Fandom:Harry Potter

Fic Title: An Unlikely Place

Author:Firesword

Disclaimer:Harry Potter and its characters belong to JK Rowling. I just own the small muse, and I hope to be earning some smiles and squeals.

Summary:Post-Voldemort. Slash. HPDM. A prison is such a strange place for feelings of tenderness to bloom, but love knows no boundaries. Right?

Rating:Red Flame or 'M'

Author's Notes: Hmmmm. Title says it all, but summary is a bit weird, isn't it? Lol. I hope you people will enjoy this. Hehehe. Oh, and it's rather long too, that it has to be separated into parts. :D (Update: 10 Dec 2007 - this was written way before Book 6/7 came out ... I can't remember which. Lol. Therefore content is irregardless of what actually happened in Book 6/7.)

AN UNLIKELY PLACE

by Firesword

CHAPTER ONE

It was several months after the war had finally ended. Harry, who was still trying to heal the wounds of his past, found himself tagging along after the Weasleys, to visit their second oldest son in the prison Azkaban. Of course, the prison was relocated into a new area, somewhere remote, but in less bleak conditions. In fact, lush greenery and beautiful sunshine surrounded the fortress. One might have mistaken it for a haven of some sort.

Harry winced when he accidentally focused on a bright spot, and quickly looked away. When he looked back to the guards at the gate, Mrs. Weasley was already bustling through, with her husband walking briskly after her.

"Let's go, Harry," Hermione said, absently tugging his arm.

"Yeah. Okay," he heard himself answering, but he still sounded distant and faraway, as though he was not quite there in the present.

"Normally, we wouldn't allow any more than two visitors at a time," one of the guards sighed. "Your family is an exception."

"But-" Bill started but he was immediately cut off by the guard.

"This is no special treatment, believe me. Most of us thought what your brother had done was justified," the wizard in uniform said sadly.

"Come on, children. Let's see Charlie now," Mrs. Weasley's voice called out to them anxiously.

Harry was the last to enter the well-illuminated walkway. Temporarily mesmerized by the beautiful, yellow stone walls, he did not notice Bill waiting for him.

"Are you all right, Harry?" Bluish-gray eyes looked at him with concern. That was the only part that Harry could see, as the rest of Bill's face was hidden by a beautiful mask Fleur had made for him.

He startled briefly and then smiled. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me, Bill."

"You seem to be staring into space more often than not," Bill insisted as they walked along the wake of the other Weasleys.

"I'm ... I'm just thinking." Harry smiled faintly. "That's all."

"About?"

"What I've done," he answered quietly. "Why am I not in jail? I did kill people, after all."

"Stop talking like that, Harry."

"Even if it were in self-defence..." Harry sighed. He froze when Bill stared fiercely at him.

"Listen - the reason why Charlie's in jail is because he had lost himself in anger. And in that condition, he had unthinkingly harmed those orphans whom he had tried to save." Bill pulled back his hair and sighed. "It's a good thing the children were not hurt badly. You, on the other hand, didn't harm civilians and innocents. Don't brood over it too much."

However, that was not something Harry could promise. He just nodded and walked quietly behind the wizard. With his mind preoccupied with thoughts that he could not discern, he did not notice that a guard had allowed them to take Charlie outside to the courtyard. He only realized it when bright sunlight hit his eyes again.

Oh.He blinked and then stopped to watch Mr. Weasley lay out a mat on the ground. A picnic? Harry smiled and shook his head lightly in amusement. This place might be a prison, but it was a place that was not riddled with despair and hopelessness.

"How are you doing, Charlie?" Mrs. Weasley asked her son anxiously. "Did they feed you properly? Are you able to sleep?"

Harry studied Charlie carefully. There were dark circles under his eyes and he was thinner than Harry remembered him to be.

"This place is all right, Mum. It's just ... me. Okay?" Charlie smiled faintly. He looked around, and then his gaze stopped at Harry. "Hello there, Harry. How are you doing?"

"The same," Harry answered with a slight shrug. Charlie nodded, his expression grim and thoughtful. At this point, he was the only one who could relate to Harry.

"Let's eat. We're hungry," Fred and George said loudly.

