la persistencia de la memoria

A/N: Don’t hate me for this chapter. It has become rather obvious that Harry is not the favorite in this story, but I’m surprised by the level of hatred that he has elicited from readers. Poor Harry! He just wants someone to understand his situation and his feelings! LOL. There are some who actually don’t want them to get back together. That’s something I’ve never heard before! Is that what you all want? No reconciliation? What will they do without each other?

Thank you for all the reviews and encouragement. I truly appreciate and enjoy the comments.

Happy Valentine’s Day for those who celebrate it with a sweetie.


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Chapter 8

One month later

Harry pushed the bell of Ginny’s flat for the second time. He didn’t want to seem impatient, but he had been standing in front of her door for at least five minutes. He glanced down at Cassi, who was still fast asleep in her baby carrier. The carrier was basically a sling that Harry wore around his middle, and charmed to be lightweight, water proof and shake-proof. Cassi actually wouldn’t feel a thing even if Harry had been tossed from a hippogriff. Harry felt a warmth spread through him as he gazed at his daughter. He would never have thought it possible to love someone this much, who hadn’t done anything but be born.

Harry huffed in irritation when he heard low, staccato voices coming from the other side of the door. Obviously Ginny was at home and even though Harry had not told her the exact time he was coming by to see her, she knew to expect him today. There was suddenly a harsh shout and Harry flinched. He reached for his wand, instinctively going into auror mode, but felt rather hindered by a sleeping infant strapped to his middle.

The front door was flung open and Harry found himself face-to-face with Dean Thomas. Harry had not seen his former housemate since the day of Cassi’s birth almost two months ago and Harry immediately felt a deep shame run through him. But he tightened his jaw and looked up at Dean, a bit intimidated by the man’s nearly three inches on him. He gave a slight nod at him.

“Dean.”

Dean studied him for a moment and then his eyes took in Cassi, still sleeping soundly. Harry tightened his grip on his wand, ready to hex anybody who dared to hurt his defenseless child.

Dean’s face contorted in anger. “You’d think I’d be that low as to hurt a baby, Harry? Unlike you, I haven’t been influenced by Slytherin virtues of low-ness.”

Harry’s sigh was drowned out by a gasp and a frantically whispered, “Dean…please don’t.”

Ginny stood behind Dean, her face pale and her eyes puffy. She obviously had been crying. She hurried to the front door and hastily tried to get around Dean to stand in front of Harry. “Harry…this…this isn’t a good time.”

“No, Harry…this is a perfect time!” Dean said quite loudly, holding the door open wider. “Come on in, old friend! Let’s all sit down and have a fry-up. Ginny is a great cook, as I’m sure you remember! No wait…maybe you don’t remember! Like you don’t remember that she was my fiancée! You dumped her and left her to pick up the pieces while you chased Malfoy! And you have the gall to show up here and try to get her back! I swear, if you didn’t have your brat with you-“

“Dean!” Ginny cried out, her eyes welling up with tears, “it’s not his fault…please…let me handle this…”

But Harry had already puffed up with fatherly anger at the insult to Cassi. “Leave Cassi out of this, Dean! She’s innocent! She doesn’t deserve to be called that! I don’t care how pissed you are. Don’t ever talk about her like that again.” Harry’s voice had gone low and his eyes had narrowed in barely concealed fury.

Dean gave an extremely uncharacteristic smirk, so much so that Harry stared at him with apprehension. Dean had always been easy-going and mostly unflappable, but this man standing before him was almost unrecognizable. Harry frowned and then decided that he had to make some sort of effort here.

“Dean, look…can we talk about this like mature adults? You have every right to be pissed at me. I’m sorry about all of this, I really am.” Harry made his voice soft and conciliatory, one type of tactic learned from auror interrogations.

Dean raised an eyebrow and he stepped back, gesturing grandly into the foyer of the flat. “Sure, Harry. Whatever you want.”

Dean’s voice rang with sarcasm and malice and it hurt Harry to hear that. But he was not going to let that stand in his way. He should have approached Dean ages ago and he was ashamed that he had been such a coward. He glanced at Ginny, who was now rubbing her fingers nervously.

“Is it all right that I come in, Ginny?” Harry asked quietly, wanting to make sure the red-head was okay with this.

Ginny looked back and forth between her former fiancée and Harry anxiously. “I…yes…I guess so.”

Harry nodded at her and gave her a reassuring smile. He stepped into the apartment and tried not to wince as Dean slammed the door with such force that several small pictures on a nearby table fell over. The occupants, mostly Weasleys, all cried out in alarm. The remaining picture, one of Ginny with her arm around Hermione, caused the two to cover their mouths in dismay. Ginny hastily flicked her wand to right the pictures.

They entered Ginny’s small living room and Ginny turned to Harry with her hands out. “I’ll put Cassi down,” she said softly, but Harry knew from Ginny’s body language that she wanted to be anywhere but there. He felt awful that Ginny was beyond upset, but Harry wondered what Dean was doing there at all. He had not bothered to ask her how often she still remained in contact with her ex, but he realized it was stupid to assume that they no longer spoke.

