Summary: It's been five years since the War and Harry is reminded just how little has changed when he rescues Draco Malfoy. Of course, nothing is ever that simple.

Draco's life has been shit since the War but he'd given up hoping for anything else. Until Harry Potter rides back into his life on his white horse and starts to interfere. He can't deny Harry's friendship is nice and making things much better for Draco. But on the other hand, how long can he hide some of his deepest secrets? And just how deep down the rabbit hole does Harry secrets go?

Ignores the epilogue.

Chapter One: Secrets in the Alley

Harry sulked in the corner of the bar, nursing the same pint he'd been holding all night. It was Seamus' stag night and most of the blokes he'd come with were well passed pissed already. Harry had been dreading this all week and if it hadn't been for Ron's insisting, he probably wouldn't have come out. Reporters circled outside the bar, ready and waiting for them to come outside. It had been a while since the press had taken such an obvious interest in them but the five year anniversary of the Battle at Hogwarts had renewed the media's interest in the 'Heroes of the War'. Ron and Hermione didn't mind the attention so much, but Harry couldn't stand it. He didn't trust the press, hadn't since his Hogwarts years, and he wasn't keen on some stranger taking pictures of him every time he stepped out of his flat. Harry eyed the mob of reporters and then the mob of blokes making yet another toast to Seamus' final night of freedom. He managed to catch Ron's eyes and nodded his head towards the back entrance. If Ron had an objection, he kept it to himself, and Harry snuck out of the bar.

The air was frigid and he quickly stuffed his hands in the pockets of his coat. Making sure that no one had seen him and that no one was waiting in the alley, he headed off. This wasn't the first time he was forced to sneak away from an event and as such, he knew the alleys of Diagon Alley rather well. He took a right, and then a left, before reaching the last alley between him and his way home. He wasn't alone in this alley. Three men, obviously drunk, were standing around in a semi-circle. One kicked out his foot and it landed with a thud against something. The something groaned in pain and Harry drew his wand quickly. He took a few steps forward, close enough to see that someone was curled into a ball on the ground in front of the men. "Stop," he bellowed.

The men turned to face him, clearly drunk enough to think they could fight him. The sight of his drawn wand made them rethink their bravery and they fled down the alleyway. Harry approached the man on the ground cautiously, his wand raised but off to the side. There was blood spattering the pavement and as he approached he could see the matted red blood in shocking blonde hair. "Malfoy," Harry whispered. He pocketed his wand and walked around, crouching down. "Malfoy," he said a little louder and was pleased to see that he was still conscious. "Hold on, I'll get you to St. Mungo's."

"No," Draco croaked out. Harry reached forward, fulling intending to chalk the 'no' up to obvious delirium, when Draco spoke again. "No…hospital."

Harry's hand halted above Draco's shoulder. If he didn't want to go to a hospital, Harry would have to take him home. "Okay," he whispered. But the cold gray eyes that had been staring up at him were shut as Draco finally lost consciousness.

-x-

He woke with a start and jolted up in the bed. The movement forced the air out of his lungs and his chest felt like it was going to explode. He blinked rapidly, taking in the unfamiliar surrounds. Well, it wasn't a dungeon or an alleyway. It also wasn't a hospital and he was thankful that whoever it had been that found him had listened. He reached for his wand as the door creaked open and found it missing. "Can I come in?" A voice, a very familiar voice, came through the crack in the door.

"Identify yourself," Draco croaked out. He eyed the glass of water on the bedside table but he wouldn't be eating or drinking anything until he knew who it was that had come across him.

"Harry Potter," the man said, "but I doubt you will believe me." The door creaked open further and true enough, Harry bloody Potter walked into the room.

"Oh great," Draco drawled. "Haven't you had enough of saving people for one lifetime?"

"Obviously not," Harry responded. He walked over the bedside table and took a sip from the cup. "I didn't poison it, you can drink it."

He hated to take anything from Potter but his throat was dry and he knew that stubbornness wouldn't help in this situation. He took the glass and downed the water. "Where is my wand?"

Harry held his hand out, Draco's wand resting in his palm. Draco snatched it back quickly and instantly felt a little better. "So, why no hospital?"

"I hit one of them," Draco replied. "It is against my parole to be involved in fights."

"Even in self defense?" Draco raised his eyebrow, "I got a good look at two of the blokes, muggleborns from Hogwarts. I figured with the proximity to the bar and the fact that the anniversary is around the corner…"

Draco nodded. "Well it seems those Auror training skills came in handy."

"I guess so. Anyways, I know that you said no hospitals but I don't have enough medical training to heal your bigger injuries. I've called someone, she should be here soon actually."

"I don't need…" he groaned as he tried to move and Harry flashed him an exasperated look.

Before either of them could say anything else, a knock sounded on the bedroom door. "Harry, you in there?"

"Come in Luna," Harry answered.

Luna walked into the room with a bright smile. "Hello Harry," she turned her attention to the bed, "oh…hello Draco. You don't look so well."

"Noted," Draco responded. "Could you just fix me up so I can get the bloody hell out of here."

"Well, I can do my best. You really should let us take you to the hospital." Luna stepped up and waved her wand over Draco's body. "Fractured collarbone, two broken ribs, bruised spleen, laceration to the leg, broken ankle, and some internal bleeding."

Harry winced but Draco's face remained stoic. "Can you fix it?"

"Of course I can," Luna responded. "But I really shouldn't you know? It's against my oath to provide services outside of St. Mungo's unless it is an emergency situation."

"I'm in Potter's bed, consider this an emergency." Harry rolled his eyes and stepped out of the room to let Luna work in peace. Truthfully, he needed to take a breather. It had been years since he'd last seen Draco Malfoy, five years in fact. He remembered the pale, well paler, face of a younger Malfoy as he was dragged into the Wizengamot with his parents at the end of the war. Harry had spoken for Draco and his mother, both of which were given parole for ten years. Lucius was found guilty and sentenced to life in Azkaban. He set his kettle on the stove and headed back towards his room.

"Oh good you are back," Luna said, "I've just finished."

"Wonderful, can I go home now?" Draco attempted to make the sound impatient, but the heavy set of his eyes gave away just how tired he was.

"Do you have anyone there with you?" The look on Draco's face made it pretty clear that the answer was no. "You need to watched for the next 24 hours. I've healed everything the diagnosis spell found, but there could be some issues afterwards. You will need someone to keep an eye on you to make sure that there are no residual side effects."

Draco glared, "I will be fine."

"If you don't have someone to watch you, then you will have to come back with me. I can't let you go home alone."

"You can stay," Harry muttered.

Draco's eyes snapped up, "Are you kidding me? I don't want to stay here."

"Well I could think of a few better houseguests myself," Harry spat back, "but you can't go home alone."

"I find this solution satisfactory," Luna interrupted. "Draco will stay with you until tomorrow morning. I will come back and if his health checks out, he can be free to go." She smiled brightly and headed out of the room.

Harry turned back, expecting Draco to start yelling, but it seemed that all of Luna's healing had taken a bit of a toll on him. His eyes were heavy and he blinked slowly. "Look, I know why you don't want to go to the hospital. I'll be back in a few hours with some dinner but until then just rest."

He hadn't expected and thank you and he didn't get one. Draco's eyes fluttered shut and Harry headed out of the room.

-x-