two of us in the bed, we'll have enough body-heat on our own. But if you want to cast a heating charm I don't mind"

Harry decided to cast one, just in case. He mirrored Draco's actions in only wearing his shirt and boxers. He pulled back the duvet and climbed in, watching intently as Draco did so too. With his left hand Harry removed his glasses and turned over to put them on the bedside table, the mattress dipping as Draco adjusted himself on the other side of the bed. "Draco?"

"Mmm?"

"We will find Scorpius"

Draco nodded absently not really paying attention to Harry's words. "I know" He felt the mattress dip as Harry came to rest right behind him, a tan arm snaking over his waist. He tensed and then began to relax. "Hey Potter-"

"Harry"

"What?"

Draco could practically hear Harry smiling, "my name is Harry"

"Okay ... thank you for being here tonight ... Harry"

"My pleasure Draco" Draco felt warmth run through him as Harry kissed the spot below his earlobe before settling down to sleep. Draco stayed awake for a while, a feeling of pain and guilt throbbing in his stomach. His son was still out there. Merlin knew what was happening to him. Finally, exhausted and distraught, Draco followed Harry into oblivion.

Several long, tiring miles away a little boy was staring haughtily out of his bedroom window. He had made his decision, but that would have to mean he had to grow up ...

A/N: there you go, another chapter finally completed.