He removed the carrier from his shoulders and handed her the baby. Dean stared at the exchange with an unreadable expression, but didn’t say anything. Ginny glanced at Dean and bit her lip. She hurriedly left the room and Harry immediately felt that he had been left to the wolves on this one.

He turned to look at Dean and was met with a wand in his face. Harry blinked and quickly countered with a Shield Charm, that bounced Dean’s hex backwards rather spectacularly. Bright sparks shot into the air and scorched the ceiling. Harry sent a rather harmless Binding hex at Dean, but the taller man twisted with a grace that Harry had to grudgingly admire in someone who was not trained in defensive maneuvers.

Harry growled when a fire spell sizzled passed his ear, surprised at how quick Dean was. Suddenly it dawned on him. Harry had taught Dean way back in their Hogwarts days. Had Dean really remembered some of his own teachings?

“Stop, Dean!” Harry shouted, as he casually put up another shield to deflect yet another curse. Dean was panting heavily and Harry could tell the man was acting completely on impulse and rage. “I’m sorry! I should’ve talked to you about this. I was wrong.”

“You shouldn’t have done this at all!” Dean shouted back and fired another hex at the auror. “We were happy! It was going to be perfect and you ruined everything, Harry! Why did you have to do this? We were friends! You’ve ruined my life!”

Dean’s last words were ragged and full of a deep rooted pain that made Harry cringe. Dean’s face was twisted in a snarl and Harry took advantage of his friend’s lack of focus. Harry shot a quick Incarcerous at Dean’s knees and ropes sprung around them. Dean failed his arms and fell back heavily on the sofa. Another quick Expelliamus had Dean’s wand hurtling towards his outstretched hand.

“Harry!” Ginny said sharply, as she rushed back into the room. She eyed her burnt ceiling with annoyance and glared at the brunette. “I thought you were supposed to be talking like adults!” She put her hands on her hips.

“He attacked me!” Harry blurted out, knowing that he sounded like a petulant child.

Ginny narrowed her eyes as Dean snorted. “You’re an auror! Dean couldn’t have hurt you, Harry! Let him up!”

Harry made a face but tossed the wand back at Dean, who caught it with one hand. Harry flicked his wand and the ropes disappeared. Dean rubbed his legs for a moment and then glared at Harry. Ginny sighed and turned toward the other man.

“Dean, I need to talk to Harry. I did invite him over.”

“I haven’t finished talking to him!” Dean said roughly. “I have a few things I need to say!”

Ginny suddenly looked tired. “I know,” she said softly and Harry fought back a growl at the tenderness in her voice. She used to only sound like that when she talked to him. “Please…this is hard enough.” She lowered her head and Dean stood up abruptly.

“Fine, Ginny! Fuck you and your Savior!” He pointed his finger at Harry. “This isn’t over, Harry!” He stomped from the room and Harry crossed his arms as the front door slammed again. The sound of Weasleys shouting again filled the foyer.

Ginny stared at the spot that Dean had just been occupying. Harry watched her with uncertainty. Ginny finally turned towards him slowly.

“Why didn’t you call first, Harry?” She asked, her tone calm.

“I told you I was coming today, Ginny,” Harry said, exasperated, “you said it was okay!”

“Well it wasn’t!!” Ginny shouted suddenly and Harry stepped back in surprise. “Why did you have to fight with him? Why couldn’t you just leave?”

Harry stared at her incredulously. “I didn’t know he was here! How was I supposed to know he was going to open the door? And what was he doing here anyway? You said it was over between the two of you!”

“It is over, thanks to you!” Ginny retorted, “I hope you’re happy!”

“You’re blaming me for this?” Harry asked in disbelief. “You’re the one who made the decision, I didn’t force you!”

Ginny flicked a piece of hair back from her face. “You just came back into my life, dangling the life that we should have had! The life we did have! It wasn’t fair, Harry! God…I wish you’d never talked to me about this!” Ginny gave a sob and sank down on the cushions of the sofa, crying.

The anger promptly fled out of Harry. He walked over to Ginny and sat down next to her. Her head was buried in her hands. Harry gently rubbed her back and Ginny leaned into his touch.

“I’m sorry, Ginny,” Harry said, “I really am sorry. I never wanted to hurt you or Dean. Just…tell me what to do. What do you want me to do?”

Ginny nuzzled into Harry’s neck. She didn’t say anything, but Harry was surprised when he felt Ginny’s lips against his skin.

“Ginny?” Harry whispered, but the red-head simply continued nuzzling his neck with soft kisses.

“Please, Harry…” Ginny whispered back and Harry felt Ginny stir beneath him. She rolled over towards him and straddled his lap. Harry gaped in shock.

It had been two months since his own accident and Harry had not yet been intimate with Ginny. He had realized about two weeks ago that he hadn’t really tried to get intimate with her. He had chalked it up to stress and the trauma of everything that had happened to him over the last two months. He just hadn’t really been in the mood. But that didn’t explain why he woke up with a hard-on every morning.

