It took a few seconds of silence before Draco spoke. "Thank you." He said tiredly. It was three in the morning after all.

"What happened?" Harry asked. Draco didn't remove his arm but Harry could see the rest of his tears trailing down the side of his cheeks.

"Nightmare." He dried his tears. "Why are you here?" He asked, trying to see what time was on the clock.

"You called my name." Harry said. Draco looked away.

"It was just a nightmare, I'm fine now, I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry." If Harry had to apologize every time he'd had nightmares from Voldemort, he would have been doing it all the time. "Try to sleep some more." He stood to head for the door when he felt a pull on his clothes. He turned to see Draco holding onto the end of his shirt.

"Stay with me." He said softly. Harry reached down and held his hand, still feeling the tremors through his touch.

He came round the other side and got under the covers. He reminded himself that Draco was not interested in him in that way and only needed him right now. He felt him come closer and rest his head against his shoulder and Harry felt his heart race as an arm came over his chest.

So, this was how he would die.

He allowed himself to wrap his arm around Draco's shoulders but otherwise lay perfectly still, ignoring the ache that started forming in his back from being so stiff.

The shaking began to get worse and Harry opened his eyes glancing down. He could barely see anything since the only light in the room came from the fireplace. He could tell that Draco was holding back. "If you want to share, I'll listen to your nightmare." he said softly. With that the floodgates opened and Draco released a mournful cry that Harry felt in his core.

"He threw my baby in like nothing." He cried. Harry held him tighter, understanding that the letters they'd read and Ron's visit to Davis must have generated a vivid enough nightmare to place Draco in one of the stories they learned about. "I can still feel the grief like it really happened." He sobbed. "And it did... that's what they can do... Harry... what if he finds me." He wept.

"He's not taking you away from me." Harry swore. "Either of you."

"Maybe we should just kill him." Came the whimper. "I... I didn't want to... I want to see him suffer in life but that was before..."

"Before you know what he and his family are capable of." Harry said softly. He closed his eyes as he held him close.

"I'm sorry... I've always been so pathetic, specially around you."

"Then you definitely think I'm even more pathetic. If crying for seeing your loved ones dead in your nightmares makes you pathetic, then I've outcried you already." He said softly.

The silence in the room let them talk in whispers and Harry closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of having his warmth so close to him.

"Do you still have nightmares?" Draco asked after his cries had faded into sobs. Harry felt himself go in and out of sleep by then.

"Sometimes." Harry mumbled.

"Do they get easier?"

"...No. When they're vivid, they hurt just the same." Harry said and without thinking, his hand went up to pass his fingers through Draco's hair. His hair had gotten longer, and now reached his shoulders. He felt him shudder but didn't make the connection with what he was doing. He thought he was simply shedding the terror of the dream still, and continued passing his fingers through Draco's hair.

"Do you cry?" Draco whispered. Harry felt Draco's hand trailing down his chest, probably to get into a better position.

"Yes... when the dreams are bad. Or I remember someone I've lost." He said softly.

"Harry..." He heard him whisper and shift and Harry felt the pressure of Draco's soft lips against his own. Suddenly he was very awake and he reached up pulling him closer, kissing him back.

"Draco." He whispered, shifting on the bed to pull more of his body up against him, savouring the current of energy that passed between them every time their lips touched, wanting more of it.

He felt Draco's hand slipping under his shirt and froze. He reached down to hold onto his hand, stopping him from going further. "Please." He heard him whimper.

"No, Draco. Stop. We can't!" He said, moving away from him which was almost painful. He waved his wand to light the lamps with their gentle warm light. He wished he had kept them off when he saw the hurt in Draco's eyes at him pulling away.

Draco's head dropped in defeat. "Forgive me, I don't know what came over me. Please don't think less of me." He implored. "I know you're not interested in men, I'm sorry. I... I would be disgusted kissing a witch too, I'm sorry."

"No. Draco. Stop apologising." He reached back to hold his hand but Draco pulled away. "Draco, I don't want to take advantage of you."

"Don't you think I would know the difference." Draco hissed glaring up at him.

"The power balance is off Draco. I'm the one keeping your energy strong and keeping the baby growing."

"Potter..."

"And your landlord."

"Oh, fuck off, Potter." Draco hissed, throwing the nearest pillow at him. "Get out of my room!" He yelled. Harry looked at him wanting to say something more but he listened to him, getting up and heading for the door.

oOoOoOo

Draco didn't look up to see him leave. When the door clicked shut, he covered his eyes with his hand, taking a deep breath. He looked up at the wallpaper pattern taking another breath. His skin felt hot to the touch when they were together but now everywhere felt cold, missing Potter's warmth enveloping him under the covers.

