Epilogue

Harry blinked open his eyes; feeling sick and groggy, a part of him wondering why he'd woken up when his body clearly wasn't ready yet. He reached for his glasses and knocked a couple of glass phials to the floor where they smashed into a million pieces.

Harry groaned and retracted his arm, curling back into a ball and closing his eyes. He was lying on top of the blankets and still wearing his rumpled clothes from yesterday.

He frowned in confusion when he heard a strange thumping noise. By the time he'd worked out that it was someone knocking on his front door the knocking had increased in frequency.

Harry moaned in irritation and pushed himself into a sitting position, legs dangling off the side of the bed. He wiped a hand over his face and snatched his glasses off the bedside table before stumbling to his feet and walking to the bedroom door, his trainers crunching on broken glass along the way.

He staggered his way down the stairs to the entrance foyer, unlocked the door and swung it open with an irritated scowl. "What?"

Hermione was standing there; scowling right back at him with arms crossed over her chest. "What is the matter with you?"

A flicker of guilt flashed across Harry's face as he took in her angry but concerned expression.

"Just because you're in a new relationship does not give you the right to ignore your friends and make them worry about you - and look at you!" she exclaimed, narrowing her eyes at the dark circles under his dull green eyes. "What is going on? Did Malfoy upset you?"

Harry couldn't help but smile a little at her expression; as though she was going to storm off to give Draco a piece of her mind - or perhaps punch him in the face. "No, well… yes I suppose he did but it's not…" He stopped, unsure of how to finish the sentence. Malfoy had behaved horribly yet he still somehow wanted to defend the prat.

Hermione uncrossed her arms with a sigh. "Can I come in?" she asked, anger somewhat abated by Harry's drawn expression. "I'll make tea."

Harry nodded and stepped aside to let his friend into the house. They made their way to the kitchen, which was looking rather neglected once more now that Draco wasn't around to keep things in order. Hermione ignored the discarded piles of take-away containers and set about making a pot of Earl Grey as Harry slumped into a chair and propped his head in one hand.

"Shouldn't you be at work?" he asked.

"Harry, it's five o'clock in the afternoon," she said, glancing at him over her shoulder with a raised brow.

"Is it?" Harry replied in bewilderment.

Hermione set the kettle on to boil then turned to face him, leaning back against the counter. "What's going on Harry?" she asked quietly. "Last time I spoke to you, you were quite happy."

Harry exhaled and looked away from her concerned brown eyes. "I was."

"And now?"

"And now…" he trailed off with a sigh, raising his eyes back to her face. "Now you can say I told you so."

"Why? What happened?" she asked quietly, coming to sit beside him.

"The short version is that I told him to take one month after his release to enjoy being free and decide what he wanted to do with his life. I thought it would complicate things to have his release also coincide with dating me, what with the media frenzy it would create, so… that was over two months ago and I haven't heard from him since." Harry swallowed and quickly shoved aside the wave of sadness that threatened to break over him.

Hermione frowned. "Two months? But…Malfoy wrote to Ron and I two weeks ago."

Harry blinked. "What do you mean he wrote to you? About what?"

"It was an apology, of sorts," she said. "He was kind of formal, but reading between the lines it basically said that he wanted to start over with the both of us because you mean a great deal to him."

Harry felt his heart give a hopeful lurch at her words but he quickly shook his head, frowning. "Then why hasn't he come to see me? He never even wrote… He just dropped off the face of the planet."

Hermione got up to fetch the kettle as it began to whistle behind them. "But he's coming over today, isn't he?"

"What?"

Hermione poured out the tea and returned to the table. "It was in that interview with him in the Daily Prophet, didn't you see it?"

"I saw the article but I didn't read it," Harry admitted, feeling as though a headache was building between his temples.

"The interviewer asked about his time spent with you and he said that you and he had become friends, and that he was in fact going to see you today."

"I don't understand…" Harry clutched his teacup as he struggled to make sense of everything.

