"Potter?!" Draco said, "What are you doing here?"

"I just..." Potter said.

Draco stepped outside, "Has something happened?"

Potter shook his head, "I was at the new year's party and Hermione had Ron, Ginny had Luna and- you're supposed to kiss who you want to spend the rest of the year with- but you weren't there."

Draco's chest squeezed tight, his heart racing.

Potter wavered, "Erm, this is weird, isn't it? I shouldn't have-"

Draco put his hand over Potter's mouth, "This is the most romantic thing to ever happen to me, don't fucking ruin it."

Potter raised his eyebrows.

"Just kiss me, you moron," Draco said.

Potter pulled Draco's hand off his mouth and threaded their fingers together, and kissed him.

Draco said, "Now you tell me, Happy New Year, Draco."

Potter shook his head in disbelief, fighting back a smile, "I've missed you."

Draco blinked at Potter and couldn't remember what he had been saying.

"Are you alright?" Potter asked, with that funny little furrow between his eyes.

Draco frowned, "I am so annoyed with you right now."

"What? Why?"

Draco ignored the question with a huff, "Are you going to stay? Or did you just come for a kiss?"

Potter looked up at the manor with trepidation then at Draco, "I think I want to stay."

"fuck," Draco muttered.

"I can go if you'd rather-"

"No." Draco said peevishly, "Did you tell anyone you were coming here?"

Potter instantly looked sheepish.

"You impulsively apparated over, didn't you?"

He nodded.

"Of course," Draco sighed and stepped inside, "We're going to have to borrow Mother's owl, so no one thinks I've kidnapped you." He held out his hand, "Harry? Are you coming?"

Harry jumped liked he'd been shocked, and Draco started to flush even though he'd been trying to maintain his composure.

"Harry?" Harry repeated.

Draco glared at him, "That is your name, yes? Did you land on your head?"

"No. I mean yes. I mean that's my name and no I didn't land on my head," Harry said faintly and then grinned like a moron.

"I'm not sure I believe you," Draco said and dragged him inside, sparing a glare for Kipper who closed the door behind them. "Kipper, would you tell Mother that Harry Potter is visiting?"

"An order, Young Master?" Kipper asked, looking like the picture of perfect obedience if you didn't grow up with the elf and could recognise the vindictive satisfaction in his expression.

"A request," Draco said, knowing the distinction didn't matter to Kipper.

Kipper bowed and disappeared.

"You're wearing it," Harry said.

Draco followed Harry's gaze down to the faded red sweatshirt, "I was about to go to bed."

"You wear it to bed?" Harry said.

"Well, I'm not going to wear it in public," Draco said feeling his face get hot.

Harry grinned, "I'm amazed you're wearing it at all. I hoped it'd be alright. I know it's not as nice as your gift."

"It was a scarf," Draco said.

"And gloves and a hat."

"So?" Draco said.

"And in my favourite colour," Harry said.

Draco shrugged, "I just happen to see them when I was out with Pansy."

"And muggle," Harry said pointedly.

Draco rolled his eyes, "You know what, yes, you're entirely right. My gift was astonishingly good, and you should probably get me another to catch up. Thank you for pointing that out."

Harry froze for just a second and then laughed.

Draco smiled.

Harry grinned and plucked at the sweatshirt, "Then I should just take this back now."

"Over my dead body," Draco snapped before he could stop himself.

Harry laughed, "Oh? I thought you wanted something nicer."

"You can't take back a gift," Draco said with a sniff.

"You're right; I should wait until I have the better gift and then exchange them," Harry said, being far too amused with himself and not at all good at hiding it.

Draco narrowed his eyes, "I said, over my dead body, Potter."

Harry blinked, "Potter? What happened to Harry?"

"He's right here," Draco said, poking Harry in the chest, "apparently suffering from brain damage after landing on his head."

"No, I meant-"

"I know what you meant," Draco said, "and if you're going to be a tit I'm going to call you Potter."

Harry's smile softened, "I'll have to be good then."

"Unlikely," Draco scoffed.

Harry shrugged.