He'd never felt this kind of desire before, even with Alfred... he didn't know what this was but it took all his control away and it left him acting shamefully again. No, not again. He didn't feel anything other than discomfort and pain when Alfred Davis took him. It all felt wrong.

Even when Potter pulled him closer Draco felt nothing but safe, protected and yearned for more, to feel more, to touch more and to see how else Potter could make him feel. He also wished that maybe, maybe Potter felt the same warmth between them. But then Potter must have come to his senses and stopped everything, pulling away and leaving him cold where his warmth had once been.

He sighed standing to look in the mirror once more looking at himself, flinching as the shirt he wore was actually very loose, showing even more of the scars on his shoulders.

The door opened and he turned in confusion, seeing Potter come in with a herbal tea, from the smell of it, and the chocolate bar he asked him to buy earlier. His stomach rumbled and he looked up at him speechless, not knowing what to even respond.

"I know you told me to leave, I'll go... it's just... I brought chamomile tea in case your still upset." He said. He poured it out for him and everything, making it perfectly how he liked it. In fact, Potter somehow remembered how he liked to take his tea even on the first day he had stepped foot in this house. "I'll go." Draco stared at the door before his body clicked into action. He stormed towards it, slamming it open.

"What is wrong with you?" He snapped.

"What? Me? What did I do?" He asked.

"You are seriously asking me this? What are you trying to do to me?" He said.

"I'm trying to respect you."

"By making me fall in love with you?" Draco snapped.

"I-what?"

"You take that stupid confused look off your face. You can't be this stupidly kind that you would do all of this for someone and not expect them to fall in love with you." Draco yelled. "It can't be the bond either because you started it before we were bonded. Why are you doing this to me?"

"I'm trying to... I'm... I'm trying to be nice, Draco."

"Stop it. Stop. Please. You would never be with me, and I'm not going to stay in female form for anything other than getting this child into this world. So please stop it before I really fall for you and then I'm well and truly damned."

"Why is everyone always so sure that they know me?" Potter yelled. "Why does everyone always tell me what I can and can't do!"

"Because it's true." Draco said. "If you don't realise it let me tell you right now, you are a flirt, Harry Potter."

"Ex-Cuse me?" Potter actually laughed and it took everything in Draco not to curse him. "I don't mean to flirt, but if it's slipping out and making you uncomfortable then I'm sorry. I like you. As difficult as that might seem to believe."

Draco shook his head. It wasn't true and even if it was, "You and I can't be together."

"And why the hell not?" Draco stared at him unsure of what to even respond.

"But... you pulled away when you came to your senses." Harry came closer to him and Draco shuddered as he felt his warmth from how close they were standing.

"Why does that mean that I don't want you?" He repeated softly. Draco looked into his eyes, uncertain. "Hmm?"

"Stop, Potter." Draco whispered. Of course they couldn't be together.

"I did stop. I stopped because we are not on the same playing field right now. I'm not going to take advantage of you when you have nowhere else to go and I hold all the cards." He said seriously. "But that sure as hell is not going to stop me from caring for you and doing nice things for you, because, guess what? I care about you and I want to do nice things for those I care about."

"As if anyone will let the hero of the wizarding world end up with someone like me." Draco said looking away.

"You're so stubborn." Draco refused to look back at him. "Let me remind you, we're having a child together. Not that I care what other people think, but that concern is a little too late. Whatever we decide we'll have to do it with the baby's best interest in mind as well. This is between you and me, Draco."

"This isn't the baby you were going to have with Ginevra Weasley." Draco reminded him.

"I know that." Harry replied.

"Stay. I won't do anything." Draco said.

"That should be my line. But I shouldn't."

"Please... I actually don't think the tea will be good enough after the nightmare I had." He admitted.

"Well, ok."

oOoOoOo

Draco glared at him after the chocolate and the tea was finished. "This is not what I meant."

The pillows were all placed between them, separating them. The truth was Harry enjoyed holding him close far too much than he should and this was all he could come up with right now if he wanted to stay true to his word.

"It's as good as I can do." Harry said. "Hand?" He offered, passing his hand over the pillows.

"Hand." Draco said with a huff, and Harry smiled as Draco slipped his hand into his. Harry waved his wand and the lights dimmed once more to darkness. Only the dying embers from the fireplace continued to provide any light.

"Good night, Draco." He said.

"Good night, Harry." Draco replied, sounding sleepy already, which was probably why he didn't sound angry anymore.

oOoOoOo

Draco thought what happened for the next couple of days.