There were times like this when Harry had feelings that he did not belong to the family. It was strange, but Hermione had fitted right in with the Weasleys, although she had not 'entered' the family officially, yet. Harry could not, for some reason, although Ron's parents had insisted they considered him one of their own.

I don't belong here, he thought sadly as Hermione tugged him down to sit in between her and Ron.

"Tea or chocolate?" Ginny asked him.

"Huh? Chocolate please." Harry stared at her and tried to read her expression. Since their breakup more than two years ago, she had gotten better in hiding her emotions from him. I think I did the right thing by not pursuing the idea of a relationship further with her. Mrs. Weasley can't be too happy if we were still an item.

The firm touch of Bill's hand on his head made him look up. It was strange, how Bill would always know where his thoughts were leading him. He blushed, feeling guilty. But it is the truth. I don't fit in.

He mutely accepted a chicken sandwich Ron gave him and started eating in silence, while quietly observing the rest of the Weasleys. He did not participate in the conversation at all, preferring to listen to them. When the topic of conversation turned into one about the current state of The Burrow, Harry's eyes began to roam all around the courtyard, and they stopped to stare at the fortress itself.

As emerald eyes slowly went from left to right, to look at the windows, he noticed that someone was looking in his direction. Harry pursed his lips thoughtfully and counted the levels silently. He saw the person again; the prisoner's cell was on the seventh floor. Hmmmm ... he's still looking here. Due to the crossed bars, he could not see the person's features all that well, until the person turned.

Silver hair... He blinked slowly. Malfoy. That was Malfoy.

Without pausing to think, Harry stood and headed back to the walkway. If any of the Weasleys had called him, to ask where he was going, he did not hear them. It was one of his failings; once he was focused on something, he had the tendency to ignore everything else. Going somewhere without a purpose was another failing of his.

"Mister Potter!"

He did not even hear a guard's shout to him. He stopped at the foot of the spiral staircase, and looked up. It seemed never-ending, and he thanked the gods silently that he only needed to climb up until the seventh floor. He slowly ascended the staircase, one step at a time.

"Mister Potter! Mister Potter!"

He stopped when he was on the third floor and turned around. He blushed faintly when he saw a pudgy wizard rushing up to meet him.

"Mister Potter..." the wizard wheezed and took in huge breaths.

"Er ... I'm sorry. I didn't realize..." Harry started but the wizard waved at him.

"No matter, Mister Potter. You must have plenty of things on your mind right now. I know that ... abstracted feeling," the guard said with a loud sigh at the end. "All right ... I've caught my breath." The short and rather round wizard thrust his hand into his pocket, and pulled out something. It enlarged into a rather odd-looking clipboard. "Are you going to visit someone?"

Am I? He frowned slightly. "I don't know," he said slowly. "I don't know if he'll let me stay."

The guard - his name tag said that he was a Mr. Lovat - raised his eyebrow. "I still have to write it down, Mister Potter. Who, exactly?"

"Draco Malfoy is on the seventh floor, right?" Harry asked softly.

Lovat nodded and scribbled something quickly on the clipboard. "Yes, he is. Cell number one hundred and seventeen." He tapped the feathery tip of his quill absently on his cheek. "If I'm not mistaken, you'd be his first visitor. It must be hard for the young-un. Circumstances had forced him into this path," Lovat sighed. "But to be completely isolated..."

"Isolated?" Harry's frowned.

"Not precisely but he keeps to himself. Even when he's with his father and that greasy one during the weekend evenings, he doesn't talk." Lovat scratched his cheek vigorously. "His father is still as sprightly - he still talks of escaping prison but that is Lucius." The guard rolled his eyes in sarcasm. "Anyway, take this chit. It'll tell the guard on the level who you're visiting and he'll open the door for you. You can't take the young-un out though, unless you're coming back this evening. You need special permission for an outdoor visitation at this hour."

"Thanks," Harry said quietly. He examined the small chit while listening half-heartedly to Lovat's instructions on how to get to Draco's cell.

"Remember - you only have two hours!" Lovat shouted from a level below.

Harry climbed up the remaining steps and took a left turn, just as Lovat told him to. Cell number one hundred and nine was the first and Draco's would be eight cells down the narrow hallway.

