"Time to wake up."

Harry buried his head under the pillow. "G'way."

Draco tugged on his shoulder and grabbed the pillow away. "Get up or we'll be late."

Harry caught a glimpse of Draco. He was already dressed in his white shirt and trousers, Hogwarts tie properly in place. "Why are you so eager to start classes again?"

"I'm not. I'd much rather not have to walk in when everyone is getting out of breakfast. We go now we can avoid the crowded halls." Draco traced Harry's bond, sending shivers up Harry's arm that had nothing to do with the cold. "Besides, breakfast is ready."

"You made breakfast?"

"If by made you mean sliced Molly Weasley's lemon drizzle cake and put the tea to brew, then yes, I did."

"Cake for breakfast?" Harry said as he got out of bed shivering against the chill.

"Why not?"

"Good answer." If they were going to have to take on going back to classes today, they may as well start with cake. Harry glanced over at their school robes that hung, cleaned and pressed and were hanging on a hook by the wardrobe and fought back a sigh. Was it too much to hope that today would go smoothly and that everyone would just ignore him and .

ooo

The wind spit icy sleet at them as they made their way up the path to the castle. Harry shivered despite the warming umbrella charm that Draco cast. It was just a morning potions class, Harry reminded himself. As soon as it was over they would be back in their cottage. Hermione had wanted them to join them for lunch in the Great Hall but Harry hadn't made any promises.

By the time they got to the castle the sleet had turned into blizzard-like conditions and they'd run up the steps and Draco pulled hard to get the door open against the force of the wind. "Don't see why we couldn't just do our homework and send it in to Slughorn. Everyone is going to stare and snigger at us."

"We have to get used to it at some point, I guess. Guess they figured now is better than later."

Harry wasn't any more excited about people gossiping about them than Draco was. "Let's just go down to the Potion–" Harry broke off as the door to the Great Hall pushed open and three first or second years emerged. The first one stopped short as soon as she saw Harry and Draco and the other two piled into her.

"It's them!" The middle one squeaked as the other two just stared.

"We...uhm...sorry!" The tallest one said before tugging the other two away.

"Lovely," Draco said under his breath as they watched the threesome disappear.

"Come on, let's get going." Harry took Draco's hand, feeling the reassuring pulse of the bond between them. "I want to impress Slughorn with all my potion skills since you've been tutoring me." Draco gave a snort but didn't pull his hand away, even as another group of students passed them, their mouths agape.

The bell rang as they walked down the corridor towards the Potions classroom. Harry took in a deep breath as he put his hand on the door. "Last chance. We can just leave."

Draco snorted and pulled the door open and they walked into class. Slughorn was writing the ingredients for a potion on the board and spun around to see who was coming in.

"Harry! Draco! Thought you'd change your mind, but nevermind, nevermind, have a desk right up front for you. Together you know!" Slughorn's shout echoed through the classroom and everyone turned to stare at them. Harry would've bolted if it hadn't been for Draco's tight grip on his elbow.

"Delightful. We're making a special potion today. A love potion," Slughorn said with a sly grin. Draco hesitated and it was Harry pulling him forward now.

"Ignore him, we can do this," Harry said resolutely and Draco muttered something about naive Gryffindors as he grabbed the potion list.

"Hey Draco. You know what's funny? This is how we got bonded. You know potions lessons."

"Yes, the irony of it." Draco rolled his eyes. "We'll see if you actually learned your lesson. Let's get the ingredients."

Once they were in the storage room Draco have a sigh of relief and started grabbing ingredients as Harry watched.

"Do you mind this?"

"Don't you?"

"Yeah but… maybe it is good. Getting out of the cottage. We can't live there forever. And it is nice not wanting to attack anyone who looks at you twice."

"But people staring at us will be our life now."

"Yeah, well, people have been staring at me since my first day here, after a while it just doesn't matter. At least now I have you to be stared at with along with me."

Draco laughed. "That makes absolutely no sense."

Harry grinned back. "I know."

Making the potion went smoother than Harry had ever managed before. Slughorn had stopped by the table twice to coo his approval. And when they'd dropped the finished potion that was the perfect shade of lavender, it had been with satisfaction.

A first year Hufflepuff was standing outside the door when they walked out of the classroom. "Excuse me, Professor McGonagall wants you to come up to her office," she squeaked before running to join her friends that were waiting farther down the hallway. She rejoined her friends and they all broke into giggles.

"Great. Just what we need," Draco grumbled but came along willingly as Harry walked up the stairs to the tower.

Hermione and Ron were standing at the entranceway when they got there. "McGonagall wanted to see you two, too?"

Ron shook his head. "No, but we know why you were. Blaise Zabini snuck out of the castle this morning and got on the train to London."

"Really? Why would he do that?" Harry said.

"My guess is he got something that he can sell," Draco said grimly.

"To the Prophet? Why would he do that?" Hermione asked looking between the two of them.

"I don't know but it is likely something good if he doesn't want to wait until winter break to give it to them."

"Well let's find out what McGonagall knows," Harry said and he and Draco made their way up the winding staircase.

Professor McGonagall was by the window when they walked into her office.

"Thank you all for coming. Please be seated." She motioned with her hand and four chairs slid up to her desk as she walked around to sit in her chair.

"Harry, Draco, it is nice to have you back. How did your first morning go?"

"It was fine. No problems."

"Very good. I commend you both for handling the difficulty of the bond situation so well. It is gratifying how well you both have adjusted to your bond."

"Ron told us about Blase. He left?"

"Yes, unfortunately." McGonagall grimaced. "I do have to confess that I have known for some time that Blaise was the one who reported that Draco had been fighting to the Ministry."

"What? And you didn't send him down back then?" Harry started to get up from his chair but Draco held him back.

"You didn't send him down because if you did you couldn't control who he talked to or what he told them. Very impressive, you should've been sorted into Slytherin, Professor."

McGonagall gave a grim nod. "Doesn't take a Slytherin to play chess. I wanted to give you two as much time as could be afforded without worrying about what was happening outside of your bond. But he slipped into Hogsmeade this morning and I'm afraid that he also had something of yours, Draco.

"What?" Draco sat up in his chair.

"Blaise took your journals."

"What journals?" Harry asked as Draco sat stunned, shaking his head.

"He couldn't have. They were secured in my room by a spell."

"They might have been secured at one point. But when your and Harry's magical signature changed when you completed the bond, it weakened the spell and allowed Blaise to release them. He was seen leaving your room with several brown leather books. Neville Longbottom noticed your family emblem on the cover as he walked by. I have no knowledge of what was in your diaries but regardless of what they contain I'm sure you don't want them out in the world."