"Draco, everything alright?" He looked up at Hermione and avoided looking in Potter's direction.

"Yes, sorry, um... you said about the latest order, ten thousand?" Draco asked.

"Fifty, even George wants to sell them in his store, if you allow him to add a whimsical redesign to the outside of them, and their own charms?" Weasley clarified and Draco nodded looking at the numbers.

"It goes without saying that I thank you two for helping me in your spare time. I know you already have lots of things to do." Draco said.

"You're welcome, besides its rather exciting to me, seeing the numbers go up and down." Granger smiled and continued making notes.

"And it keeps her distracted." Weasley added.

"From what?" Harry asked.

"Murder." Granger said with the sweetest of smiles, as if she was thinking it already and Draco glanced at Potter before feeling awkward and looked away.

"Um... Weasley,"

"You could at least call him Ron, since he's compelled to call you Draco." Hermione argued.

"No. Cousin?" Draco suggested.

"Nope." Weasley interjected but once more, was ignored.

"Sounds great."

"Well, cousin." Weasley grimaced and scoffed looking away as he read through a large file. "What did my ex-fiancée say when you went to see him?" Draco asked. He saw him glance at Hermione and back at the paper in front of him.

"Ron had to stay in St. Mungo's for a night or so." Hermione said softly. Potter's reaction was instant.

"And you didn't tell me anything? Why? What did he do?" Potter asked and Draco reached out to hold his hand to perhaps help him calm down, instead.

"I can't say." Ron said with a huff.

"What happened?" Draco asked once more. Ron insisted focusing on the papers and Draco crossed his hands over his knee. "Dearest cousin." Draco cooed tilting his head to the side. Ron looked at him with a grimace and disgust.

"Don't do that." He begged.

"I'll say it a hundred times until you say it." Draco turned seriously. The thought of Davis doing something to him after he, bond or whatever, saved Draco from getting blown into the wall hard enough to possibly loose the baby, it made him nauseous to think about. "Ron, what did he do."

"It's nothing, he tried to alter my memories but it interacted with the protection charms and gave me a headache that knocked me out for hours. By then I was back at the Auror base and Jenkins had me treated straight away. I can't say any more than that." Weasley said and Draco nodded taking a deep breath.

"I'm glad... excuse me." He said standing to go to the kitchen.

"Is he ok?" He heard Granger ask but he didn't stay long enough to hear the rest. He sat on a corner, staring at a random spot on the wall. He couldn't get the image out of his mind from that nightmare, even if it had been days since then. He couldn't get over the feeling of Harry's lips either, or his words after that.

He couldn't get the headline of the Daily Prophet out of his head. How they found that boy dead in a ditch. Poisoned apparently. But they were going to give a conference about it at some point or other when they investigated further.

They didn't want to spook Davis after all, was Draco's best guess.

"Draco?" Granger asked and he looked up to see her standing there with a small package. "Are you feeling ok?" She asked and the softness of her voice made him feel strange. It sounded like she cared but he'd never heard such sweetness even from his mother, even when he was a child and he was ill. She was caring through her actions but she was always proper and firm, and blunt.

"I'll be ok. As soon as I can start savouring victories over that despicable monster." he said, hands clenched over his knee. She came closer and sat beside him.

"I got you a present." She said. He looked at her surprised and opened the package to find a soft baby outfit for a newborn. It had a tiny elephant embroidered on the right side and the year of birth on it. Next year. He looked at the tiny thing.

"They're not this small, are they?" Draco asked softly touching the soft little sleeves. Granger chuckled and smiled.

"Actually, the baby might be even smaller, but I just thought getting a size a little bigger might be a safe bet, in case he is a little bigger." She said and Draco looked at her not knowing what to say.

"I... thank you." He said.

"Have you... read the letter your parents sent you?" She asked and he shook his head.

"Somehow I find it hard to read anything from them... after those letters." He said.

"Well, when you're ready then. We also wanted to invite you to the Burrow, for Christmas." She said. Draco looked up at her and laughed.

"Shouldn't the hostess be extending the invitation?" Draco asked.

"You're family, Draco." Hermione said with a final tone. "Family doesn't need an invitation."

"Still, it's not exactly me they'll be expecting. And I'm already showing." He said.

"I know, but actually Harry let it slip that he couldn't go because he was taking care of something and the threatened to bring Christmas to him. So then we said he was helping someone and then she said that if he didn't bring this 'someone' over..."

"She'd bring Christmas to us both, I get the pattern." He said. "I don't know... I'm embarrassed. I don't even know if I'm disowned or not and I'm just supposed to show up with Potter's child? And what of Ginevra? She'll be there right?"

"You know Harry and her are broken up."