"You meeting someone? Chit?" a burly guard asked him brusquely. Harry mutely handed the chit over and the guard inspected it carefully. "Right. One hundred and seventeen." He gave the small piece of card back to Harry and beckoned at the younger wizard to follow. "Don't lose that. Be sure to give it back to Lovat when you're done."

"All right." Harry nodded. He looked around as he trailed after the guard down the corridor. All of the cells here were enclosed. It gave the prisoners a bit of privacy.

One hundred and fourteen. He saw the plate number and suddenly began to feel slightly uneasy. What in the hell am I doing? It was too late for him to go back; the guard was already opening the door to Draco's cell.

"Mister Malfoy, you have a visitor," the guard announced and pushed the door open.

The room appeared well lit, and it was quite spacious in Harry's opinion. From his vantage point, he could only see the bed, however, and it was empty.

"When you're done, sir, shout for me. I'm Crow."

He could only nod. Harry stepped a bit closer to the threshold but hesitated. "Malfoy, it's me. May I come in?" But Draco did not reply, and the guard had pushed him into the room. He froze as he heard the door locking behind him.

All he felt was cold resentment as he stood there. I shouldn't have come, he thought sadly. He slowly shifted his gaze from the made and neat bed to the window on one side of the cell. Draco was sitting on a chair just beside it, not doing anything but simply staring at him.

"I don't need your pity, Potter," Draco said in a very firm tone. His voice sounded raspy, as though he had not spoken in a long time, but it still had the same stinging quality. "Or your sympathy."

He would have responded in the same manner, but that day, he just did not have it in him to be malicious or sarcastic. "I thought I saw you from where I was."

"And you'd come up here just to be sure it's me?" Draco snorted. "Huh. You won't change, will you? Always barging in into places where you're not wanted." Light, grey eyes stared penetratingly into his. "Why hasn't curiosity killed you yet?"

He did not answer the sarcastic question. "How are you doing?"

A fair and slim eyebrow arched up. "How am I doing? Well, obviously. I'm still breathing and I'm still sane. I can't ask for anything more, right?" Draco sneered. "Go ahead and shout for the guard. We're done."

"No, we aren't." Then Harry chided himself for responding somewhat automatically.

Draco stood up then. Harry knew the silver-haired wizard was furious, especially with the way his eyes glinted as though they were icicles ready to be propelled forward.

"I don't need you to feel sorry for me," Draco hissed. "Just get out."

"I don't feel sorry for you, Malfoy." Harry scowled.

"I don't care. Get out," Draco snarled. "Out, Potter! I don't want you here."

"I came here to see you, not argue with you!" Harry said sharply. "I was here, and I saw you up here, and since I'm here, I thought I'd drop by."

"You..." Draco's nostrils flared in anger.

"Why are you insulted by having a visitor coming to see you?"

"Because I never want to see you ever again. You're an eyesore," Draco snorted. "And I don't need company. From anyone."

You say that, but I know you want someone. I know I did. Harry sighed and walked up to the window. He peered out briefly, and saw that the Hermione and the Weasleys were still having a picnic at the courtyard.

"But I'm already here. It isn't nice for you to throw me out," he said meekly.

"I don't ever remember a rule that won't allow me to throw out someone I don't like," Draco grated.

"Basic courtesy, Malfoy. Let me stay here a while."

"You know, Potter, I don't have to put up with you."

That was how it ended - his first visit to see Draco had ended up in complete failure. He sighed morosely to himself as he walked out of the cell to the staircase.

"Stubborn, isn't he?" Crow patted his shoulder in reassurance. "Don't worry. Once he sees you often enough, he'll settle down." With the odd advice, Harry went down in search for Lovat.

There was a small office tucked behind in a corner. Harry had found it by chance, since he had been walking around the foot of the staircase without even realizing it. Lovat was there, and the guard was surprised to see him there.

"That was short," Lovat muttered. "So, he wasn't friendly?"

Harry could only shrug. "I don't know if he's ever friendly to anyone. I was his archenemy in school."

"No surprise there." Lovat took his chit, studied it again and then moved to the side to type something. "Are you giving up on him? It'll be sad if he spends the rest of his jail-term without getting any visitors."