Draco nodded and Harry could feel through the bond that his heart was racing.

McGonagall tapped her fingers on her desk and went on. "I suspect Blaise decided that now was his last chance to take them when the news spread that you were going to be back in the castle today. We do know he that he'd also brewed polyjuice potion last month so he'd been planning this for a while. He likely boarded the Hogwarts Express this morning in disguise."

"What's in the journals, Draco?" Harry asked softly. He didn't even need the bond to know how upset Draco was, whatever the journals contained they had to get them back.

Draco looked down at the floor, his blond hair falling forward hiding his face. "Everything."

"You mean…"

"Scott. The Dark Lord. You. Everything."

Harry turned to McGonagall. "The train can't have gotten to London yet, can it be stopped?"

"Even if it was stopped, we don't know the appearance of whom he has adopted. He could slip away whilst we are searching."

"Well, let's get to London. We'll start there. Stake out the Prophet office. He's probably going to take them straight to them."

"Boys, I've notified Ministry. I'm sure they will do everything they can to recover the journals."

"And, then the Ministry can read them?" Draco stood up. "No. We have to go and get them first."

Harry nodded and they were both heading down the stairs, ignoring McGonagall's calls to comeback. Hermione and Ron were waiting at the bottom of the stairs. "We need to get to London."

"Brooms? Thestrals?"

"No! We'll have to run to the gates and then Apparate," Harry exclaimed, already tugging on Draco's arm.

"Don't be ridiculous," McGonagall said from behind them. "I was about to tell you that you could use the Floo in my office to get to the Ministry. It takes you directly to the Department of Magical Teaching."

"Okay, come on let's go, Draco." Harry started up the stairs and stopped when Ron and Hermione followed Draco.

Harry turned. "Sorry Ron, Hermione. Not this time."

Ron was going to object but Hermione put her hand in his arm to stop him. "Okay, Harry. Good luck." Harry shot her a grateful smile and she gave him a nod. "Good luck!," she called out as Harry and Draco started running back up the stairs. "And make a plan!"

Back in her office, McGonagall took down the jar of Floo powder. "Just call out 'Ministry' and it will take you there."

Draco and Harry both took a handful of powder and stood in front of the fireplace. "Do we go one at a time?" Harry asked hesitantly. "Will the bond react if we go in separately?"

"Best to hold on tight and do it together." McGonagall said. "Good luck."

They threw the powder in and step forward disappearing into the flames. Harry could feel the bond wrap around them tightly, pulling them closer and then they were through, rolling out onto the hearth and stopping at the feet of a bored looking woman.

"Minerva, dear. We have two more of your runaways." she called into the fire that was still sparking purple.

"It is fine, Karole, you can let them go." McGonagall's voice fading away along with the last of the sparks.

Karole looked them up and down as Draco and Harry brushed the soot off their robes. "Harry Potter and...Draco Malfoy. Remarkable."

"Yes, well, We have to be going," Harry said as he looked around the cavernous room full of wizards and witches at desks, some of whom had stood to get a closer look at them. "Which way is the way out?"

She snorted and pointed towards a small archway on the far side of the room.

Finally they were on the steps of the Ministry. Harry went to dash down them but Draco grabbed his hand. "What is your plan?"

"Let's go to the King's Cross and see if we can spot Blaise. If we don't then we'll go to the Prophet office.

"Why don't I go to the train station and you go to the Prophet. That way if Rita Skeeter leaves to meet Blaise somewhere else you can follow her," Draco said as he was jostled by a heavy set wizard who muttered the word Death Eater under his breath.

Harry was not going to let Draco go off by himself. "We are sticking together. Best shot is when he gets off the train. We'll just make it in time if we leave now."

"But–"

"C'mon, Draco," Harry said running down the steps, giving a sigh of relief when Draco followed.

There was just minutes to spare before the train arrived when they finally got to King's Cross. They ran through the station, dodging luggage trolleys and pushchairs until they made it through the magical barrier and onto Platform 9¾.

"We must've missed it!" Harry said looking around at the nearly empty platform that was usually bustling with people.

"No, this is how it normally looks when the train isn't full of Hogwarts students. You've only seen it on school travel days."

Just then the station lights blinked and the rolling roar of the Express filled the station. Draco motioned to Harry. "You watch to the left, and I'll watch the other way. He has to come past here to get off the platform."

"Look for someone traveling alone. Ignore any groups traveling together."

The train was only four carriages long, and only a few dozen people climbed off. Harry growled with frustration as the platform filled with parents with young children and prams, elder witches and wizards who blocked his view of people traveling alone as Blaise would have to be doing. He spotted an overweight wizard in a purple Muggle trench coat climb slowly down the train car stairs. He seemed the most likely candidate until he was met by a smiling woman with three children.

"I don't see–"

"Got him," Draco said quietly. "The witch in the chartreuse robes who is coming this way"

Harry covertly looked over Draco's shoulder at the witch. "Are you sure?"

Draco nodded. "She works at the pub in Hogwarts. Blaise was always chatting her up."

Harry was doubting it could really be Blaise when she looked over their way and immediately began to run for the exit. Harry raised his hand and cast. The entanglement spell wrapped around her legs and she fell to the ground with a loud squawk.

"How?" Draco stared at Harry. "You didn't use your wand." Harry looked at his empty outstretched hand. His wand was still in his pocket.

"Oops." There was no time for more because Blaise was already starting to wiggle to get free from the ropes binding him.

"So, Blaise, I understand you have something of mine," Draco said, tapping him with his foot.

"I don't know who you are talking about. I'm Gail." The witch protested.

"I highly doubt it." Draco said, bending down and picking up something that had fallen out of her robes when she'd tripped to the ground. He held up a flask triumphantly and pulled the cork out to give it a cautious sniff. "Polyjuice potion. We can just wait here until it wears off. Or you can give me back what's mine."

Harry looked nervously at the train conductor who was walking towards them from the far side of the platform. "Draco. Let's get him out of here and we can search for the journals."

"Or better." Draco held up his hand. "Accio journals."

The witch gave a yelp as five leather books flew up and out from underneath her robes and into Draco's hand.

"That's them?" Harry whispered as Draco studied the tiny books. "All of them?"

Draco nodded grimly.

"Those are mine now. I found them–" The witch's face contorted and suddenly it was Blaise on the ground before him.

Draco laughed as he gave him a nudge with his foot. "What are you going to do now, Blaise? McGonagall won't let you back to Hogwarts and you have nothing to sell to the Prophet."