He’d had several erotic dreams, but his partner was usually a faceless, nameless entity, who gave him the best blowjobs or allowed Harry to fuck them into the mattress. Harry woke up from those dreams panting and frantically reaching for his cock to wank again. But by the time he managed to meet up with Ginny, which wasn’t that often since Draco’s hospitalization, his horniness seemed to have worn off. Harry didn’t want to dwell on why that was.

But now here was his beautiful Ginny, straddling him and clearly showing that she wanted more from him. Harry wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close and Ginny leaned forward. Harry’s lips met hers and she immediately opened her mouth and Harry pushed his tongue inside, kissing her deeply and closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her.

Or not.

Ginny was moaning softly and she rubbed herself against Harry and he opened his eyes wide.

Something was wrong.

A nagging feeling had swept over him and he shook his head to clear it. He reached up to press his hands against Ginny’s small but perfectly sweet breasts and she moaned again at his touch. But it didn’t feel right. Her breasts were normal though. Why did it feel so strange? Like his hands belonged to someone else?

He pulled away hesitantly and focused on her gyrating hips instead. Harry became vaguely aware that his cock was not as hard as it normally should have been if a beautiful woman was grinding her sweet box against it. Harry gave a nervous swallow and fought to harden it himself. He thought of Ginny completely naked, which would probably do the trick. Well, why not make it so?

He reached for Ginny’s thin t-shirt and began to pull it off and Ginny leaned back to let him. When the shirt came off, Ginny’s long red hair cascaded down towards her shoulders and Harry’s mind flashed to a strange but familiar wave of cascading hair, but it was blond, not red. Harry yanked his hands away from her, his eyes wide.

Ginny frowned at the terrified expression on Harry’s face. “Are you all right?”

“Yes…sorry,” Harry said sheepishly and he reached up for her again. “I thought I heard something.” He felt like a heel for lying to her, but what could he say to explain what he had just saw? Or worse…remembered.

Ginny’s face relaxed slightly and she leaned down to kiss him again. Harry resumed the kiss, but then another unbidden and unwelcomed thought came to his mind. Malfoy kissing him at the manor and how intense it had felt. Harry gave a small groan and kissed Ginny harder. He felt his cock stir and Harry felt a surge of triumph. At last! But then images of his unknown cock-sucker flashed in his mind, a reminder of his dreams and Harry instantly knew that it was a blond. He should have known better. Ginny had never really been big on sucking his cock and the person from his dreams had been entirely too good at it.

It had been Malfoy.

“Oh god…”Harry whispered and Ginny giggled in approval. She reached for his button and fly and Harry panicked. He grabbed Ginny’s hands and stilled them

“Ginny, are you sure you want to do this?” he asked in a shaky voice, as image after image flew through his brain. It was as if someone had thrown him into a pensieve and had put it on high speed. He realized that the dreams he’d been having were not really dreams at all.

They were memories.

Memories of him and Malfoy together.

Having sex.

“Harry?”

Harry had slammed his eyes shut, struggling to get his mind under control and focus on Ginny. But all that he saw with his eyes closed was Malfoy on his knees sucking him, Malfoy and him in bed fucking, him sucking Malfoy off.

It was horrible.

And wonderful.

He opened his eyes and stared at Ginny. “You just had a fight with Dean,” Harry said as calmly as he could. His cock was so hard now it was painful. “We shouldn’t do this like this.”

Ginny gaped at him and then leapt off of him as if burnt. “Why did you let me make a fool of myself then?”

Harry sat up and tried to reach for her. “I don’t think that at all! I just really thought about this and…you’re upset and I don’t want to take advantage of that.” Harry knew that his argument sounded weak, especially since he’d been so enthusiastic moments before, but he had to regain control over his body and mind.

Ginny wrapped her arms around herself and stared at Harry so long that he began to wonder if she was using Legilmency on him. But he shook his head. Ginny didn’t know how to do that. And she would have been screaming in horror if she could see what images were in his head right now.

“It’s Draco, isn’t it?”

“What? No!” Harry said entirely too fast and Ginny scowled at him. “It’s what I said!”

“Come off it, Harry!” Ginny shouted and Harry stood up hastily, completely shook by the vehemence in her voice. “I’ve been down this road with you before! This is exactly how it started last time!”

“That’s not true!” Harry snapped, even though he had no idea how it had been before. He just felt the need to defend himself. And by the look on Ginny’s face, he really needed to defend whatever she was trying to accuse him of.

“You’re thinking about him. And you’re scared, Harry. You’re confused about why you’re feeling like that. Knowing that you should want to be with me, but he’s the one on your mind.”

She had used Legilmency on him!

Harry’s mouth dropped open in shock. “Ginny, that’s not true at all! I-“

“Just stop it, Harry! Stop lying to me and stop lying to yourself! It’s going to come back, just like I told you it would!” Ginny threw her hands up in the air. “How could I have been so stupid? I can’t believe I did this!”