Draco brushed his hand through Harry's hair, and Harry sighed, his eyes drifting shut. Draco wasn't sure who moved or if they both did, wrapping their arms around one another. Harry pressed his face into the curve of Draco's neck as Draco rested his cheek against Harry's hair. He breathed in deeply, and it was a thousand times better than the faint scent caught in Harry's old sweatshirt. When he exhaled, Draco felt like he was letting out a breath he hadn't even known he was holding. He had missed the little twat terribly.

"How long will you stay?" Draco asked quietly, "I could get tea or I could get whiskey-"

"or I could go back to school with you," Harry interrupted.

"That's the day after tomorrow."

"Funnily enough, I know how calendars work," Harry said.

That would mean preparing a room, or perhaps Harry might want to share his and Draco wasn't sure what that would mean.

Harry kissed Draco's neck and made him shiver. He leaned back, searching Draco's expression, "Is that alright? Me staying?"

Draco nodded.

"It's just you're being quiet," Harry said.

Draco slowly smiled and Harry slowly narrowed his eyes.

Draco laughed, "It's nothing."

Harry didn't look convinced.

"I was just thinking about something but it can wait," Draco said, taking Harry's hand once more.

"What happened to this place?" Harry asked, looking around at the walls.

"Paint isn't at the top of my mother's list of priorities," Draco said, gripping Harry's hand firmly and leading him straight down the entry hall. Harry was too busy looking around to notice where Draco was taking him, which was for the best because Draco was fairly certain he would have dug in his heels immediately.

"I don't remember everything being so... blank..." Harry said and then asked, "Where are we going?"

"Here," Draco said, opening one of the double doors to the ballroom.

Harry's whole body stiffened.

Draco pulled open the other door. Inside the sconces began lighting automatically. They were the only original part of the room left.

"We pulled up the parquet floor and replaced it with sealed purified marble. Stone can't hold dark magic very well, wood and fabric, the softer a material is, the more dark magic can seep into it," Draco said stepping inside, his footsteps ringing around the empty space. "Dark magic leaves a residue that you can feel under your skin in the worst sort of way."

Harry remained frozen in the doorway.

"We obviously couldn't take down the walls, not easily anyway, but three layers of plaster with three layers of a purifying wash and three layers of protective charms is enough to not only stop it but slowly dissipate it," Draco turned on his heel in the centre of the room, "What was left of the chandeliers were put in the attic. Any furniture that was too tainted was removed... and by removed I mean that we burned them, a great massive pile in the back gardens. ...It will probably never be used as a ballroom again."

"Why did you bring me here?" Harry asked quietly, the silence catching his words and bouncing them from wall to wall.

"Because, if you weren't thinking about it now, you would have, and it would have been lingering at the back of your mind. Because you're meant to be thinking about me and not some empty room," Draco said. He walked back to Harry and stopped, "Better to just face it."

Draco went to walk past Harry, but he caught Draco's wrist. Harry hesitated for a second then the walked into the room, pulling Draco with him.

Harry walked around the ballroom in a circle and then slowly turned, his eyes searching for something on the floor, eventually leading them to a spot that Draco remembered himself, when he had been dragged over to identify Harry.

Harry took a deep breath and then lead them to the centre of the room where Bellatrix had- Draco shuddered and looked away.

Harry looked up at the empty ceiling. "Were you hurt, when it fell?" he asked quietly.

"Bruises mostly, a few small cuts," Draco replied in the same hushed tones.

Harry headed across the ballroom, pulling open the small door at the back to the narrower servants hallways connecting the ballroom to the kitchens and wine cellar. He stopped in front of the archway leading down to the wine cellar, but all that was left was an archway of stone filled with red bricks.

Harry ran his hand over the new smooth brickwork, "It's-? What happened?"

"...A few weeks before school, Luna and I filled it with concrete and stone and brick and anything we could conjure," Draco said.

"That's good, that Luna helped," Harry said.

Draco added, "If I had known you and I were going to become close, I would have invited you. It was quite cathartic."

Harry smiled, "Yeah. That might have been fun."

"Too bad you thought I was still a dick at the time," Draco said.

Harry raised an eyebrow, his smile tilting into a smirk, "Pretty sure you still are."

Draco hesitated and then shrugged, "You're the one who likes me regardless."