Instead of answering Lovat's question directly, Harry inquired as to whether books were allowed to be given to the prisoners.

"Books, eh?" Lovat rubbed his chin contemplatively. "They're allowed. However, a series of spells need to be done on them. Especially a fire-resistant charm, and a powerful charm to prevent the object from being transfigured."

That makes sense, but it's troublesome. Harry sighed inwardly.

"I have a list somewhere; give me a minute."

-oOooOo-

24 September 1999

"You're leaving now, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am," Harry answered as he pushed the boxes of wands back into their shelves. Then he stayed still. So did the boxes.

He let out a huge sigh of relief and slowly turned away from the storage area. He wiped his hands on the already dusty towel, and made a mental note to himself. I should go home and take a bath before seeing him.

"Help me give this to the Weasley twins first."

Emerald eyes widened in horror as the owner of the wand shop tossed a huge, wooden box at him. He stretched out his arms and managed to catch it in time, before it could drop to the floor. The soft chuckles from behind the counter made him curse, and he shot a disgusted look at the vampire.

Byrial Lach, a still-active vampire, was now the owner of what used to be Ollivander's wand shop. Lach himself was a wandmaker, though of a smaller scale. Harry had met him when the Order had a brief meeting in the Headquarters, just before Harry had to go to Godric's Hollow. About three weeks after Voldemort's defeat, Lach had contacted him, and he had requested for his help in running this shop. Somehow, Lach had gotten his cooperation.

"You really look cute when you're mad," whispered a voice.

"Ah!" Harry yelped and tried to jump away, but since Lach's hands were on his hips, he could not quite manage that.

"Hmmmm. I'm crushed," Lach said suddenly. Harry blushed faintly. It was quite weird, having Lach's cheek pressing against his head. "You're thinking of someone else."

Harry sighed and wriggled away from the vampire's clutches. "Why don't you find a boyfriend of your own kind?" he suggested. "It will only give you heartache if you're to go after a ... mortal."

Lach's eyes narrowed and in a huff, he slapped the back of Harry's head lightly. "It's not that easy, you know. There aren't many of us left, and I sure as hell am not going to have a boyfriend who is so old-fashioned in mindset. However, finding a modern vampire such as I would be like searching for a needle in a haystack." The vampire thrust his fingers into his long, black hair in a display of frustration. "I want a mate!"

Harry snorted in amusement. "I'm going."

"Unsympathetic lad. I'll see you tomorrow then." Lach sniffed audibly before disappearing into the back of the shop.

He could have helped me by holding the door first. Harry rolled his eyes, and struggled to do several things all at once. He managed to get out of the shop with the wooden box safely, however, and he briskly moved down the alley to get to the twins' joke shop.

Diagon Alley seemed to be growing crowded as time flew by. Since it was marginally safe for people to be going out after curfew now, there were more children going in and out of the Alley this month.

"Excuse me. Sorry." He gently nudged a boy aside and wove through the small crowd to get inside the shop.

"It'shim! It's Harry Potter!" someone squealed in excitement.

"Shhhhh! Don't be so loud! He might turn you into a toad!"

Harry blinked and glanced over his shoulder in astonishment. Now, where did that come from?

"Harry! Is that for us?" Fred shouted cheerfully.

"Yeah, it is." Harry heaved the huge box onto the counter, and Fred jumped down from the ladder.

"Wonderful, wonderful!" Fred laughed. "Mum would skin us and Byrial, though. It's so good to have an inexhaustible supply of fake wands."

"Oh yeah," Harry had to laugh. "She would. Just be careful not to piss Fleur off."

"Eeeee ... Bill's got himself a she-dragon." Fred shuddered.

"Only if things don't go her way in the kitchen!" George added.

"I have to go. I'll see you guys tomorrow," Harry said quickly after glancing at his watch.

"All right, mate. Enjoy yourself!"

Enjoy myself? Harry flipped a finger carelessly and walked out of the door. He was not certain why, but he had told the twins that he had intended to visit Draco as regularly as he could. Peculiarly, the twins were able to keep this a secret from the rest, which made Harry happy, of course.