Blaise cursed and wiggled to get free of the bonds holding him to the ground. Harry tugged at Draco. "Forget about him. We've got to go," he said as the conductor now flanked by two Aurors was hurrying towards them. They raced to the exit and were back on the Muggle side of things without giving a care for what might happen to Blaise.

Draco shrank the books and put them into his pocket and together they started walking down Euston road. He smiled as Draco started as a black cab honked its horn as it swerved around another car.

"Where do we go now?" Draco asked.

Harry looked around and shrugged. "I have no idea. But I know I don't want us to go back to Hogwarts."

"You mean today or…" Draco stopped walking to look at him in surprise.

"What are they going to teach us? We are firebonded. Our magic isn't like anything they know there."

"We should finish our classes…" Draco started to say but Harry shook his head.

"You've already finished your community service hours. Before we even bonded I was ready to leave Hogwarts. I only came back for the eighth year because I didn't know what else I was going to do and it was where Ron and Hermoine were going. Going back to school was the easiest option; but now I realized that I must've needed to come back because of you."

"Me?"

Harry smiled at Draco. "Yeah, you. Maybe the bond pulled me there without even knowing it. It knew you were there. And sure we fell back into our old ways but then…" Harry gave Draco's hand a squeeze. "Let's get lunch."

They ate in a warm tea room along Regent's Canal, while outside the window snow began swirling and shoppers and business types hurried past. "I told you what I want to do, what about you."

"Technically you told me what you don't want to do, not what you want to do." Draco said, his thumb gently stroking the bondmark on Harry's arm.

"Okay, what do you not want to do?"

"Attend classes. You're right. There's no reason to stay at Hogwarts. I was just finishing my N.E.W.T.s because it was already going to be unlikely to find a job as a former Death Eater. A former Death Eater who didn't even complete single N.E.W.T. would have no chance of finding a job anywhere."

"You aren't a Death –"

"I am to the rest of the Wizarding world. You heard the man as we left the ministry. Us being bonded isn't going to change anyone's opinion about that." Draco tried to pull his hand away but Harry grabbed it back.

"That doesn't matter." At Draco's scoff Harry added, "Or then we go where it truly doesn't matter. Take one of those Portkeys that George sent us and just go somewhere else."

"As easy as that? Where do you want to go? What would we do when we get to wherever you want to go?"

"Do we have to do anything? I'm tired. I've been on this roller coaster for forever. Let's go somewhere warm. Australia or I don't know Bora Bora. If you think we have to do something we could busk for pennies doing magic tricks for Muggles or work in a coffee shop, just so long as we can do it together." Harry leaned forward earnestly, linking his hands with Draco's and squeezing.

Draco laughed disbelievingly. "You can't be serious."

"Dead serious. C'mon. We'll go to Gringotts and get some gold. Turn it into Muggle money and just do it." Harry started to stand up. "Oh, wait. I'm still banned from Gringotts. We'll have to ask George to go for us."

"You're serious?"

Harry nodded, "As a Horcrux."

Making their way to the Leaky Cauldron with Draco trying not to stare at the Muggles was humorous enough to keep Harry highly entertained instead of worrying that George would try to persuade them to stay in school

Mouths dropped open as Harry and Draco walked through the entrance and the tray of butter beer that Tom was carrying crashed to the floor as they passed him on the way to the courtyard. Tapping on the bricks Harry couldn't help but remember when he'd seen Hagrid do this for the very first time, the very same day he'd met Draco. Never could eleven-year old Harry have imagined that eight years later they'd be together.

As the bricks separated, revealing the entrance, he reached out and took Draco's hand. It belatedly occurred to him that he could be exposing Draco to danger; their protective world in the cottage and at Hogwarts didn't mean that there weren't many witches and wizards who resented Draco and didn't think he should have gotten off without a prison sentence.

"Come on." Harry pulled at Draco and they quickly made their way down the street. It was likely shock more than anything that protected them. Shoppers stopped dead in their tracks at the site of Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy walking hand and hand down Diagon Alley.

It was with a deep sigh of relief that Harry pulled the door to George's shop open and they disappeared inside. Harry looked expectantly towards the counter but George wasn't there. Looking down the aisles he realized that no one was in the shop. Harry called out and there was a shout from abovestairs and then George's bright purple drainpipe slacks came into sight and he leaned over the rail. "Right. There you are, come on up. Just be a mo' as I let the worried hordes of parents and friends that you are safe."

Draco and Harry followed him up the stairs to his living space. George had his head stuck in the Floo. "Ma, it is okay. They're here so they must have found Blaise and already gotten back what he stole. It is fine. No, you don't need to talk to them right now. Go on and talk to McGonagall whilst I get things sorted with Harry and Draco."

Harry could hear Mrs Weasley still talking as the connection closed and George got to his feet. "Right. Sit down, you two okay?"

"We are." Harry and Draco spoke together as they sat on George's gold and red sofa.

George raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything until he sat down in the armchair facing them. "I take it Blaise no longer has whatever he stole from you? McGonagall was very closed mouthed about it. She's anxious to have you two back in school."

"We got Draco's property from Blaise, but we've decided we aren't going to finish the school year," Harry said.

"Well, color me surprised," George said, without the faintest hint of surprise. "What are your plans?"

"Don't have any," Harry said with a shrug. "I want us to just go somewhere warm and relax. Was hoping you'd get some gold for us to travel on."

"Good. Absolute barney for you to stay in school now that you're bonded." Georged grinned. "What about after you've kicked back for a while?"

Harry and Draco looked each other and Harry gave another shrug. "We don't know?"

"Well, it is just as well I know the answer. Once you've had a good holiday, you and Draco are going to Boston and open the very first American Weasley Wizard Wheezes." George leaned back into his chair with a satisfied smile.

"We are what?" Draco asked as Harry just stared at George, stunned.

"That's where I had to go last week. Finally secured the perfect location in Beacon Hill. They are starting renovating the building and I figure by the time you are ready from a break from traveling it will be ready for you. A few years living in America will help ease whatever lingering problems there are for Draco here. And who knows, maybe you'll stay and maybe not."

"Was that your plan all along?"

George gave a bit of a half-smile and tugged at his ear. "Fred and I had talked about opening a shop in America. We get so many American tourists coming here it seemed like a sure-thing. I couldn't do it on my own but I realized it would be an easy fix for your little fame problem. And I know it would've made Fred happy to know that what we talked about it is going to be a reality."

Harry blinked and looked at Draco. "What do you think?"

"What do we know about running a shop? Let alone a joke shop?"

