Not Your Everyday Love

It was three in the morning, and Harry Potter sat in his apartment with a look of longing in his eyes. Staring out his window, he hoped to see Hedwig, his beautiful snowy owl, anytime now with a reply from Ron or Hermione, his two best friends. He hadn't lived in his apartment for very long, as they just graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He couldn't stand to live one more day in his aunt and uncle's house. They hated him, and Harry quite readily returned their sentiment. He didn't want to inflict that on any of them, so as soon as he got back, he had gathered all of his belongings, and left. He never once looked back or regretted that decision. He did however regret not telling Ron and Hermione, or anyone for that matter, where he had moved.

It had been a week since he last saw Hedwig, and he was starting to worry about his snowy owl. Harry knew his friends, and they should have gotten into contact with him by now, even if they didn't know where he was. Maybe they were celebrating the fact that Ron had gotten into the Auror program or planning their wedding since they got engaged the day of graduation. Maybe it did have to do with the fact that he hadn't told anyone that he moved, he just didn't know.

Harry moved to his bed after staring out his window for another hour. With a sigh, he pulled the blankets up, and fell into a restless sleep filled with horrible dreams. His dreams this night consisted of his last encounter with the Dark Lord Voldemort. He still hadn't been able to rid the wizarding world of him. He, the Boy Who Lived just couldn't rid the world of that man, no, not a man, he couldn't even think of calling that thing a man. His insecurities also played a big part in his dreams. Would he ever find happiness? Would he ever not let everyone down by screwing up somehow? Would he ever let Sirius and Hagrid go after he so carelessly let them get killed for him?

He woke up just shortly after nine in the morning to a soft rapping at his window. Hedwig had finally come back to him with replies from both Ron and Hermione. 'It's about damn time,' he thought to himself as he untied the scrolls from Hedwig's leg. As he read over them, he felt his heart drop in his stomach. The couple had been visiting Hermione's parents and going over the details for their wedding, when Wormtail and a few other Death Eaters showed up and killed Hermione's parents with no remorse. He was floored, he couldn't breathe correctly, and he felt his mind swimming. "Why, why did it have to be someone I care about?" he screamed aloud. He was finally thankful for having set up permanent silencing charms all around his apartment.

Harry numbly walked to the shower, stepped in and was glad for the fact that his water was always hot. He needed to relax, and one of his favorite ways, was to take an extremely hot shower. As the water cascaded down onto his back, he felt the tension in his neck slowly ebb away. He went about washing himself, and when he was finished, he got out of the shower and dried off quickly. He wanted to be with his two dearest friends, he NEEDED to be with his two best friends. The only problem is he didn't know where Hermione's parents lived, so he went over to Hedwig, and after feeding her a few owl treats, got her to lead him to where she had brought the letters from.

It took about two hours to get there, but he was well aware of the fact that it could have taken even longer. When they set down in the Granger's backyard, he went for the back door, so he could walk in. To his dismay, he found Hermione and Ron in a rather loving and comforting position at the kitchen table. 'Merlin,' he thought as he turned right around, walked out the back door. He made his way around to the front door to ring the bell, and it took a good minute and a half before a thoroughly depressed couple made it to the door.

"Harry, Merlin, its good to see you," cried Hermione as she rushed to give him a breath stealing hug.

"Yeah mate, it is really good to see you," Ron said with a small pat on the back.

"'Mione, I'm really sorry for what happened. I wish I could have been with you," Harry said as he suppressed a small chuckle of relief at seeing his friends physically unharmed. "I don't think you needed me so much though_"

"Harry, what are you talking about? I could always need you around for something that Ronald here can't or won't do," Hermione said slowly.

"Not much Hermione. Just you and Ron here were sharing a very tender moment in the kitchen and I really didn't want to bother you two," this time not being able to suppress his joy at seeing his friends. The seriousness of the moment sank in though. They had a funeral to plan after all, and if they wanted to make the deaths look more natural and less like a homicide to the Muggle world, they'd need the help of their old headmaster.

They all walked inside and into a nice, flowery living room with wall to wall pale pink carpeting, a dark red couch and matching chair with yellow flowers embroidered on them, and a few end tables that were completely spotless. Hermione was always cleaning when nervous or something overly upset her, and apparently that hadn't changed in the two months time that they had not seen each other. They sat there and Harry had the couple recount the entire happenings of the night that her parents had been murdered, it was gruesome. He couldn't listen to any more of it. "STOP!" he all of a sudden yelled. "I can't take this anymore! How am I supposed to handle all of this? How am I going to survive if all he does is hurt or take away the people I love? What am I supposed to fight for then?"

He had taken the couple by complete surprise. They both were stammering over their answers when he looked at them apologetically. "I'm sorry guys. It's just all sinking in, the fact that Voldemort- oh get over it Ron- seems to thrive off hurting my loved ones, and won't directly attack me," he explained to them in the calmest way he could.

"I know Harry. It's really hard for everyone around. We miss Hagrid and Sirius, and now sadly my parents just as much as you do. But it won't change the fact that he needs to be destroyed," Hermione said as tears welled up in her eyes. "And as Merlin as my witness, I will help you succeed in that Harry. Don't you doubt that!"