"And if I'm seen by the wizard press they'll reveal my state." Draco said.

"Maybe... maybe that wouldn't be so bad." Granger reasoned and Draco turned to look at her in disbelief. "Think about it... you were hiding because you didn't think he knew."

"And because I slept with him and no one that knows me will ever speak to me again if they found out." Draco said.

"Oh please. Ron and I live together. Harry and Ginny lived together. Were they married? They clearly had a pregnancy scare because they were doing other things beside holding hands." She argued and Draco stood shaking his head to clear himself of the image of Harry and Ginevra Weasley in bed together.

"For my family... it would mean a lot."

"Come on Draco. See reason. None of that means anything anymore. There will be a baby soon. And you are too clever to get lost in the muggle world, you... you came up with an amazing hybrid that didn't even occur to me. Just because you blended muggle technology with spell work." She grabbed his hands.

"You want me to step out into the world? Like this? So people can make fun of me?" He asked.

"Who would make fun of you? Davis made up these stories. Why not make up some of your own?" She asked. "Rub salt into his open wounds while your business is kept secret. Humiliate him while he thinks you're plotting nothing, then when your ducks are all in a row... destroying him in public, with the public's love and interest will be all the more of a delicious revenge." She said.

"What exactly are you expecting me to say?" Draco asked.

"Well... you and Harry will have a baby together. Davis did feed you potions... what if we say that you and Harry were lovers?" She suggested.

Draco stood up and laughed. "Oh Merlin, no one would ever believe that."

"Why not? The proof is in the pudding baking away in the oven right now." She said pointing to his belly.

Draco thought about it with a frown. "But what about when Harry wants to be with someone else?"

She didn't seem convinced about something but shrugged. "Well, then you say you had an amicable breakup and will raise your child together either way." She said simply.

"I don't know... if we can pretend." Draco said.

"Oh?"

He looked at her and sighed. "Harry and I... kissed a few nights ago."

"Oh." She stood up straighter looking at her hands. "I mean... is that why you've been avoiding looking at each other?"

"I thought... anyway I kissed him and he kissed me back and then..."

"Oh no, please I don't need to know." Hermione said.

"No, nothing like that, then he pulled away and I thought... you know I have to be in female form and it was dark maybe he was... confused." He said.

"So Harry... doesn't want to be with you?"

"He does, that's the problem."

"It is? I'm confused now." Hermione said and Draco laughed looking at the baby's clothes.

"He thinks he'd be taking advantage of me, since he holds all the cards, apparently, and I am scared that he'll be disgusted with me once the magic wears off on the day our child is born." He said.

"I think you two are overthinking this too much." Hermione said with a sigh. "If you like each other, just be together and see what happens." She said.

"And if I fall in love with him, and he wakes up one day not wanting anything to do with me?" He asked looking at her. "It's not like I could forget him. He'll be in my child's life, forever." He said clearly.

"You two can speculate all you want, but unless you actually pick a route and stick to it, you'll never find out how happy you might just end up making each other." Hermione said. "Now, I'll let Mrs. Weasley know that Harry will be bringing someone."

Draco sighed uncertain. "Maybe I should get out of this house."

"Yes, you should. I know the Wyvern company keeps you busy but you need to be with other people." She said. "If you stay here you'll eventually end up thinking of that despicable stain of a wizard again and again and drive yourself crazy. Why should you stop living because of that monster." She hissed angrily shaking her head.

Draco stared at her and looked at his present with a smile. "Thank you, Hermione." He said and she smiled with a nod.

"You're welcome."

"Now tell your stupid saviour to not treat me like a glass doll." He said and Hermione chuckled.

"Maybe I should punch him like I punched you in third year?" She teased and he scoffed, chuckling at the memory.

"Merlin, I was pathetic in school." He said. "Did I ever apologise?"

"That wouldn't be your style." She said with a shrug.

"Well... I am sorry. I've learned how ignorant I was."

"I forgive you, Draco." That did feel surprisingly relieving. "You should reach out to your friends. I'm sure Pansy Parkinson must want to know you're alright."

"I don't think I could. I could tarnish her by association." He said.

"Well... didn't she shave someone's hair clean off once in your honour?" She frowned, remembering back.

Draco chuckled. "I couldn't reach out." He said. "I won't risk it for her. You might think our rules are stupid, not the wizard ones, the big manor house ones... but her parents follow it. And if they follow them, she could be hurt by being with me."

"Then... perhaps she'd like to write letters with Hermione Granger?" She asked. "She'd recognise your writing I imagine. Even if the signature at the bottom is my name?"

They shared a smile and returned to the living room together.