"What did Fred and I know? And it is going to be more than a joke shop. Am planning to also stock it with some of the British merchandise that the Americans buy to bring home. Our cauldrons are in high demand over there. And chocolate frogs and food items like tea. The point is this is a chance to get away and if you hate it you can find some managers and take-off. The point is you don't have to stay here. Think about it. In the meantime, I imagine you want to just take off. I've got Muggle money for you ready to go, all coming out of your investment with our shop, Harry."

Harry nodded eagerly, nothing he wanted more was to just leave but Draco narrowed his eyes at George. "Why are you so eager to see us gone? You gave us those Portkeys. You have Harry's money all ready for him to flee."

"Hmmm. Overplayed it did I?" George gave a bit of a grimace. "Let's just say that some of those in the Order that think having the first Firebonded couple in a century at their fingertips might be too big a temptation for some of the more secretive divisions of the Ministry. Father and I suspect half of them are worried about how powerful you and Harry could become. And the danger of a Death Eater being bonded to our Harry..."

George waved away Harry's cry of protest. "Then there's the other half who want to use you and your powers in the Ministry. There have been top secret meetings about how best to take advantage of them, fortunately there are enough Order members in the meetings to keep Father in the know. He and I are of different minds about how to handle it. He thinks it would be best for you to join the Ministry and–"

"We don't want to join the Ministry!" Draco and Harry said in unison.

"Right, of course you don't so where does that leave you two?"

"So you think it is best if we just leave?" Harry asked uneasily. What a minute ago seemed to be a holiday lark now seemed like running away.

"I want you and Draco to decide your own future. Not the Ministry." George motioned towards the clock on the wall. "It will be dark soon and nothing needs to be decided tonight, but I wanted you to know that you're almost ready to go do whatever you two want to do. There is just one more lesson we need to cover before you go off on your own."

Harry protested, "A lesson? You can't mean it." Their day had already gone belly-up

"I do. Apparating. You haven't tried it yet, have you?"

"No, you told us not to. We almost did it today but we used the Floo in McGonagall's office instead."

"Good. We can do a little experiment." George motioned for Harry and Draco to stand up. "How's the wandless magic coming along?"

"Good, uuhh, we both did wandless and non-verbal today and it worked." Harry said.

Draco shook his head, "You did but I –"

"When you Accio'd the journals at the train station, you didn't use your wand or say the spell. Just like when I used the tripping jinx."

"Excellent. Are you able to be in different rooms without feeling the bond tugging at you?"

"Well, in the cottage, sure. But we never farther away from each other than from the bedroom to the kitchen or when we went flying when you were at Hogwarts."

"Right. Let's do an experiment then. Harry, you head out the back door and down the alley. Go as far as the next street."

"And then what?" Harry with a glance to Draco to make sure he was okay with it.

"If the bond doesn't make a fuss then come back and you can try Apparating across the room."

"Why do I have to leave and come back? Can't we just–"

"Splinch into a thousand pieces because the bond pulls you out of the Apparation to try and keep you together? Sure you can try that." George gave a motion of his hand.

"Oh, right." Harry looked at Draco. "You want to do this now?"

"We have to learn sometime."

"Okay, I'll be right back." Harry jogged down the steps and made his way through the store to the back entrance. He slipped out the door and looked both ways down alleyway, no one was around. Jogging past the overturned bins and wooden crates until he came to the cross street.

Bouncing on the balls of his feet, he forced himself to pause and feel the bond connection. Harry wanted to go back to be near Draco but the bond wasn't forcing it like it had at the cottage, nor was there any of the aching pain like he experienced on the Thestral when he tried to leave Hogwarts. Hoping it was enough of a test, Harry ran back to the shop and let himself in.

George and Draco were still upstairs but Draco had moved over to the window that overlooked the alley. Harry immediately went to him and slipped his right arm around Draco's waist. "How did it feel for you."

"Okay." Draco glanced at George and lowered his voice. "I didn't like that you were away."

Harry nodded in agreement, "Me either, but the bond, it was okay. Wasn't it?"

"I think so."

"What happens if we're wrong and the bond splinches us?" Harry asked looking over at George.

"No saying, but you are likely going to be okay. You'd know if the bond was going to be a problem. And if not, our—my Floo is connected directly to St. Mungo's. Has come in damn handy a time or two."

"Do you want to try it?" Harry whispered to Draco.

Draco shrugged. "We're going to have to sometime."

"Right. Destination, Determination, Deliberation." George said, perfectly imitating the nasal tones of Instructor Wilkie Twycross who taught Apparating at Hogwarts. "Harry you go first, Apparate across the room to here." He took an orange handkerchief out of his pocket and dropped it on the Floor. "If you don't splinch yourself then we'll have Draco do it next."

Harry glanced at Draco who nodded. Harry stepped away from Draco and took a deep breath. He could do this. He'd Apparated dozens of times in the past year. Together with Ron and Hermione and alone. The firebond wouldn't want to hurt them so he knew it would be okay. He rubbed the bond marks on his right arm and felt the soothing connection to Draco.

"Do it." Draco gave him a nudge. "It'll be fine."

"Right." Harry nodded and drew his wand as looked at the handkerchief of the floor. Destination, Determination, Deliberation. Closing his eyes he willed himself across the room. There was the briefest blur and he looked around and smiled at Draco who was still on the other side of the room.

Draco drew his wand and in the next instant he was next to Harry.

"Right. Next step. Harry, you Apparate to that spot that you went to in the alley. Draco will go after you, but Draco I want you to just focus on Apparating to Harry, not the location. Just like the other week when you were flying blindfolded.

"But–"

"It'll be fine. You know it will." Draco reassured him again. Harry wished he had Draco's confidence but there was nothing to do but try. He closed his eyes and when he opened them he was next to bins in the alleyway. The wind was starting to spit sleet and he gave a shiver. There was a pop and Draco was next to him. Harry pulled Draco to him and kissed him.

"Told you it would be fine." Draco gave a smile as he returned Harry's kisses. "George said we should Apparate back together and he'll give us our next lesson."

Harry groaned. "How many more lessons do we need?"

"Just one more, he said. Although he never did explain what he'd do if we had splinched."

"Okay, ready?" Harry stepped closer to Draco and snuggled as Draco's arms went around him. "You lead." He felt Draco take a deep breath and they were back in George's living room.

"Hmmm. No blood. You appear to have all your body parts. Excellent rating for both of you," George said, "Next lesson is going the distance. You can do this one together with Harry leading. Apparate to the Burrow. I expect Mum will have your tea on about now and after that you can go to Hogsmeade."

"Apparate from Devon to Hogsmeade? That's twice any distance I've ever Apparated," Harry protested.