He Apparated to his home - not his parents' house, or the Headquarters. Kingsley had helped him with property hunting, and he had settled on this one for its secluded state. However, he could not help but wonder if he should have chosen a smaller one. His house was decidedly bigger than the Dursleys', and since he and Hedwig were the only ones living in it, it had felt larger as the weeks passed.

The simple, white door opened at a brief tap of his wand, and he smiled to see Hedwig on her favorite perch by the window. She looked somewhat drowsy, as though she had just stirred from a nap.

"I'm going to visit Draco now," he informed her, and caressed her neck gently. He chuckled when she gave him an unimpressed hoot. "I know, I know. I need to take a bath first." He glanced at the grandfather clock on the wall and suddenly felt the need to hurry.

By the time he was ready, it was nearly five in the afternoon.

"Damn ... I shouldn't have dallied back at the shop," he muttered to himself as he pulled on a sock. He jumped up and brushed his hair briefly. He saw that Hedwig had flown into the room, and when he turned, she was standing on the study table, just beside a couple of old books. "Thank you, Hedwig." He kissed her head and she hooted in surprise. "I would have forgotten to bring them."

He stepped out of the house with a bag of books and locked the door with a charm. After walking several steps from the door, he Apparated off to a pitch-black place, which Mr. Weasley had simply called it the 'boarding point' for visitors to Azkaban. He arrived at the greyish ruins and began to walk in the direction that a toppled griffin statue was pointing. The woods gave way to a plain, and its midst, stood the fortress that was now Azkaban.

The guards did not allow him in immediately, as visits were only allowed on weekends.

"I know. I need to speak with Lovat, if he's here."

The two guards exchanged a look, and then one of them pushed the gate open to allow him entry.

"He should be at the office," the other one mumbled.

"Thanks." Harry walked to the small office.

The man sitting in the office stood up and straightened his back. "Mister Potter," Lovat greeted him with an arched look. "Do you want to visit Draco Malfoy?"

"Well, not really," Harry said with a faint smile. "I doubt he's willing enough to tolerate my presence, yet. I'm here to pass him some books."

"Books?" Blue eyes turned sly for some reason. "Pornography?"

"Huh?" Harry's cheeks turned red slowly. "Uh ... no."

Lovat laughed heartily. "That didn't occur to you, eh? Strange lad you are. I thought lads your age have nothing in mind except that."

Harry could only cough in embarrassment and listened to the sounds of Lovat typing something on an old typewriter.

"Done," Lovat said in satisfaction. He came out from the counter and beckoned at Harry. "I'll escort you myself."

"I won't stay long," Harry said slowly.

"Very well." Lovat nodded. He paused and looked at Harry with an inquisitive expression. "I hope you have protected your books."

"I have," Harry said with a crooked smile. "Knowing his temper, I did charm the books against tear and wear as well."

"Ah, good lad." Lovat patted him on his shoulder.

Crow was on duty, as usual, but he did not seem too surprised at seeing Harry. As he unlocked the door, he announced, "Post for you, Mister Malfoy." Several doors away, Lovat started sniggering.

Harry smiled briefly at Crow, and poked his head through the doorway. He winced, to see Draco's eyes suddenly narrowing into mere slits when they chanced upon him.

Draco did not say anything; he kept on his icy gaze on Harry as he moved into the cell. Harry glanced at Draco briefly and snorted to himself, quite aware that he was behaving as though he was in a room with a creature not quite used to human presence. Without wasting any more time, he immediately opened his bag and got the books he brought for Draco out, and stacked them neatly on the edge of the bed.

"They're for you to read, okay?" Harry said in a gentle voice. "I'll be going now." Still, Draco was silent. The emerald-eyed wizard opened his mouth to say something more, but thought better of it.

He did not go down immediately, even after Crow had locked the door and had gone back to his post. Harry stayed still, and silent, and then...

The sound of something heavy thudding against something else reached his ears. He sighed heavily, and shook his head in hopelessness. Good thing I did charm the books. I don't think Hermione will appreciate it if I ask her to teach me the spell to repair books again.

"You have a real dragon back there," Crow said to him cheerfully as he walked past the guard. He just smiled, wondering if that was a good sign or a bad sign.

