Draco awoke with a pounding headache and something more than a foul taste in his mouth. A memory. Did he remember that or did he dream it? Fully dressed, Harry bounded into the living room and headed for the kitchen. "Morning," he said far too loudly.

"Have a little compassion, Potter," he groaned, burying his head under the pillow.

"Want a little headache remedy?" He raised his wand but Draco put a hand up.

"First, answer me a question. Did I…did I kiss you last night?"

Harry smiled broadly. "And how!"

Draco sat up. "Wait a minute. What else did I do?"

"Well," said Harry, putting the kettle on the fire and slicing some bread, "it was your idea to put on those dresses. I didn't want to wear the boots, but you insisted-"

"WHAT?"

"I'm just kidding, Malfoy."

"Ha. Well…don't do that again. I'm a little vulnerable here."

Harry chuckled. "Ready to go to Hogwarts with me?"

Draco sat back down and dropped his throbbing head in his hands. "I don't know if I can face it sober."

"Well sober or not, that's where the job is. And the chance to get your wand back. If I were you, I'd jump at it."

"There will be no jumping today."

"How about lurching?"

"I am prepared to lurch."

"Why don't you take a bath first? I'll bring you your tea if you like."

"With me naked in the bath? I don't think so, Potter."

"Darn. Well, the pot will be out here when you come out."

Later, Draco emerged renewed but still grumpy and took his mug silently. "What will we be doing?" he asked.

"A little of this, a little of that. But first, we must go to see Dumbledore."

"I was afraid of that. Harry…." Harry gazed at Draco. He hadn't forgotten their kiss. It fueled all those old feelings again. But it left him a little empty, too, since Draco admitted there could be nothing further. But when Draco called him 'Harry'--a very rare occurrence indeed--it stirred the embers in his heart to flames. He tried to stem them once and for all, looking at Draco in a purely business-like fashion. "What am I to say to him?" Draco went on. "I haven't seen him since the trial. What in God's name am I supposed to say?"

Harry gave a friendly smile. "Why don't you just let him talk. Everything will be fine."

"Will you…will you stay with me?"

Harry swallowed. Surely he could get past this. "Sure. I won't leave."

That seemed to settle it and they were finally ready and standing before the fireplace. "You first, Draco."

"Do I have to?"

Harry shoved him into the fireplace and offered him the canister of floo powder. Draco scooped some up and looked at Harry, his brows hidden under his blond bangs. Draco swallowed, rolled his shoulders, and cast the floo powder down. "Hogwarts!" he yelled and he disappeared into green flames.

* * *

Harry followed soon after and he found Draco trying to brush the soot off of his Muggle clothes. Hmm. Muggle clothes. "Well have to get you some wizard robes."

"Why?" he sneered. "Don't they allow Muggle wear at Hogwarts?"

"No…I mean yes. I just thought you'd be more comfortable-"

"I'm fine." Draco closed himself. It seemed to be a sore subject so Harry let it rest.

"Shall we go to Dumbledore's office?"

Draco said nothing but he followed Harry out of the DADA study. They descended the stairs and he noticed Draco looking around at the old classroom. Harry realized it had been years since Draco left the school grounds running for his life. Harry hadn't really been after him, though. His concentration and hatred had been for Snape. How wrong Harry had been.

They walked down the corridors and Draco seemed to be going slower and slower. Finally, he stopped altogether. He shook his head when Harry looked back at him. "I thought I could do this," he said breathlessly. "But I can't."

"Come on Draco. You'll feel better for it. Believe me."

He shook his head and refused to budge. Harry approached and curled his arm around Draco's shoulders. He was stiff with tension. "Maybe don't go all the way in the office. Just stand in the doorway."

"Or maybe I should come to you."

They turned, and Albus Dumbledore stood behind them. He crossed his hands in front of him and smiled at Draco who was as tall as the old wizard.

Harry felt Draco tremble under his arm. Draco stared wide-eyed at Dumbledore. "My, my, Mr. Malfoy. You have grown into quite the young man. Tell me, what have you been doing with yourself?"

But Draco was speechless. He looked down at the floor and tried to say something, but Harry felt the trembling increase.

"Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco took a deep, quivering breath and collapsed into tears, falling out of Harry's reach to Dumbledore's feet. He wept in loud, rasping sobs and covered his face, his shoulders shaking. Dumbledore stooped and grasped his shoulders, raising him to his feet before he enclosed him in his arms, allowing him to cry himself out into Dumbledore's voluminous robes.