Harry hurried over to the distraught woman. “Ginny, I swear, I-I don’t know what happened. It was like I was shoved into a pensieve or something! I didn’t know they were memories…I thought it had just been dreams! But it doesn’t matter! I won’t let that get in the way, Ginny.”

“Oh, Harry,” Ginny said sadly, “it does matter. Don’t you understand that? It’s who you are.”

Harry gave a deep sigh. “I don’t feel that it’s me, Ginny. I don’t know that guy.”

“But he’s coming out, Harry. And you’ve been going to the mind healer this past month, right? Everything is going to come back and then what?”

Harry ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t know,” he whispered.

But he did know. He had started going to the healer immediately after Draco’s breakdown. He realized that he had been acting quite selfishly by pretending that it was okay that five years of his life had simply disappeared. The real truth was that he was afraid of what his friends had been telling him about his missing years. What kind of Gryffindor was he? He had defeated the Dark Lord in his youth and chased dark wizards as an adult. But he couldn’t face the fact that he had fallen deeply in love with a man? And Malfoy at that?

“Gin, I promise that it will be different this time. I won’t hurt you like before. Malfoy has already moved on. So we can work through this. We’ve had problems before, but we worked it out, right? This won’t be any different. Have I ever lied to you?”

Ginny crossed her arms in front of her and glared.

“Okay, that wasn’t a good question,” Harry said hastily, “but I won’t this time. Now that I know what to expect, I can stop it. I’ll handle it differently this time.”

“Really? How so?”

“Well, it’ll be just like any other breakup if I remember what happened. It’s not like I’ll just run to him if I suddenly remember everything. He doesn’t want me to bother him anyway.”

“Harry, you are really the thickest man I’ve ever met! Are you really that naïve? How can you be an auror and be so hopelessly stupid about people and relationships?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Ginny took a long deep breath for patience. “It means that you really have no idea what love is. You think it can just start and stop when you want it to? That you can make yourself not feel anything? Do you really believe that Draco doesn’t still love you and wouldn’t take you back the instant your memory returned? Or that your heart won’t ache for him if you remember what the two of you had? Look at how you’re acting about your memories of us! We’ve been over for years, but you ran to me immediately after your accident.”

Harry bit his lip. She was right. He had done that, because his memory of their relationship was in the forefront of his mind. How different would it be if he suddenly remembered everything about Draco? As strongly as he believed that he still felt about Ginny, his feelings for Draco were obviously even stronger than that. He had chosen Draco over everything; his friends, the Weasleys who were his family, the wizarding world’s criticisms of his choice. But he defied them all and made his life with his blond nemesis.

Harry stood up and said sharply, “Fine, you’ve made yourself clear then. I’ll just take Cassi and I’ll be on my way.”

Ginny lowered her arms and stared at Harry. “You’re leaving? Just like that?”

Harry made an irritated noise. “You keep pushing me away, don’t you? That I’m not going to be serious about any of this! So yes, I’m leaving. You won’t have to worry about me bothering you anymore.”

Ginny took a hesitant step forward. She was suddenly torn about what was happening. She wanted Harry to understand her fears about his memory returning, but at the same time, she wanted to believe that maybe he would be stay with her this time. She knew it was completely irrational to think that Harry wouldn’t eventually desire a man again, but he was strong and he could defeat anything, couldn’t he? But she did still love Dean, who had come to her that morning to talk about their relationship, even though he had been the one who left after she told him about Harry.

“Harry, don’t leave like this. I’m…I’m not saying that I don’t want to try…I’m scared, that’s all.”

Harry’s anger melted away at her words and he walked towards her and put his arms around her.

“I’m sorry, Ginny. I promise it’ll be better this time. It will.”

Ginny wrapped her arms around slowly and inhaled his scent and sighed.

Harry closed his eyes and struggled to push the image of Draco kissing him out of his head.

But Draco didn’t budge.

And neither did the swelling of his erection, fully regenerated at the blond’s appearance.


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“Come on, Draco,” Medi-witch Dyson said pleasantly, “It’s time for group!”

Draco sighed as he quietly closed his magazine and swung his legs out of bed. “You failed to mention this is my last group.” He stood up and straightened his robes and gave an incredibly fake smile to Dyson.

“Oh yes, it is!” she exclaimed excitedly. “You have done so well! I can’t believe that it’s been a month already!”

“Three weeks and four days,” Draco corrected snidely. “And you know I would’ve been out of here sooner had you not forced me into these ghastly group sessions.”

“But they have been for your own good,” Dyson said breathlessly, looking horrified that someone could not enjoy the idea of sharing their most intimate thoughts and humiliations with a group of strangers. “You have to admit it’s been for your own good!”

“Whatever,” Draco hissed and he strode passed Dyson. “I look forward to the day I don’t ever have to see you again.”

Draco chuckled darkly at Dyson’s hurt gasp. He left his private room and headed down the corridor to the bright and sunny lounge where for the last three weeks he’d been forced to sit in the “healing circle” to discuss his feelings.