Strangely, a wicked thought sprang in his mind as he was descending the spiral staircase, and he left Azkaban with a secretive smile on his lips.

-oOooOo-

30 September 1999

Lach had a decidedly inquisitive look when he sidled closer to Harry. Harry was used to his 'movements' so he was not too bothered at the closeness.

"Have you taken a sudden interest in improving your kitchen skills?" Lach asked curiously.

Harry chuckled and shook his head. Tucking the two books on dessert under his arm, he smiled up at the vampire. "No, not really. I'm giving them to someone."

The vampire pursed his lips and sniffed, as though hurt. "Draco Malfoy, you mean."

"Yes." Then Harry laughed at Lach's ridiculous expression. "Get a boyfriend already!" he said quickly before leaving the shop.

"You think getting one is easy?" Lach yelled, and Harry saw him shaking his fist from the window. Harry laughed heartily and went to an empty corner to Apparate away.

"Hang on, mate!"

He choked on his laughter at the sharp slap on his back. "Fred!" he exclaimed, startled by the suddenness.

Fred snickered and tousled his hair in a brotherly sort of fashion. "Going to see him again? And what's up with those books?"

"Well, not exactly, and they're punishment ... of a sort," he answered mildly, and then smiled sheepishly at Fred's look of astonishment.

"You don't say ... Harry, you're cruel!" Fred gasped theatrically.

"Hmmmm ... everyone has a cruel side, I suppose," he said sarcastically. "Anyway, what's up?"

"Oh yeah, I nearly forgot to tell you." Fred slapped his forehead lightly. "Fleur wants you to come over for dinner tomorrow. Seven o'clock sharp. All right?"

"Yeah, all right." Harry frowned a little. "Do remind me again tomorrow, though. I'm afraid I'll forget."

The red-haired Weasley chuckled a little sadistically and Harry gave him a mock scowl.

"I'm joking, I'm joking." Fred became serious all of a sudden, and then he stared at Harry in a very thoughtful manner. "You're going to pass the git those books and that's it, right? You have any plans after that?"

He shook his head in response and looked at Fred curiously.

"George and I are going to the Hill. A couple of drinks and snacks ... you know."

Harry raised his eyebrow elegantly. "But won't I be intruding on your time together?"

"Not a chance, mate," Fred said with a toothy grin. "Besides, we are dying to know what you're thinking, visiting the ferret so frequently."

Okay...Harry stared unblinkingly at his friend. I'm not too sure what I'm thinking either ... so it'll be safer for me to skip the little gathering. Unfortunately for him, Fred was one of the few, besides Bill, to be able to read him.

"Bad boy," Fred said admonishingly. "You're not getting away from the curious twins that easily. Come by around sunset. We'll be waiting."

"But-!"

"No buts, Harry!" Fred grinned as he waved back at Harry.

The raven-haired wizard standing in the corner sighed heavily after Fred's departure. What have I gotten myself into? He still felt somewhat apprehensive even after he entered Azkaban, and got permission from a different officer to pass the books on dessert to Draco.

The guard on the seventh floor smirked at Harry when he emerged onto the landing. "Back so soon?" Crow inquired. "Mister Malfoy tried his best to throw the books you had given him out of the window, but he was quite unsuccessful, of course."

I see. "Did he try to flush them down the toilet?" Harry asked meekly but at the stupefied expression on Crow's face, he gathered that Draco had not thought of it yet.

"Mister Potter is here to see you," Crow said in a loud voice as he opened the cell door.

When Harry entered, Draco was standing in front of the window, and he had this nonchalant look as he stared out.

"I brought you more books, Malfoy. I'll leave them on your bed."

"Get out," Draco said flatly.

"Don't worry. I am." Harry resisted the urge to sigh. However, Draco was quite stubborn. He stared at the cell door with helplessness once it closed. It is not as though I'm forcing him to like me... Just why is he acting this way?

"Perhaps it is because he finds it ironic that his archenemy would be the one to visit him in prison, and not someone who'd previously cared for him," said his inner voice.

"Parkinson..." Draco used to have a girlfriend when Hogwarts was still a school. Harry's thick and dark eyebrows furrowed slightly as the wizard thought about the witch. Whatever happened to her?