They stood that way a long time, Harry feeling helpless and just staying out of the way. Draco calmed at last and Dumbledore pushed him back enough to look at him. "Better?" he asked. "Nothing like a good, cleansing cry. I sometimes indulge myself, but not too often. Not good for the beard. And your repentance is well noted, Draco. I have forgiven you long ago, if you remember. I assume you have paid your dues. Harry tells me he thinks it high time you return to the Wizarding world and find your place here again amongst your brethren. That is high praise, indeed, Draco. I've no doubt you are worthy of it, and we shall do all that we can in the brief time here together to see if we cannot help you on your course. Does that sit well with you?"

Draco pushed himself back and wiped his reddened face. "I don't really deserve it, sir," he said feebly.

Harry's heart gave a lurch.

"Nonsense. Who among us really deserves it? That would be a very small world indeed if only the truly deserving could come to the table. No, Draco. You have been through the fire and you have been annealed. Let us speak no more of it. Now, Harry needs an assistant, but when you are done with that, I may have something else for you. I understand you will be staying with Harry in London."

Draco lifted his face toward Harry. His expression was something completely new. It bore the scent of gratitude and genuine affection. Harry lowered his eyes. It was too much to take from Draco's face.

"Then it won't be a problem your flooing from there? Good. Well, I'm sure Harry can explain best what he wants. Don't let me keep you. Harry," he said with a nod, and trundled down the corridor with rippling robes.

Draco continued wiping his face and Harry allowed him a moment before he gestured him back the way they had come.

They entered the DADA classroom again and Harry took a seat. "You okay?"

Draco nodded and stared out the window. "You know," he began, quietly, "the only reason I had wanted to even go to Hogwarts was because of Slytherin house. Growing up I heard nothing else. How I'd meet people there who would help me for my future. How I'd learn all the tricks I needed to succeed and learn to manipulate…like my father had done before me and his father. My father talked of little but that…and also of the Dark Lord and how we served him and him alone." Draco took a breathy sigh. "Look at all those wasted years. I could have learned so much more. Could have been so much more than just your arch-nemesis." He turned to Harry. "How lame is that?" The window beckoned again and he strode toward it. Golden sunshine shimmered over him. "But I learned what I learned. I learned to be crafty and full of guile and lies. And I learned how to be happy about it."

"Well," said Harry in the ensuing silence. "Sounds like good training for the law courts."

Draco slowly pivoted toward Harry. His face was blank until it unfolded into a smile. "How do you do it, Potter? How do you remain happy with all you have seen, all you have done and have had done to you?"

Harry shrugged. "I just get on with it, I guess. Nothing to be done about my past. It's my future I've got to think about now."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"Future, eh? Right, then. What's this job I've got to do?"

"It's going to remind you a lot of detention, I'm afraid…."

Harry explained. There were files to be cleared out. Lesson plans to coordinate for the various grade levels. Harry's apartment at Hogwarts to clean and organize. But they would work together, so it wouldn't seem so bad.

* * *

After working for several hours on lesson plans, with cramped hands and ink stains on their fingers, Harry and Draco decided to head to the great hall for lunch. "I get myself a little lunch," said Harry, heading automatically for the Gryffindor table before shaking his head and changing direction, "and then I usually spend a little time at the lake to stretch my legs and get a little fresh air."

"Sure it's not a date?"

"What? Oh. Very funny. Have I made one pass at you while we were here?" Harry directed Draco to the head table. Harry sat where the Defense teacher usually sat and Draco slid into the chair next to him.

"No. But the lake can be very romantic."

"You think so?" He smiled wickedly at a startled Draco. "Well then. Definitely by the lake after lunch."

Draco shrugged him off with a disgusted snort that sounded a lot like "shirt-lifter" and then dug into his lunch once it appeared on his plate.

As promised, Harry took Draco to the lake and they walked slowly around its perimeter. Harry eyed Draco, squinting through the glare in his glasses. "So…how does it feel being at Hogwarts again?"

Draco shivered slightly. "Sort of sickening…at first. Every odd corner reminds me of something dastardly I did here. But…I don't know. With no one here, it seems that it has been allowed to…heal. Does that make sense?"

"Yes. I know the feeling. When I first came back the roof was still fallen in and the front doors blasted away." Draco cringed. Harry let him. It was Draco's fault the place was torn up. "But after we fixed it and put it all to rights, it seemed even better than it was. Like home again."

"This place was never home to me."

"No. I imagine not. Not with an estate to return to."

"Well that's gone, as you know."

"Maybe Hogwarts can become home to you."

"If I set up house with you, you mean?"

"Why Mr. Malfoy. This is so sudden."

"Oh shut it, Potter."