"Trust in the Bond, Harry," George said in a spot-on imitation of Obi-Wan Kenobi. "I expect that as your bond strengthens that you'll find be pretty surprised at what you are both capable of - especially when you use your magic together. All the more reason why some people in the Ministry are getting nervous."

"They won't try to grab us at Hogwarts, will they?" Draco asked. The worried creases on his forehead reminding Harry of when the Aurors had barged into the Hospital Wing and tried to arrest Draco after the fight that had bonded them.

"Kingsley is still on your side, but we all know that there's a lot that happens at the Ministry that the Minister of Magic doesn't know about and can't control," said George. "If you really wanted to stay at Hogwarts that'd be one thing, but if you don't and it doesn't sound like you do, there's no reason to stick around."

"There's Ron and Hermione," Harry objected. "They won't understand why I want to leave."

"I think you'll find that they're going to understand more than you realize. And not to put too fine a point on it. You have your bondmate. Right. I've got to open back up the shop. Apparate to the Burrow. Talk to mum and dad and then you can be back at Hogsmeade before dark."

Draco started to say something and then stopped. "What is it," asked Harry.

"Are you sure your parents want me at their house?"

Harry nodded. "You know they will, just think of all the food Molly sent us. They don't mind that."

George nodded in agreement. "Like it or not, you are as much a Weasley now as Harry is here. I know for a face Mum is already working on your sweater."

"My what?" Draco looked from George to Harry in confusion.

"Uhm. Never mind. We'd best be going," Harry said hastily as George hid a smile.

ooo

The Burrow looked so much the same that Harry's heart gave a little jump as they stood in front of it. It seemed like only yesterday that he had been a bewildered twelve year old seeing the Burrow for the first time. The noise and commotion of the Weasleys had been something completely foreign to him. He slipped his hand into Draco's and gave a little tug towards the house. Before they were even half way through the garden the door flung open and there were Molly and Narcissa standing in the doorway, beaming at them.

Draco stopped short and gazed up at his mother in surprise, before making a squeaking cry and running the last few yards. Narcissa wrapped him into a hug. Harry followed, walking the last few steps and into the arms of Molly who squeezed him just as tightly.

"Here you boys are at last!" Molly said, putting her hands on Harry's shoulders. "Couldn't believe it when we got the owl from Hogwarts. Come in and and have tea and tell us what happened."

"What are you doing here, Mother?" Draco asked as Molly led them all into the Burrow. Narcissa smiled up at him.

"As soon as Professor McGonagall notified us of what was happening, Molly kindly invited me over so we could wait together," Narcissa explained as they entered the cozy living room. The table in the center of the room was overburdened with cakes and tea things. Harry looked around and led Draco to the settee nearest the fireplace.

"I'm so glad you got back your journals, Draco," Molly said as she poured the tea. "And the visit with George went well?"

"Erm, yes. He made sure that we could Apparate without the bond causing any problems," Harry said with a quick glance at Draco, wondering if they should talk about not finishing the year at Hogwarts. Draco gave him a nod back. "We talked about what we want to do next."

"After you finish your N.E.W.T.s? What do you think you'd like to do?"

"Well, Molly. We–" Harry blanched as both women looked at him expectantly. "We don't want to finish the year. There doesn't seem to be much point in it, I mean."

Narcissa set down her tea carefully on the table next to her. "Not much point? Draco, what does he mean?"

"Harry and I talked about it, Mother. Our magic is completely different than anyone knows about at Hogwarts. What can they teach us that we can't teach ourselves?"

Harry nodded in agreement. "And we don't want to stay there and be stared at by first years, or risk something like another incident with Blaise."

"What will you do though?" Molly said firmly. "You can't just lay about. Arthur and I were talking to Kingsley and he thinks that it would be better if you came to work for the Ministry in his office. That way no one can suspect you are up to anything suspicious. Begging your pardon, Draco, but there are those that are still expecting bad things to happen. If you work for the Ministry everyone will see that you are not causing any trouble."

"We do not want to work for the Ministry." Harry said firmly. "We already decided. We are going to travel for a while, away from Britain. And then George offered us a job in America, managing the shop he wants to open there once it is ready."

"America? Surely not..." Narcissa asked turning to Draco.

"It is for the best, Mother. There is no chance Harry and I will be able to live any kind of normal life here. Everywhere we go here we will stand out. We couldn't even walk down Diagon Alley today with people stopping and staring. Maybe in a few years when things have calmed down we can reconsider, but until then we want to live somewhere else. You could come and visit us once we are settled."

"It does seem like you have already decided," Molly said. "I doubt it would do any good to try and persuade you to stay home."

"You could come and visit, too," Harry said hastily to Molly. "And Ron and Hermione, of course. It just is that I–we are tired." He reached out and took Draco's hand and felt the reassuring flow of magic between them. What weeks ago had been so strange and foreign to him was what now gave him the most comfort; it was like continually being embraced by Draco.

Draco softly stroked his thumb along Harry's hand as he told them. "The best time Harry and I have had these last few weeks are when we we've been alone in the cottage. Not having to worry about assignments or classmates, wondering what is going to go wrong next."

"We need more time to just be with each other," Harry said quietly. "For me, Draco is home. And we are never going to be truly settled until we can just be us, without worrying about completing assignments that don't mean anything, or about Aurors knocking on the door because they don't trust Draco, or someone trying to sell us out to the newspapers. I want to go somewhere where no one recognizes us.

"When will you be leaving?" Narcissa asked. "After the holidays?"

"Oh, uhm," Harry stammered, blushing slightly as he felt the weight of the gold that he'd gotten from George under his jumper. "We were going to leave tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? You're not even staying through Christmas?" Molly said her voice rising. "Whatever is the rush? You haven't even had your bonding ceremony yet! Narcissa and I were planning it to be held on Hogmanay. We have it all settled with Professor McGonagall. We'd all come up to Hogwart and stay for New Years and have your formal bonding at midnight, perfect start to the new year."

Harry started at her in disbelief. "What? We never heard about this? We don't need–" He looked at Draco for confirmation and got a nod back. "We don't want a formal ceremony. Draco and I, we know we're bonded," Harry said, remembering back to the night that he and Draco had completed the bond, there was nothing that could compete with the magic and memory of that night. "I'm sorry you started planning it, but if you'd asked we would have told you no."

"You have had so much to worry about, we wanted to do this for you," Narcissa said smoothly. "Traditionally the family of the two bondmates plan the ceremony. And certainly nothing is done that can't be undone. The invitations have not even been sent out yet, if you'd like to do it sooner we can arrange that easily. We were going to tell you about the plans during our next visit."