Draco had hated every second of the experience. If he heard one more story about Vernon’s trauma resulting from the grisly death of his crup (burnt beyond recognition in a cauldron explosion) or Matilda’s addiction to wizard on wizard porn (she had immediately attached herself to Draco, wanting to know all the details of his sex life with Harry or any other wizard), and Calliope’s desire to become a Metamorphagus, despite the fact that she wasn’t born one. Every time she got her hand on a wand, she attempted to drastically change her appearance. The last episode had her nose grown to the size of a small boulder, and she was perfectly happy with the look.

Fucking psychos.

Thank Merlin this was his last session. He was going to be discharged tomorrow. Ironically, it was the group sessions that thoroughly convinced him that he was going to get his life together. He never wanted to be looked upon as a psychotic moron like these people were.

A few people had already taken their seats in the circle and Draco drug himself over to the seat furthest away from Matilda. She was already eyeing him hungrily, clearing envisioning him sucking off some bloke here in the group. Draco shuddered dramatically at that thought.

Healer Wentworth was walking into the room, holding his ever present clipboard. The man actually thought that no one would notice that he was making notes on them whenever someone talked. Draco stifled a snort. Wentworth tried to tell them it was just to take attendance, but that Quick-Quotes Quill gave that away.

Draco sat up a bit straighter when Wentworth sat down. The sooner the session began the quicker it would be over and Draco could bid them a hearty, “fuck off”.

“All right, everyone, let’s get started,” Wentworth called out. “Who wants to share first?”

Draco knew that Vernon would leap at the chance to go first. He had been given a new crup after last session and Draco could see that he was dying to talk about it. The blond sighed and settled down for a long, boring story.

Vernon had barely started talking when a familiar flash of red caught his eye. Draco turned his head and stared at a ginger-headed man that seemed vaguely familiar.

Weasley?

Only he looked older than that Weasel.

Wentworth raised his hand to silence Vernon and he huffed in annoyance. “Charlie? What are you doing here?”

Draco blinked. Charlie Weasley? That’s right! He was the one who worked with the dragons. Draco had only seen him once during his five year relationship with Harry and that had been at a distance. It had been at the wedding of Granger and her Weasley. What was he doing here?

The broad-shouldered red-head gave a shrug. “They told me to sit in on this group session. I know it’s not my normal time. I can go.”

Draco recognized that he did in fact, not want to be there at all. But it still brought up the question of why he was in the psych ward clinic of St. Mungo’s.

“Of course you can join us, Charlie,” Wentworth said cheerfully, indicating a vacant chair, which was only two away from Draco.

Charlie nodded and took a seat. Draco tried hard not to stare at the man, who was almost the exact opposite of his weasel-y little brother. Aside from the horrendous hair, Charlie was an exceptionally good looking bloke. His skin had a leathery texture to it, but it wasn’t unpleasant. Draco assumed it was from the proximity with giant fire-breathing lizards.

Charlie certainly was…big. He wore a regular t-shirt covered by a dragon hide vest and Muggle jeans. And there was nothing small about him at all. His muscles bulged from the sleeves of his shirt and the jeans hugged his thighs in the most appropriate ways. Draco turned his head away from the man in disgust. What the hell was he doing? Oogling a Weasley? He really had lost his mind if he was checking that man out.

The meeting passed in a blissful blur. Vernon had went on and on and Wentworth had been unable to shut him up. Draco was spared having to speak, but Wentworth did make mention of his last session, just before a small bell chimed.

Draco shot out of his seat like a rocket and made to sprint for the exit.

“Hey Malfoy.”

Malfoy stopped cold. He should have known that Weasley had recognized him and would most likely take the piss out on him for being in this place. He turned around with a sneer on his face, only to be met with a kind and friendly smile.

Draco still managed to keep the sneer on his face though.

Charlie raised his hands in mock surrender. “Sorry, there. I just wanted to say hello. Familiar face and all.”

Draco tried to huff, but it looked stupid to do so when Weasley had been so friendly. “You’re Weasley, right?”

Charlie gave a loud laugh and Draco grinned in spite of himself. “Yes, I’m “Weasley”, but I’m the one called Charlie. Kind of differentiates me from the rest of the Weasleys.”

Draco crossed his arms. “I would suppose that needs to be the case. As there are so many of you.”

He grinned good naturedly. “Congratulations on getting out of here. Even though I’m wondering what you did to get in here in the first place.”

Draco frowned and abruptly turned away from the man. So much for good vibes. He marched out of the room and started back down towards his room. He hadn’t gone far when he heard Charlie calling after him.

Draco whirled around. “What do you want?” he snapped irritably. “Like I’m sure all of you aren’t having a good laugh at my expense! Fuck off!”

The red-head had just caught up to him and he stopped and gave the blond an appraising look.

“I don’t know why you’re here, Malfoy, honestly. But if you don’t want to talk about it, I understand.” He gave a small nod. “But I wish you well all the same.” He turned around to leave and Draco sighed, wondering what the hell he was doing.