"You and me both," Hermione replied with a confused frown. "Are you sure he didn't write to you?"

"I think I would know," Harry couldn't help snapping.

"You never thought to write to him to find out what was going on?"

Harry ran a hand through his tangled hair. "Of course I did, but every time I started writing I just sounded so pathetic… And, if I'm completely honest, perhaps I didn't really want to hear him say that it was all a fucking lie."

Hermione shook her head. "I can't believe that after the letter I received from him," she said. "It just doesn't make sense."

Harry took a sip of his tea, feeling rather drained and world-weary all of a sudden.

"So what have you been doing with yourself for the past two months?" Hermione asked carefully.

Harry shrugged. "Nothing really."

"You haven't been in to The Centre at all?" Hermione replied in surprise.

"No, I went to the Ministry a couple of times to submit paperwork and did some grocery shopping…" he trailed off with another shrug of his shoulders.

Hermione surveyed him over the rim of her pale blue teacup. "I think you should go find Malfoy."

"What?"

"Yes." She nodded decisively. "Go find him and demand an answer. I just think there's been some sort of misunderstanding."

Harry shook his head in amusement. "I thought you'd be saying I told you so and encouraging me to move on."

Hermione gazed at him evenly. "You look awful Harry, which tells me that he means a great deal to you, probably more so than you're letting on, and I want you to be happy. If you're both just being thick then I truly do want you to work it out so that you can go back to being as cheery as you were the last time I saw you."

Harry smiled, touched by his friend's determination to ensure his happiness in life, even if it meant dating a man that she had once punched in the face.

"Alright I'll contact the git to see what's going on," he promised with a sigh.

"Good." Hermione squeezed his hand.

They then fell into easy conversation about everyday life and Hermione's job and Ron's current Auror cases until the entire pot of tea had been emptied.

As Hermione started to think about heading home, a knock echoed down the hall from the front door. They looked at each other and Harry felt his heart jump into his throat.

Hermione smiled at him reassuringly as she stood and slipped into her coat. "That'll be him."

Harry just swallowed and wordlessly followed her up the stairs towards the front door. He tried not to hope too much that Draco was standing on the other side in case he was sorely disappointed. He froze in the entranceway, unable to take the final few steps to the heavy wooden door to open it.

Hermione glanced at him with a sympathetic smile before deciding to open it for him.

Draco was standing on the doorstep, a sodden umbrella in one hand. His eyes widened slightly in surprise to see Hermione then they slid to Harry standing just behind her and a slight smile stretched his lips, grey eyes instantly warming.

Hermione couldn't help but smile in satisfaction upon seeing the blond's barely concealed affection for her best friend. "Hello Draco," she greeted politely. "I was just on my way out."

"Granger," he replied, tearing his eyes away from Harry to nod at her.

"Thanks for the letter," she said casually as she stepped past him and flipped up the hood on her coat to protect against the rain. "Bye Harry," she called over her shoulder as she walked off.

"Yeah, see you," Harry replied absently, gaze glued to Draco.

"May I come in?" Draco asked tentatively.

Harry nodded, not quite trusting himself to speak yet.

Draco stepped inside and propped his umbrella up in the corner before removing his coat and hanging it on one of the coat hooks that he had helped Harry install all those months ago.

Harry turned and walked into the front room. He lit the fire in the grate with a wave of his hand before perching stiffly on the edge of the sofa, watching Draco expectantly.

Draco sat next to him, a wary look in his eyes and a slight crease between his blond brows. "You never answered my letter," he finally began.

"What letter?" Harry replied, wanting to growl in frustration as he felt as though he was about to have another conversation that went round and round in circles and didn't make any sense.

Draco's frown deepened. "I sent you a letter explaining why I was going to be away a little longer than first anticipated, past our one month agreement."

"I never got it," Harry replied, feeling that little flicker of hope once more.

Draco's grey eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Have you been to the Centre since I left?"

