Permanent Scars

Chapter twenty-four

Harry sat on the bed and held Draco until he stopped crying. Then, he wiped Draco's eyes and helped him sit up.

Harry reasoned, "The Death Eaters must have found the Gringotts vault key, and then used Polyjuice potion to make themselves look like your father. It's the only way they could have gotten past the goblins at Gringotts."

Draco sighed wearily. "I was counting on that money. It was the only thing that made me feel like I might be okay."

Harry said tenderly, "You know I don't care anything about money. I have enough money in Gringotts for both of us. Once we graduate from Hogwarts, we can use the money for a start in whatever we decide to do."

Draco felt a lump in his throat, and tears sprang into his eyes.

He kissed Harry and replied, "I really appreciate you offering to help me. It means so much to me to know that you care enough that you are willing to share the money your parents left you.

But, I can't accept it. I have to learn to stand on my own two feet. I've never had to do that before. I've always had my parent's power and money behind me. Now that that's gone, I have to learn what I'm really made of."

Harry stroked Draco's cheek, then brought his face forward and kissed him gently.

He gazed into Draco's eyes and knew that, right now, at that moment; he wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

He pulled Draco down onto the bed, and they laid there, curled around each other.

Harry leaned over and whispered in his ear, "I love you."

Draco hugged Harry tight as happiness flooded through him. He felt so happy that he never wanted this moment to end.

They lay there for a long time, Harry eventually falling asleep.

Draco laid there, but couldn't sleep. He was thinking about what was ahead. He knew that it was going to be tough, being out in the world without his parents support.

The first thing he would do, once he graduated Hogwarts, was ask Harry to come with him to Malfoy Manor. He had a need to see the place for himself, to see if it really was beyond repair. He also wanted to pay his respects to his parents, and the manor was the only place to do that. There was no cemetery where he could visit them, because their bodies had been burnt, when the manor burned, and were never recovered.

He looked at Harry as he slept next to him and knew this was where he wanted to be. He hoped that this would last, that he and Harry would always be together, but he knew that even if they weren't, he would be able to survive it. He knew that he was strong enough to make it on his own.

As he thought about his future, he realized that he was free to decide what he wanted to do with his life. There were no restrictions now on what career he had to do or who he had to be. He lay next to Harry, felt Harry's warm breath on his cheek, and realized that he was finally free.

THE END