"What I mean is, I had to make up classes I missed in my seventh year. And of course, take my N.E.W.T.s I did extra studying over the last two years so that I could qualify to teach."

"Right, Potter. As if they would deny you."

"Dumbledore is still in charge and he doesn't want any shoddy teaching."

Draco fell silent and they both looked across the lake shimmering in the bright sunlight. Distant grey clouds brooded over the mountains, but they didn't look like they'd approach until nightfall.

"I can see why you like the lake," said Draco quietly.

"Yeah. I come here to read sometimes. It helps me clear my thoughts." He glanced at him with a smile. "Shall we go back to work?"

"Can we put off writing for a while? Some manual labor would help uncrimp my fingers."

"Sounds like an idea. Come up to my apartment and we'll see what needs to be done."

Draco had an expression as if he was ready to say something, but he resisted the urge.

Harry's apartments were concealed behind a painting in the DADA study and he opened it for Draco with a charm. Draco stepped over the threshold and looked around. "Blimey! They treat their teachers pretty well here."

Harry dug his fists in his hips and glanced at his new digs. "Yup. They sure do." The ceilings were as high as the classrooms, vaulted with gothic stone arches. Tall, reticulated windows shown light on the maroon carpets and offered spectacular views of the distant blue mountains, the lake, and the Forbidden Forest. "I may never leave."

"Well you do have to teach the class now and then."

Harry sighed. "Yes. I suppose I do."

"Are you worried?"

"I did teach my own class in my fifth year."

"So I've been told. But this is different. This will be Professor Potter. Just think of all those tiny first years blinking up at you."

"Thanks, Draco," he said nervously. "I was just fine before."

Draco chuckled. "So what's to be done in here?"

"Not here. The bedroom."

Draco stopped. "Now honestly. You are persistent if nothing else."

"Get over it," he chuckled and led the way. A giant four-poster dominated the room. The rest was draped in heavy tapestries. Dusty ones.

Harry turned to Draco and handed him a wand. "I was told to give you this. It's only temporary."

Draco looked at it but didn't make a move to take it. "What's this?"

"It's a wand, you git. You remember these, right?"

The wood was worn and in wont of polish. A few gouges were missing from it, cutting into the lighter unstained portion of wood.

"W-who said I should-?"

"Dumbledore, of course. It's a school wand. It won't do much, not being attuned to you, but you can at least clean the room with it."

Draco began to breathe rapidly. He licked his lips and clenched and unclenched his hands. "I can't-"

"Certainly you can. You want to do it the Muggle way? You'll be here till next Christmas. And though it would be a lovely gift to me to find you in my bedroom, I doubt you would find it so. Take it." Harry urged it forward but Draco was still hesitant. Harry grabbed Draco's hand and thrust the wand into it. "There. You're so stubborn."

Draco turned the wand in his hand. Harry felt uneasy watching him. It was a strangely intimate moment he was certain Draco should experience alone. But it couldn't be helped. And maybe it was a good idea Harry was there to help him through it.

Draco whispered, "Thanks," but it came out a little croak instead.

"Well? Give it a swish."

Draco bit his lip and looked up at Harry. "What if it doesn't work?"

"Did you learn nothing in History of Magic? No, strike that. Nobody learned anything, it was too ruddy boring. But the upshot is, nobody ever runs out of magic. You might be rusty but you will not have forgotten how. Go on, Malfoy."

Draco adjusted his grip, raised the wand, and flicked it toward the tapestry. The heavy tapestries reared up like stallions, flapped a bit, and then settled gently down again. A smile broke out on Malfoy's face that made Harry's heart skip a beat. "I could kiss you, Harry Potter," he whispered.

"Please," he said quietly. "Don't deny yourself."

He glanced at Harry with a sidelong look. "Now, now, Potter. Calm yourself. It was only an expression."

Draco worked tentatively with the new wand and soon the room looked cleaner and smelled fresher. They spent the better part of the afternoon at it until Harry finally declared their day done. They returned to his study ready to floo home. Before Draco stepped into the fireplace he stopped, turned to Harry, and handed him the wand. "School wand," he said, and offered it regretfully.

"Keep it. No sense in having to get it for you everyday."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Too much bother. You won't hex me, will you?"

"Don't know. You intend to try to seduce me?"

Harry smiled. "Don't know. You plan on being irresistible?"

"We Malfoys are always irresistible." He tucked the wand in his pocket and patted it. "Then I guess I'll need it."

They flooed back to London where Harry let Draco fix dinner-the wizard way for a change.


On to Chapter Six
"Murky Cauldrons"

Back to Chapter Four
"Trials and Tribulations"

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