“Weasley,” he said, and the man turned back around with a raised eyebrow, “why are you here?”

Charlie cocked his head and then he bent down and pulled up his pant leg. Instead of flesh and bone, there was a metal and steel. It reminded him of the crazy defense instructor, Mad-Eye Moody from fourth year, who really was a Death Eater in Polyjuice. Draco glanced back up at Charlie’s face. The man lowered his pant back down.

“Got too close to a Chinese Fireball. Took my leg. I was in hospital for a month in Romania, but now I’ve been sent here for follow-up. They might not let me go back to working with them.” He got a faraway look in his eyes. And then he focused on Draco. “Dragons are my life. I won’t know what to do if I can’t work with them. I don’t want to do anything else.” He leaned against the wall. “Part of my rehab means I have to “talk” about it.” He made air quotes and made a face. “I’m fucking pissed. What else can I say?”

Draco gave a small smile. He certainly understood that emotion. He looked Charlie square in the eye. “I had a baby. And Harry left me because he can’t remember that we had a relationship. And I’m fucking pissed about it.”

Charlie pushed away from the wall. “Well…here’s to two pissed blokes.” He raised his hand in a mock toast. “We should have a real drink over that, don’t you think?”

“Go out and get smashed after leaving the psych ward?” Draco said with a smirk. “Absolutely.”

Charlie smiled.


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“Draco, love…I have to admit, you do look so much better with that bit of weight on you,” Pansy said, as she sat across from Draco at La Hedon, a trendy café that had been built in Knockturn Alley.

“Fuck off,” Draco said irritably as he picked at his roast duck. “I don’t understand why I haven’t lost any of it, especially when I was in that stupid clinic. The food was horrible. I almost starved to death.”

Pansy gave a small smile. “Well, this food is delicious and you’re not eating that either.” She reached across the table and touched his hand. “I missed you, Draco. I’m sorry that I wasn’t there for you more. It won’t happen again.”

Draco waved his hand in dismissal. “It’s all right, Pans. I’m just ready to put this whole thing behind me.” He ran a hand through his blond hair and Pansy sighed.

“You know you do that thing still. That thing that Potter does, with the hair and the hand?”

Draco yanked his hand away from his hair and scowled at her. “Must you notice everything?”

“You love it, especially when I notice stuff about everyone else. Don’t be a hypocrite.”

“But I do that so well,” Draco said with a smirk and Pansy grinned.

“Yes, you do, darling,” she said sweetly, as she wiped her mouth with her napkin, “so what happens now?”

“What do you mean?”

“With Potter? Have you talked to him?”

Draco picked up his glass of wine and took a sip. “He came to the hospital before I went to the clinic. Still wanting to be friends. I told him to go to hell.”

Pansy paused as she lifted her fork to her mouth. She blinked at Draco in surprise. “Well done, Draco! It’s about time you told that sanctimonious prick where to go. I’m sorry it only took you five years.”

Draco’s hand tightened on his wine glass. “Yes, I’m sure you’re quite pleased that he’s out of my life. He’s only the father of my fucking child!”

Several other diners turned to look and Pansy sneered at them until they looked away. She gripped his hand and whispered, “Relax, Draco. I was only joking. I know that you haven’t given up on Potter. As much as you love that bastard? I know you have a plan up your sleeve to get revenge, and then to get him in bed for some make-up sex.”

Draco made a face of disgust at Pansy, who chuckled darkly. “Oh please…don’t even try to get all “therapeutic” on me. Those healers couldn’t have completely brainwashed you of all your Slytherin tendencies! Don’t tell me that you have no plan for getting Potter back.”

Draco lowered his head to look down at his uneaten duck and gave a sigh. “I almost lost everything because of this, Pansy. I didn’t know that I had “post-partum depression” or whatever the hell it was.” He looked up at her. “I almost got my daughter killed because I was too drunk to notice my room was on fire. I almost died because…because I didn’t think that I could live without him.”

Pansy opened her mouth to respond, but Draco raised his hand to silence her. “I can’t dwell in that place anymore. Where I can’t see anything but the pain and anger.” Pansy opened her mouth again, but Draco’s cutting eyes silenced her again. “And as much as I’d love to get my revenge against Harry for leaving me, I have to focus on my daughter. I lost sight of that once and I’ll never do that again, not even for vengeance.”

Pansy nodded solemnly at Draco’s words. Yes, he did need to focus on that beautiful baby. She had been able to spend some time with her while Draco had been in the clinic and the experience had made Pansy more determined than ever to have a baby. Despite her best efforts and potions, she and Blaise had not been able to conceive yet.

“You’ll be a great mother, Draco. And with my fashion sense, she’ll be the talk of the wizarding world!”

Draco chuckled lightly at Pansy’s excitement. He reached for his wine again and almost choked when he saw a flash of ginger hair enter his periphery.

It was Weasley. The older one.