"Yeah mate, we're both going to help you as best we can. No matter what it takes," Ron piped in.

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The trio had gotten into contact with Albus Dumbledore, their old headmaster, and had explained what had occurred. An emergency Order meeting was to be held that night at the Granger residence because Hermione couldn't bear to leave without making at least some of the arrangements for her parent's funeral. So while she was making some of the arrangements, the members of the Order arrived.

Harry was walking around with a tray of drinks that Hermione had made up, when there was a loud commotion coming from the hallway.

"MALFOY?!? What the bloody hell are you doing here?" came the disgruntled voice of Ron.

"Well, there is a meeting for the Order here, am I right? Well, I am a member of the Order, so bloody calm your arse down, and get over it," came the cool drawling cadence that was Draco Malfoy's voice.

Ron started muttering to himself about letting evil bastards such as Malfoy into the Order when Dumbledore called the meeting to order. "Welcome everyone, it is sad news that we bring to you today. Miss Granger's parents were murdered a few days ago by some of Voldemort's Death Eaters."

In the background, Harry could hear Hermione trying not to cry into Ron's shoulder. The meeting droned on for about thirty or so more minutes and the basics of the meeting were done. Mad-Eye Moody sputtered the usual constant vigilance out, but of course everyone didn't need to be told this again. They also wanted an entire entourage to stay with the trio at all times, which royally pissed Harry off.

While Harry let everything sink in though, he found himself casting furtive glances Draco's way. After all, what happened on graduation day that two months ago, had not left his mind for one moment. He thought about it every day; wondered if anything would come from it. It's not everyday a platinum blonde Slytherin_ Well let's just say it was an interesting event.

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As the night drew on, all of the members filtered back out of the Granger residence, except for one. A loose canon has always been a good way to describe Draco Malfoy. He always went about doing things in a very precarious kind of way, and the shock everyone felt when they learned that Draco had become a spy for the Order was the biggest shock of anyone's life. Even bigger than Hermione's parents being murdered.

"I wanted to speak with you, Harry," Draco said, at long last.

"Umm... Sure," came Harry's reply.

They walked into the kitchen so that they would be well out of hearing distance of Hermione and Ron.

"I'm going into the Auror program Harry. My father thought it would be 'good to get it in with the light side.' I told him that the only way I'd enter that program, is if I make it on my own merits, and I did. So it looks like we'll be spending the better part of the next three years together."

"Yeah, I guess it does. Draco_" Harry started but was soon found to be preoccupied by a pair of lips that had descended on his own quite roughly. He finally was able to push Draco away from him to a distance that was comfortable for the both of them. "Draco, I don't know if this is a good idea."

"Why, because I'm a Malfoy? Or is it because you are afraid of what might happen?"

"You very well know that it has nothing to do with you being a Malfoy. I can put the past behind us, as I already have, in the middle of sixth year mind you. I just don't want you to risk your life even more for me by being a spy and my boyfriend."

"I'm willing to take that risk Harry Potter, why aren't you?"

"You want to know why Draco? You really want to know why?"

"Yes, I do!"

"Fine, I'll tell you! I'm afraid of losing the one thing that has brought me happiness since Sirius died. I'm afraid of losing you." There was a brief collective silence in the air as they each tried to decipher what was going on beneath the others guarded face.

"Don't be Harry. I know how to take care of myself. I am a Malfoy after all." Draco said with a wink after a short time.

"That doesn't always make a whole lot of a bloody difference and you know it, Draco!"

"Look, Harry, I know how I feel about you, and I know you feel the same way too. That much was evident on graduation day!"

"Feelings change," Harry said with a slight tone of petulance.

"I know, and not seeing you for almost two months has practically destroyed me. It has made me see that I need you even more than I could have thought possible. I need you to help me get through this life I'm trying to live!"

Harry sputtered at Draco's frankness, not accustomed to his being so open. "Draco_ I don't know. I don't want you to get hurt! Draco_I'm-"

"I know Harry, I know your afraid! Don't you think I am too? I'm putting my fucking heart on the line here! For the first time ever!"

Another silence descended upon them, and they couldn't help but look into the other's passionate eyes. This is where the truth of everything lies, this is the place where they felt most comfortable, where they could truly be themselves.

A head peeked into the kitchen to see if everything was all right. "Do you guys need anything?" came a sniffling voice from behind the two disgruntled young men.

"No Granger, we're fine," Draco replied to her.

"Yeah, 'Mione, why don't you go to sleep for the evening so Ron, Malfoy and I can clean up for you," Harry suggested.

Hermione nodded her agreement, and left the room to go to sleep.

"It's Malfoy now?" Draco asks with a slight sneer on his lips.

"You know very well that she knows all about what happened between us last year. She's the one who helped me figure out that I do have feelings about you...even if I didn't want to realize them."

"Of course I know! Look, why don't we just go clean up with Ron like you said we would?" Draco said with resignation evident in his voice, and a small frown creasing his forehead.

"Fine, we will have to finish this discussion later."