"I am pretty fucked up," Harry agreed.

Draco laughed despite himself and tried to fight it back, covering his mouth with the back of his hand.

Harry caught Draco's wrist and pulled it away, matching Draco's grin with his own that set them both laughing and untied the knot of tension between them.

Harry looked down the hall and back at Draco, "I suppose, I ought to owl Molly, so she knows where I've gone."

Draco nodded and took the lead, guiding Harry down the narrow hallway and through the kitchens. Draco nicked a pair of iced buns set under stasis for the morning and passed one to Harry, biting into it as they made their way up the stairs and down the narrow carpet running down the hall to his Mother's room.

Draco tapped on the door frame, "Mother? I'm sorry to disturb you."

"You're not disturbing me," Mother said.

Draco handed Harry his half-eaten bun before stepping inside, "I need to borrow Armand if he hasn't gone hunting for the night."

Mother was standing by the window, her back ramrod straight, she looked him over to make sure he was all in one piece before her eyes went over his shoulder, "Mr Potter, welcome to my home."

"Erm, thank you. Sorry to trouble you," Harry said awkwardly putting his hands behind his back to hide the pair of buns as he shuffled into the room.

Mother nodded ever so slightly, her expression entirely unreadable, "It's no trouble." She walked silently over to the writing desk and set out a small piece of message parchment and a quill, "Do you require anything else?"

Harry's expression briefly contorted into panic as he slowly walked to the desk, hands still behind his back.

Draco bit his lip to keep from laughing. His mother must have seen something in his expression because her mask cracked just briefly as she raised an eyebrow.

Harry looked from the desk to Draco with a pleading expression.

Draco finally took mercy on the prat and conjured a plate and held it out, "Here, Potter," he said, shaking his head in dismay.

Harry narrowed his eyes as he put the buns down.

Draco kindly cast a cleaning charm on Harry's hands as well in case they had icing on them.

A second eyebrow went up on his mother's face.

Draco did his best to look innocent even though he knew she wouldn't be fooled in the slightest.

Harry picked up the quill and Mother brushed her hand over Armand's feathers before taking Draco by the elbow and steering him to the other side of her room.

"Have you read the book?" Mother asked quietly.

"Mother!" Draco hissed.

Mother's grip on his elbow tightened, "Will he be staying in a guest room or in your rooms?"

Draco gaped at her, feeling a flush creeping up his neck, "That's- He hasn't said-"

"So, have you read the book?" Mother repeated firmly.

Draco managed a nod, "Yes, I- Yes."

"You're an adult, Draco. I'm not going to say who you can and can't have in your rooms," Mother said, "I just want you to be safe."

Draco nodded again, looking at his Mother's ear and definitely not at her or Harry.

Mother added, "You might lend Mr Potter that book. I know Hogwarts education is quite lacking in some areas."

Armand flapped his wings irritably as Harry affixed the letter to his leg. "I'm finished. Do I open a window?" Harry asked looking at the tall narrow windows.

Mother gave Draco a pointed look before walking back to the desk. She briefly held out her arm as she went past Armand and he alighted from his perch and onto her forearm. She carried him to the far window by the wall and opened it, "Deliver this letter to the Weasley Home, Ottery St Catchpole in Devon. Any particular recipient Mr Potter?" Mother asked without turning to look.

Harry started, fumbling after his words, "Uh, well, anyone that's there would be fine..."

Mother's voice dropped to a whisper as she told Armand his instructions once more held her arm out the window. The owl spread his massive wings, and they caught the moonlight for a second before Draco lost all sight of him. There was a faint click as Mother closed the window and turned to them, her hands neatly folded together in front of her, "It's getting quite late."

Draco retrieved the plate of iced buns, "Yes, goodnight, Mother.

Harry took a few steps towards the door, hesitating, "Thanks again."

Mother nodded, "I hope your stay here is pleasant."

Draco held back when he saw his mother walking to intercept him before the door.

Mother brush her hand over his arm, murmuring just loud enough for him to hear, "I'd like to have dinner with both of you tomorrow. Otherwise, you're free to do as you wish."

Draco nodded.

Mother hugged him and then waved them both off, "Go on."