-oOooOo-

He had a bag of pies and some drinks tucked under his arm when he appeared in the Weasleys' backyard. Mrs. Weasley poked her head out of the backdoor, her face a mask of curiosity. She brightened when she recognized him.

"Harry!" she greeted cheerfully and hurried out to give him a hug.

"Hello, Mrs. Weasley," Harry greeted in response and added a light kiss on her head after the hug. That never failed to make her beam a bit more.

"Going to see Fred and George?" She smiled and her dimples showed.

"Yeah, I am." He smiled in return.

"You might as well," Mrs. Weasley sighed. "Ron's off with Hermione again ... I am not sure why he has to see her so often, especially when Hermione comes by The Burrow every weekend." Although she had said that in a sarcastic sort of tone, her eyes were crinkling with amusement.

"Er..." Harry blushed slightly. It looked as though she knew exactly why her son was seeing Hermione quite regularly.

"But of course ... I'll hang him upside down if anything happens to her," she said lightly. "Now, off you go. They're up at the hill. Don't drink, Harry. You can't keep it in you."

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley."

It was quite endearing really, to receive motherly advice. Harry could not help but smile, as he walked the short distance to where Fred and George would be. He paused at where the ground was beginning to become a bit steep.

He could see Fred and George where he was, and it was somewhat strange that the twins would be sitting out there, to watch the sun go down together. Don't they have girlfriends? Harry thought to himself as he climbed the hill. Urgh ... I'd better not ask them anything, or that will give them reason to ask me the same question.

"Oh, the devil's here," George said jovially.

"Watch your mouth, George," Harry muttered as he passed the bag to him.

The twins dove into their matter of interest almost immediately, which left Harry slightly bewildered. "Come on ... I don't really know either," he grumbled, almost to himself.

"You don't know? Harry, don't joke or this is going to become a very weird habit for you."

Since he did not know the answer, he did not say anything. The three wizards looked toward the west and watched the sun go down in complete, but peaceful, silence.

As they were snacking, Harry found himself thinking aloud. Perhaps, what he was trying to do was to offer Draco someone to talk to, which in turn had the twins asking him why he wanted to do that.

"And it's not as if the git has no one else," Fred pointed out. "He has the greasy bastard, and his own father there, right?"

"And he has a girlfriend ... doesn't he?"

"Had? Maybe?"

That reminded Harry of a question he wanted to ask earlier. "Do you have any idea where Pansy Parkinson might be?" he asked quickly. "And if-" He stopped himself before he could utter 'Draco'. "And if someone else had visited Malfoy before, Lovat would not have said that I was the first." He rubbed his lips. "But it's weird that Parkinson didn't visit him - as far as I know, she hadn't been involved in the crazy war, and I thought they were cozy with each other."

"Well, that's true." Fred toyed with his hair absently. "Well, don't worry. We'll ask around."

"Since more people are coming back to the shop, I won't be surprised to hear some rumors..."

But really ... why do I want to keep visiting? Harry pondered. He sighed softly and perked up when he remembered something else. "Hey, do you know any vampires?"

"Of course we do." Fred's eyes had the same wicked gleam as his brother's. "You're working with one."

"I don't mean Lach," Harry said with a slight roll of his eyes. "That one needs a mate badly."

"Is he still breathing down your neck?" Fred chortled, clearly amused.

"Urgh ... don't remind me," Harry mumbled and shuddered.

In the midst of talk, jokes and laughter, George suddenly popped a question that Harry had been thinking for some time.

"Hey, Harry. Do you lean that way?" George inquired nervously. "Uhmmm..."

"Do you like other blokes, mate?" Fred continued.

"I can't be too sure," Harry said, sighing. For some reason, Fred and George started cursing and slapping his back. "B-because I do find myself attracted to Lach occasionally!" He held on tightly to his can drink. "Well ... maybe it's because he's a vampire, but still ... he's a guy."

"Aha! I knew there was a reason why you and him went out of your way to hate each other!" Fred said with great enthusiasm.

"Huh?"What on earth are they talking about? He scowled at the twins. "Oi, what are you saying?"

-oOooOo-

To be continued in Chapter 2

Don't worry, you won't have to wait long. '