"Please, no, Mother, we don't want this." Draco spoke up at last and Harry gave his hand a squeeze, knowing how hard it was when Draco felt he'd disappointed his mother. "The bond is ours and we don't need a formal ceremony that would only serve to draw more attention to us. Even if I know you don't mean for it to do so." He added hastily as Narcissa raised her hand to object.

"Well, if you are absolutely certain you don't want the ceremony, I can accept that." Molly picked up a plate of biscuits and handed it to Draco. "And not finishing school that is a shame you are so close to finishing. Ron and Hermoine are going to miss you terribly. I don't see why you can't simply finish the year."

"It is what we want," Harry said firmly. "And we'll head back to Hogwarts now and talk to Ron and Hermoine, I think they'll understand. They know how hard it has been." Harry knew he sounded more optimistic than he felt but he wasn't going to let anyone talk them out of doing what they had to do. He set down his tea that he hadn't even drank and motioned to Draco. "We better head back. We have a lot to do."

"But–" Molly started protesting but Narcissa gently put a hand on her arm.

"Of course you must pack and get ready. Please send us an owl as soon as you are settled on wherever you are going. Molly and I both need to know you are safe."

"Of course, Mrs. Malfoy–Narcissa," Harry said as she pulled him into her arms for a brief hug before she turned to embrace Draco tightly. "We'll send owls," he said while trying to imagine himself a year ago being hugged by a Malfoy let alone being about to go on a holiday with Draco. But as Draco pulled away from his mother and came to stand next to him, Harry knew there was no way that any other kind of future was possible than being with Draco.

ooo

They Apparated neatly onto the road in front of the gates of Hogwarts that stood open, two torches flickering in the dark. Holding hands they started up the path to the castle. The gates magically began to close as soon as they crossed through and Harry had a moment of panic as the gate clang shut that he and Draco wouldn't be allowed to leave again. Draco gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and Harry remembered that they were in this together, no matter what.

Filch was standing silently on the steps as they came up to the castle. Any hopes they had of going off to their cottage and deal with everything in the morning disappeared.

"There you are. Headmistress wants to see you immediately. And step lively, keeping her waiting half the night." Filch motioned for them impatiently to follow him up the stairs. He led the way through the corridor grumbling the entire time. "Damn pupils sneaking off with no regard for school rules. Chain them in my office, that would teach them but no Headmistress will give them a biscuit and cocoa. As bad as his father this Potter is, no respect…"

They got to the base of the tower and Filch angrily knocked on the Gargoyle's head, making the staircase appear. Filch motioned for them to go up as he continued to shuffle down the hall, brown overcoat flapping as he muttered to himself as the stairs opened up.

Harry took a deep breath as they started up; he had no idea how Professor McGonagall would react but was confident that this was the right decision for them. At the stop of the stairs the office door stood closed and Draco lifted a hand to knock on it when it opened to a smiling Madam Pomfrey.

"Come in, come in." She gestured to them. "Professor McGonagall has been waiting to see you. Have a seat, I'll go fetch her." As Draco and Harry sat down nervously on the chairs next to the desk she went to another doorway and called through it, "Minerva, the boys are back."

"There. She'll be along in a moment. Would you like some hot chocolate? Tea? We have some biscuits around here somewhere," she said, looking around as if the biscuits were floating around the room.

"No, we're find. We had tea at the Weasleys before coming here," Harry said hastily.

"Harry, Draco." Professor McGonagall swept into the room, her plaid robes sweeping back as she rounded her desk to sit at her desk. "Obviously, you were successful retrieving the journals from Blaise. I had quite the afternoon explaining all of this to the Ministry and Board of Governors."

"Yes, we got the journals back. We saw the Aurors at the station but didn't want to talk to them."

"Quite so. I explained to the Kingsley that this was simply a school discipline matter that overflowed from our gates. Blaise has been expelled and that is the end of that. I suspect you'll have no further trouble from him or any other students for the rest of the school year."

"Oh, yes." Harry perched at the edge of his chair and took a deep breath. "About that."

"Don't ask to be excused from classes, Mr. Potter. You two have proven you are both fully recovered from the bonding. I expect you to resume your full schedule in the morning."

"Yes, Professor. I, mean no we aren't going to do that." Harry shook his head and looked to Draco.

"What Potter is attempting to say is that we've decided not to finish the school year. We talked about it this afternoon and we…" Draco hesitated. Harry knew Draco didn't want to say there was no point for them to attend classes anymore.

Madam Pomfrey who'd been fussing with the draperies turned around to look at them with a startled "Oh no."

"We just can't sit in classes any more. We've decided that we are d-d-ropping out." Harry winced and added hastily as McGonagall's eyebrow raised, "We've talked to Draco's mum about it already. And Mrs. Weasley."

"And I'm to believe that they are quite accepting of your decision? I know they had plans for your bonding ceremony this Hogmanay."

"Erm, yes. They told us about that. We told them that we would be gone by then."

"Yes, my mother understands that we just need time to be together and we don't want to make a public spectacle of our bond," Draco added firmly.

"And when are you planning on leaving?" McGonagall asked, tapping her wand on the desk.

"In the morning," Harry said, firming his shoulder to say it with confidence. "We just need to gather our things and say good-bye to our friends."

"Well, I can't pretend to be disappointed for you both, but I can't force you to stay and be where you do not want to be. I'd hope that this eighth year would be an opportunity for you to truly move past everything that happened since your first year here."

Harry and Draco looked at each other and smiled. "I think it is safe to say that we have completely moved past all of that. Now we just want the time and distance to be together without everyone watching everything we do."

"I'm afraid you two will gather attention wherever you go in Britain," Madam Pomfrey said as she came around to stand behind McGonagall. "For quite some time. A Firebond is such a rarity that it will always garner attention.

"Yes, erm, that is why we are going to leave Britain. Travel." Harry said. "We don't have a plan, we just want to go somewhere else."

"Well, a gap year before you settle down is never a bad thing," McGonagall said with a sigh of resignation. "I suspect you won't need your school trunks wherever you are going. Pack your school things and leave them in the cottage. The house elves will store them away until you send for them. Madam Pomfrey, anything you need to tell the boys about the bond?"

"I suspect they know far more about bonds than I do by now." Madam Pomfrey gave them a teary smile. "I will miss you both. All the scares you gave me these past eight years, Harry. I'll have a life of leisure in the Hospital Wing without having to worry about you being rushed in missing bones and who knows what. Just be sure to be careful and listen to your bond."

"We will," Harry said, standing and reaching for Draco's hand.