Harry shook his head. "No, I… I haven't," he said, leaving it at that.

"You stayed here in this house for two months? Why?"

Harry flushed, feeling distinctly foolish - not to mention melodramatic. "I thought…"

Draco's lips suddenly twitched into a small smile, grey eyes unquestionably fond. "Because you thought I'd dumped your arse?"

"Don't let it go to your head," Harry mumbled and then looked up. "So… what did your letter say?"

Draco shifted closer and took Harry's hand. "It said that I didn't want you to ever second guess me so I was going to take exactly once month and two days on top of your suggested one month. I was so busy setting up my business and the flat above the shop that it was probably a good move anyway." He paused and looked Harry in the eye. "I most certainly do not want to end our relationship Harry. I missed you a great deal and my feelings haven't changed at all since I left here. I still want you more than anything."

The butterflies in Harry's stomach went into overdrive then; Draco had never spoken so openly and heartfelt about his feelings for him before. It was such a relief that he hadn't wanted to end things, and now this…

Harry smiled. "Well, that's good," he replied as though he heard things like that every day.

Draco chuckled and reached up one hand to stroke his thumb over Harry's cheek. "So I'm forgiven then?"

"Only if I am as well," Harry replied ruefully, reaching up to place his hand over-top of Draco's.

Draco smiled and pulled Harry in for a chaste kiss. "I'm guessing that you didn't read the paper yesterday either, that would've at least given you a clue," he said after pulling back.

Harry felt his body relax as the truth of the situation finally began to sink in. "I saw the article but I didn't read it," he replied.

Draco smirked as he leaned back against the sofa cushions. "It was mostly about the new business, but the interviewer also asked a few questions about my time spent with you."

"Oh?" Harry said with a raised brow.

Draco nodded. "Yes, I thought I'd get the ball rolling and said that we actually became quite good friends during my stay and that we will continue to see each other outside of treatment. I mentioned that I was seeing you today in the article, I thought that might remind you to clean up the house before I got here." He paused to glance around at the various take-away cartons littering the table and floor. "I see I was mistaken on that account."

Harry grinned and ran a hand through his unruly hair. "Yeah sorry, I kind of fell into my old ways after a month of no Draco to keep me in line."

Draco's responding smile was tinged with sadness. "How long did you last before taking the potion?"

Harry dropped his gaze uncomfortably. "I held out until last night actually," he replied contritely, then lifted repentant green eyes back to Draco's face. "If only I'd read the article…"

Draco looked at him a moment before speaking. "Did the nightmares come back?"

Harry nodded wearily.

"I had a few as well," the blond admitted quietly. "It seems you keep mine at bay too."

Harry smiled a little. "Will you stay tonight?" he asked, unable to repress the hope in his voice.

Draco took a deep breath and exhaled. "Actually, I was wondering if perhaps you would like to stay at my new flat tonight?"

Harry's smile brightened. "Sure."

"What about on a permanent basis?" Draco added nervously.

Harry's smiled faded as his eyes widened in surprise. "You mean… move in with you?"

Draco nodded, holding his gaze. "If you like the place, that is. I just thought it might be good for the both of us to start over somewhere new. I know this place doesn't hold the best of memories for you, and since I obviously need to watch over you at night…" he trailed off as though the answer was obvious.

And to Harry it was.

"I would love to," he replied, then began to chuckle.

"What is it?" Draco asked, smiling at Harry's contagious amusement.

"I can't believe I was such a prat as to think that you just walked out and were never going to come back."

Draco smirked. "What, and miss the chance to be the one to take Harry Potter's virginity? Never."

Harry laughed then got to his feet, still grinning. "Well, let's see this new shop of yours - and the flat too of course."

Draco grabbed Harry's hand when he extended it and kept it firmly clasped in his own as they walked to the front door. Harry threw a coat on over his clothes and promptly took Draco's hand before they opened the door.

"Ready?" Harry asked.

At Draco's nod, the two stepped outside.