Finally

It's the end of the war and the beginning of a new era. The Dark Lord is finally defeated, and though most of the wizarding world is in ruins, the constant gloom in the air has finally lifted.

The Slytherin class of 1997 isn't faring nearly as well. Their whole way of life has been destroyed, and while everyone else celebrates anywhere and everywhere possible, they gather at Malfoy Manor to discuss their futures.

None of them has been initiated yet, but they all would have if the war had not ended at the time it did. However, most of their parents will soon be on trial, and the futures of their families don't seem too bright.

They know that they can't save their parents because the Ministry has announced that anyone with the Dark Mark will be executed, no matter what, and to even try spells certain death. They may respect their parents, but preserving their own lives is more important than anything else, especially for Slytherins like them. Besides, their parents would rather they live than have the family name disappear for all eternity.

After the trials, most of them will lose the prestige their family has had for centuries, and quite a few don't think they can stay in England under the disdain of the general public. It's not something they are accustomed to, and they don't think they ever will be.

Pansy announces that she wants to go to America and establish a name there, and Blaise says that she'll go with Pansy. Contrary to what everyone believes, none of them are engaged at birth, and thus, most of them don't have ties to keep them in England.

Crabbe and Goyle think of living in the Muggle world, and when the others ask them why, they say that they aren't particularly good with magic anyway, but in the Muggle word, they can easily find jobs as bodyguards.

Draco wants to leave the country, perhaps go back to France, where his family originated. He sees no future in England, and though the others tell him that he can't leave, he really doesn't want to stay in a country where his name, though widely-known, is uttered like a curse.

As Draco packs the last of his possessions two weeks later, someone knocks at the door. He answers it and finds Harry Potter standing there. Draco doesn't know why Potter is there, but he lets him in anyway.

"Are you really leaving?" are the first words out of Potter's mouth as soon as the door shuts.

"Yes," Draco answers, and Potter stares at him with wide eyes.

"You didn't join them," he finally says an eternity later.

"I would have," Draco replies.

"But you didn't," Potter concludes, and the two men stare at each other. Draco wonders why Potter is in his house. They had a thing in Seventh Year, but when Potter had asked him whether he'll join the Dark Lord's ranks and he hadn't answered, Potter had left and hadn't returned, and Draco wonders why Potter's back now, right before he's about to leave.

"Do...Do you want to stay?" Potter finally asks, voice hesitant.

"Why should I?" Draco inquires.

"Because I want you to," Potter replies softly. Draco thinks that if their thing had continued, something would have happened, and he thinks he still wants to know what could have been.

Draco doesn't say anything, just starts unpacking his bags. After a moment, Potter joins him, and Draco knows Potter understands.