Harry hardly felt the cold as they made their way down the moonlit path to the cottage. He held Draco's hand tightly, reveling in the fact that they were really going to do this. Three months ago he'd been facing a reluctant final year at Hogwarts, unsure of who or what he was. Now he was bonded to Draco Malfoy and had never been happier.

Draco pushed open the door of the cottage and the warmth of the fire-lit room rushed out at them. Their two school trunks stood open and waiting for them. "House elves," Draco murmured with a sigh as he pulled Harry close. "They must be eager to be rid of us."

"Hmmm." Harry snuggled his face into the crook of Draco's neck. "This has been the longest day ever."

Draco chuckled and his arms tightened around Harry. "Are you going to miss being here?"

Harry shook his head. "Hogwarts? No. The cottage? I think so."

"We'll find somewhere else, somewhere new to be home. In Boston, apparently."

"No, you are my home," Harry said, lifting his head to look at Draco. The light from the fire flickered across Draco's face as Harry kissed him. "I've never felt more like I've belonged, that I'm loved than these last few weeks with you. I love you so much, and I know it is not the bond making me say it. I love you."

"I love you, too." Draco's hands slid down Harry's back, pulling him closer. "I have loved you forever and I still can't believe this is real."

"Let's go to bed. We can pack first thing in the morning." Harry stepped away and tugged Draco towards the bedroom.

ooo

Harry woke the next morning with a buzz of excitement. They were really going to do it. Leave Hogwarts and travel far away from Britain. Draco was cuddled behind him in the quiet darkness of the pre-dawn morning. Trying not to jostle him, Harry slid out of bed and pulled on pajama bottoms before padding into the kitchen to make tea. As he waited for the water to boil he looked around the cottage. Now that they had decided to leave he wanted nothing more than to be gone. Their books and scrolls were casually scattered around the main room, along with Draco's shoes and Harry's favorite jumper.

The hedgehog teapot's whiskers twitched appreciatively as Harry filled it with water and tea leaves. Harry absentmindedly stroked the pot's quills as he pondered where to start packing. They wouldn't need their school books and so with a wave of his hand he levitated them en masse to the open trunk and let them drop in. Hermoine would be horrified at the treatment of the books, but he wasn't planning on needing them anytime soon. The scrolls of homework were plunked in next.

From the bedroom he heard Draco begin to stir, grabbing mugs from the cupboard he poured the tea and added milk and sugar. Carrying them into the bedroom to where Draco was still burrowed under a pillow. He sat on the edge of the bed and held it out to him.

"C'mon. Here's your tea."

"What are you doing up so early."

"Packing."

Draco groaned and flipped over and scooted up to lean against the headboard. "A bit eager, aren't you?"

"Well, yeah. We finally have a plan for the future and I can't wait to get started." Harry grinned. "Do you know what I want to do?" Draco gave a cheeky grin in return, and reached out to rub a hand along Harry's thigh. "No! Not that, I mean, not now."

Draco sighed and reached for his tea. "What do you want to do?"

"The portkeys? What if we just close our eyes and choose one. Go to wherever that one goes."

"What, leave not knowing if the portkey is going to take us to Rome, Cairo or Boston? How will we pack?"

"We don't." Harry gave a shrug. "Bring the basics and buy what we need when we get there. I don't want to debate which would be better to see first. We'll get to the others eventually."

Draco took a long sip of his tea. "Good thing you didn't tell my mother this idea yesterday. She'd be sending house elves to pack clothes for every possible contingency."

"I don't care about what your mother would think, I care about what you think."

"I think it is an amazing idea." Draco smiled at him. "When do you want to leave?"

"This morning? After we see Hermoine and Ron and get everything packed up. Everyone else I can send owls to later."

"Do you suppose McGonagall will let us come back here?" Draco asked, looking around the room.

"You are really going to miss being here, aren't you?"

"It's the first place I've ever felt completely comfortable. The Manor was never homelike: the weight of being a Malfoy was inescapable, let alone what happened in the last two years."

"What about Slytherin, surely that was better?"

Draco grimaced. "No that's where I had to be most careful. You never knew who was preparing to stab you in the back."

There was a knock at the door and Harry gave a quick glance to Draco to make sure he was ready for Ron and Hermoine. With Draco's nod Harry went to the door and let them in.

Hermoione rushed in with a kiss to Harry's cheek. "What happened yesterday? McGonagall said that you wanted to see us–" Hermoine stopped short at the sight of the two trunks in the middle of the room. "Oh, Harry."

"What's that?" Ron followed Hermoine in and nearly bumped into her. "Why do you have your trunks? Is it because of Blaise? Didn't you get the diaries away from Blaise?"

"Sit down." Harry motioned them towards one of the sofas. "We got the diaries back, and Blaise is expelled. But, erm, yesterday we decided that we aren't going to finish the school year. We are leaving."

"Leaving! But Harry, what about the N.E.W.T.s! You'll not be able to take them." Hermoine looked from Harry to Draco in confusion.

"We aren't worried about that. We decided to go so that Draco and I can be together without worrying about what happened with Blaise happening again."

Ron shook his head. "How is not being here going to help that? No matter where you go in Britain people are going to try and sneak photos of you or call the newspapers."

"We know that, we do." Harry got up and paced to the fireplace. "That's why we are going to travel for a while. We, erm, we're leaving England…" Hermoine gave a little gasp and Ron sat upright. Harry swallowed hard and went on. "It's what Draco and I both want. I've got enough Galleons to let us go where we want, so we are going to travel for a while and then George has offered us a job. In America."

"America!" Hermoine looked from Harry to Draco in confusion. "Why America?"

"He is opening a shop there," Ron said dully. "He told me about it, but not that you were going to go there."

"It's for the best," Harry tried to smile but failed miserably. Ron and Hermoine had been by his side through everything and now he was leaving them behind. He needed them to understand that this was something he needed to do for both his and Draco's sakes.

"I guess, I'm not that surprised." Hermoine gave a sigh. "What you have with Draco is not something any of us can truly understand. Of course you want time to just be together, but we are going to miss you terribly, Harry."

Harry gave her a grateful smile. "I, erm, got you something." He reached for the two small packages that he'd left on the fireplace mantle. He handed the long slender box to Hermoine. "We wanted to give you this, Hermoine."

Her lip quivered as she opened the package and pulled out an inky black corvid quill. "A quill?"

"Draco and I know that the truth about our bond will need to be documented so that it can help the next firebond couple. So that no one else has to go through what happened to us."

"You are the only one we trust to write our story when we're ready for it to be written," Draco said quietly.