Charlie was standing near the entrance of the restaurant. He was dressed in robes that looked like they were also made of dragon hide, but much softer than what dragon hide should look like. He was standing with none other than Marcus Flint, his old Quidditch captain. Both men were laughing at something the hostess had said and Draco was shocked to the core to see these two standing together.

“Who are you looking at?” Pansy asked, as she craned her neck around to see. She spun around again quickly. “Fuck! Was that Marcus Flint?” She appeared ready to leap from the table and Draco laughed.

“Do you really think Flint’s going to remember that little blowjob you gave him? You were what, twelve?”

“Exactly! I was twelve! Merlin, I was such a slut! I’m so embarrassed! I’m going to the loo.” Pansy sprinted away from the table and Draco shook his head.

She had left just in time, because Flint had spotted him and was heading in his direction, with Weasley following him. Draco adopted his casual, carefree look and awaited their arrival.

“Malfoy, it’s been a long time,” Flint said with a smile as Draco rose to shake the wizard’s hand. “Good to see you.”

“Likewise.” He glanced cautiously at Charlie, who winked at him in amusement. Draco fought back a frown.

Flint turned towards Charlie. “I’m sure you know that this is a Weasley. This one is Charlie, who gave me hell at school on the Quidditch pitch. Taught that bastard Wood everything he knew.”

Charlie gave a laugh and reached for Draco’s hand to shake it. “Yeah, Wood was a fast learner. I wish I could have seen some of your games when you both were captains.” He nodded at Draco. “I also heard that Malfoy here was quite a good flyer as well. Slytherin always did have decent teams. Just not as good as mine.” He winked again and both the former Slytherins frowned.

“What brings the two of you out here together?” Draco asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

“Ran into him at Quality Quidditch. We talked about old times. And it seemed stupid to hold onto childhood rivalries from our Quidditch days,” Charlie answered good-naturedly and Draco was painfully reminded of how Gryffindor he acted, just like Harry did.

“School was a long time ago,” Flint said with a smug grin and he looked around with a mischievous look. “Didn’t I see Pansy Parkinson sitting here with you?”

Draco stifled a chuckle. “She’s in the loo.”

“Excellent,” he said and Charlie looked at Flint with an amused grin.

Flint glanced towards the bathroom and Draco shook his head. He turned back to look at Draco.

“We must catch up soon, Draco. I saw the Prophet and all its stories about you and Potter. I understand that congratulations are in order?”

Draco flushed and nodded. “Yes, I have a daughter now.”

Flint’s mouth fell open slightly. “I had actually thought it was a big joke. You really had a baby? With Potter?”

Draco’s jaw tightened in anger. He glared at Marcus, who shifted with unease. “Yes, I did. Do you have something to say about that, Flint?”

Flint gave a casual shrug. “No need to get hostile, Malfoy. I was just asking.”

“Well maybe it was the way you asked, Flint,” Pansy said, as she rejoined them at the table. She cut her eyes at Charlie and the man hastily moved out of her way so she could sit back down. She primly tossed her hair and glanced up at Flint. “You never ask someone the father of their baby in that tone of voice, or have you forgotten your upbringing?”

Flint looked suitably chastened and Charlie cleared his throat. “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Charlie Weasley.”

Pansy pursed her lips and regarded him with disdain. Charlie grinned at her expression and Pansy blinked at him. “Pansy Parkinson-Zabini.” She stuck out her hand and Charlie took it and kissed it gently.

Draco was impressed. Harry had never done that…well, not without a lot of coaching for when they had to go to those boring Ministry galas and other events that made Harry want to gauge his eyes out. He would never have believed that a Weasley would have shown any sort of decorum whatsoever.

Pansy was obviously impressed too, because she gave him a small smile. She glared at Flint again, who rolled his eyes.

“Come on, Weasley. You did say lunch was on you?” Flint headed towards the empty table that the hostess had tried to show them earlier before they had detoured to speak to Draco and Pansy.

“Yes, I did. Quidditch awaits. You can fill me in on all of Wood’s exploits. You can’t help but be impressed with his playing,” Charlie responded with a smirk.

“I don’t think so,” Flint said sharply as he walked away, “and I’ll prove it to you.”

Charlie turned back to Draco and Pansy. “Well, enjoy the rest of your lunch.” He gave Draco a significant look. “And I’m still waiting on that drink.”

He walked away and Draco picked up his wine glass quickly, trying to wet the dryness that had suddenly taken over his mouth. Pansy eyed him with interest.

“So what’s this?” She said with a sparkle in her eye. “What have I missed?”

“Nothing.”

“How do you even know him? You can’t even tolerate the one Weasley that you had to get along with. That one I’ve never even seen before. So?”

“I saw him once at Granger’s wedding, all right?”

“And he asked you for a drink three years ago and he’s still waiting? Fuck you…tell me!”

Draco stabbed viciously into his duck, hoping that would distract her. He wondered why he ever thought that was possible, because Pansy was like a crup with a bone. She’d never let it go once she assumed something.