"Oh, bother, you are going to make me cry." Hermoine wiped under her eyes. "I would be honored to write a paper on your bond. I've been researching past firebond pairs in the Restricted Section and what little information there is scattered amongst a dozen books and no one has ever compiled it. I'll start by–"

"Take a deep breath, 'mione," Ron interrupted. "They don't expect you to start today."

"We know you'll do the best job of anyone out there," Harry said with a grin. He took a deep breath and handed the other box to Ron. "Ron, this is for you."

"You didn't have to get me anything," Ron said as he pulled away the foil that revealed the gilt chocolate frog box. "Well, this is alright then."

"You've been my best mate since the very first day on the Hogwarts Express when you taught me about chocolate frogs and Quidditch and so much more," Harry said, the frog in his own throat making it hard to swallow. "Never would've made it through those first few confusing days without you."

"Sure you would've." Ron gave the frog a tap on its head as it tried to jump from the box. He closed the lid and stood up and pulled Harry into a tight hug. "Hogwarts won't be the same without you."

"You'll be through soon, and off to be an Auror or whatever you want," Harry said gruffly. He opened his arms and pulled Hermoine into the hug. "And make plans to come see us when we get settled in America."

"Of course we will," Hermoine said, her voice muffled against Harry's chest. "Love you so much, and so happy for you and Draco. We were so scared for you when we learned about the bond and how sick you were. But look at you now, fully bonded and about to go off on your own." She pulled away and gave him a teary smile. "You'd better send owls and let us know how you are."

"Draco will make sure I do, he is really good at writing letters." Harry nodded as Draco put his arm around Harry's waist.

"But not right away. We just want to relax for a while," Draco said as Harry smiled over at him. He was proud at how easily Draco accepted his friends after all that they'd been through with them. The bond helped him and Draco get over it, but Ron and Hermoine were being kind to Draco simply because Harry needed them to and he was so grateful to them for accepting Draco.

"Okay, have to go or we'll be late for class and you've got to finish packing," Hermoine said as she gave Harry another quick hug. "Write."

Ron gave Harry a quick nod and bump on his arm. "Never thought I'd see the day when you'd be running off with Malfoy. But I'm happy for you. I am."

As he closed the door behind them, Harry sighed and leaned against it. Draco came up to kiss his neck. "You okay?"

"Yeah, it is hard saying good-bye."

"If you want to change your mind, just say the word."

"No, of course I want to go. I'm ready for this, let's finish packing and we can leave while everyone is still in their morning classes."

"Okay. I'll get the things from the bathroom packed in the satchel to bring with us. You sort what you want to take clothing wise and what can go into the trunks for storage."

In short order, Harry had their clothes sorted. It was easy to pack all their school robes into the trunk. He was sure to pack Draco's heather blue jumper, the one that Harry loved him wearing. Neither of them had many things to wear in warm climates so if they ended up in Cairo they'd both have to pick out new things to wear. Harry liked the idea of them starting off completely fresh on this new adventure.

As Harry was in the kitchen packing a few snacks to take with them, Draco came into the room carrying their toiletries. He carefully shrank each one and put a leak proof spell on the lotions and shampoo and added them to the satchel.

"Check the trunks, make sure I didn't pack anything you want to take with us," Harry called out to him. He was on his tiptoes looking to the back of the cupboard for the small jar of bilberry preserves he had hidden there. Finally spotting it behind the sack of flour he pulled it out and carried it into the other room. Draco was on his knees going through the trunk. Harry grinned as Draco held up the book that George had given them.

"We are not leaving this behind," Draco said firmly and he slid it into the already full satchel.

"Oops, I guess it got caught up with all school books. I did pack the Truth and Dare game to take with us." Harry added the jar of preserves.

"Everything is out of the bathroom and bedrooms. And I don't see anything else that we might miss if we don't have."

Harry looked around the room as Draco closed the lids on the trunks. The cottage looked as neat and tidy as when they first arrived. It was hard to believe how everything had changed for them since they'd first arrived.

"I'm ready," he said firmly.

Draco went to the work counter where they'd placed the ring with the three portkeys along with George's instructions on how to use them. "Still want to do it without knowing where we are going?"

Harry nodded. "Rome or Cairo. We'll save Boston for when we are ready to see the new shop." He took the gold and iron portkeys off the ring and put the ring with the silver portkey for Boston in the satchel. "We'll walk down to the gates and close our eyes and pick one."

"My mother would faint if she knew that we didn't have even the slightest idea where we will find lodging and not have a ten-day itinerary pre-planned."

Harry kissed Draco's cheek. "Good thing your mother isn't coming with us." He bent down and picked up the satchel. They walked through the doorway and closed the door for the last time. Hand in hand they walked down the path through the meadow, the frost of the morning still sparkling on the grass in the bright cold sunshine. As they got close to the castle Harry turned back for one last look at the cottage. No smoke rose from the chimney and the windows were glazed and dark. And then it vanished with a swirl of silver wind. Harry gave a cry of surprise and Draco turned to see what was wrong.

"Where did it go?" Draco asked looking around in confusion. The meadow was empty and there was nothing between them and the Forbidden Forest.

"It disappeared. It just disappeared. I guess the Fidelius charm came back because we are no longer living there." Harry's chest hurt at the sight of the missing cottage.

"Maybe that is better," Draco whispered in Harry's ear. "It means it will always be ours. No one else can go in it. It would hurt more to know that the first years were playing in it like it was just another part of Hogwarts."

Harry nodded, swallowing hard as he realized how right Draco was and he turned his back on the empty field. "Let's do this."

They turned down the path to Hogsmeade, and just as they were at the curve that would hide the castle from sight there was a shout. Harry looked up to see Hagrid on top the hill from his hut.

"So long, Harry!" Hagrid called out, with a great wave of his arm.

"So long, Hagrid!" Harry called back with a grin.

At the bottom of the hill the great gates swung slowly open and Harry took a deep breath as he stepped past them with Draco's hand firmly in his own. This was it. He hitched the satchel securely over his arm and pulled the gold and iron portkeys out of his pocket.

"Close your eyes," he told Draco.

Draco smiled and obliged. Harry shuffled the portkeys and closed his own eyes. "Okay, pick."

He felt Draco take one of the portkeys and Harry slid the other one back into his pocket. They both gripped the key tightly. "Ready?" Harry asked, opening his eyes looking over at Draco.

Draco wrapped his arm around Harry's waist, pulling them securely together. "Ready."

Harry tapped the portkey and called out "Discedita!" There was an amazing tug and then they were caught up in a maelstrom of colors and light.