“Fine! I ran into him at the clinic, all right? We talked briefly and he suggested we go for a drink, that’s all.”

Pansy snuck a glance at their table, where Charlie was gesturing animatedly, obviously describing some Quidditch move.

“I don’t think that’s all, Draco. He’s clearly interested.”

“In what?”

“In you, silly. The man’s gay.”

Draco shook his head and laughed. “He is not. I would know if he was gay. Harry never told me that he was, and he would have said so. He’s not.”

“He doesn’t live around here, does he?”

“No, he’s been in Romania with the dragon reserve. Been doing that since he left Hogwarts. He was gone by the time we got to Hogwarts.”

Pansy smiled triumphantly. “So there it is. How do you know he’s not gay? You never see him. And apparently neither did Harry. And as you know, Harry isn’t the brightest candle in the pack.”

“He’s the best auror they have! He’s bloody brilliant!”

Pansy sighed at Draco’s automatic defense of his ex-lover. “Shut up, Draco. I meant he’s slow about those types of things. Look how long it took him to figure out he was gay and that he desperately wanted to be with you. He’s pants at seeing who’s gay and what not. He didn’t even know he was!”

“And he still doesn’t,” Draco grumbled under his breath, but Pansy ignored his complaint.

“He’s gay, Draco. Trust me. I know these things. I knew you were gay before you did.” She nodded towards the table. “Just like I know that Flint is going to have his pants down before this day is over, if Weasley wants it that way.”

Draco’s mouth dropped open in disbelief. “Flint??”

“Shush…but yes. He’s probably bi though. He's dating some improper half-blood girl that he wants to marry, but his parents are in a snit. But he’s been known to dabble.” She eyed Draco again. “But anyway, that’s besides the point. He’s interested in you. So what are you going to do about it?”

“You’ve lost your mind! I’m not going to do anything about that rubbish theory of yours. Even if he is gay, I’m not going there. He’s a Weasley for one and two…he’s a Weasley.”

“Yes, he’s a Weasley. Which may play well to your advantage.”

“What?”

“Oh come now, Draco. Pull your Slytherin self out of your arse. Here is your revenge. A Weasley. Harry would have kneazles when he finds out.”

“You think I should date a Weasley to piss Harry off?”

“Of course, it would work.”

“Yes, I know it would work, and then he’d have me discreetly murdered by one of his auror pals or something.”

Pansy was smiling sweetly.

“You do realize he would kill me, right?”

“But he’d do it out of jealously, Draco. Don’t you get it?”

“That plan would only work if he remembered that he loved me, you shite! He’s not going to care now! He’ll just try to keep Weasley away from me.”

“You have no faith in me, Draco. I’m so hurt by that.”

“You’re not making any sense, Pans. You sound like that psycho Granger.”

“As long as you live Draco Lucius Malfoy, don’t ever compare me to that hideous creature called Hermione Granger. You know I have finally perfected the Ball Breaker Curse. Do you understand me?”

Draco winced, having heard about that particular spell’s finer points from the unfortunate Theodore Nott, who had cheated on and dumped Pansy for a low-brow pureblood from a no name family. Nott’s subsequent hospital stay and St. Mungo’s development of a potion to re-grow testicles was a favorite topic of hers when Pansy wanted her way. He gave Pansy a big, fake smile.

“Never again, my love.”

Pansy returned his fake smile and Draco rolled his eyes. “Now, trust me on this. You’ll want this to happen. Just use your natural charm and you’ll have Mister Charlie Weasley eating out of your hand.”

“I don’t want him eating out of anything of mine. That just sounds…ugh.”

“You think he’s hot and don’t bother trying to deny it. You always lick your lips when you get turned on. And you’ve licked them twice since he came over. And I know it’s not me making you hard. And Flint’s a god awful troll. Even though he has a huge cock.”

Why the fuck had he ever become friends with this bint? She was horrible!

“I fucking hate you.”

Pansy blew him a kiss. “You hate me because I’m just the female version of you. I’m your mirror. So just go along with our program and you’ll have everything you want.”

I want Harry, his heart supplied rather unhelpfully.

“I already told you I don’t want a lot of confusion. I need to focus on Cassi and not revenge. I’m letting it go, Pansy.” Draco signaled the waitress that they were ready for the check.

Pansy looked thoughtfully at Draco for a moment, and then smiled. “I’m so glad that you invited me out today. We need to bring the baby next time.”

Draco smiled and said, “Yes, we will. Mother probably needs a break for a while.”

“Rubbish. She loves that baby. You’ll have to pry her out of her hands.”

Draco laughed as the waitress brought the check and Draco inspected the amount.

Pansy narrowed her eyes at him while his head was down. She cast another glance at Charlie, who looked up at just the same moment. Their eyes met and Charlie gave her a nod, then went back to his conversation.

Pansy smiled to herself. Even if Draco wasn’t out for revenge, she was.

Nobody hurts her friends without paying for it in spades. And Harry Potter was going to pay for hurting Draco the way he had.

It was just the Slytherin in her.