More Than A Partner - Part 1 of 2 (H/D, mature)
The hd_holidays reveal is done, and I'd like to thank who_la_hoop again for my fabulous gift, 101 Ways to Heal Your Wizarding Woes (Or, an Unfortunate Incident with a Traffic Cone and a Policeman’s Helmet). It was totally made of awesome, and if you didn't read it before, go on over and make your day brighter. Extremely in-character everyone, and I especially adored snarky!Snape. And Harry and Draco too, of course.
Below is the first half (due to length) of my entry. I'll back-date and post the second half so it follows this one.
Title: More Than a Partner
Author: sesheta_66
Beta: charmed310
Recipient: oceaxe. Original request can be read here.
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco, Ron/Hermione, Harry/Ginny, past Draco/wife
Summary: Harry Potter appears to have a wonderful life: wife, children and the job of his dreams. When things begin to crumble, he finds solace and comfort in a partnership he never saw coming.
Rating: Mature
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended. The author is not responsible for underage readers. This story is intended for adults. Please observe the age of legal consent for your country.
Word Count: ~ 15,170
Author's Notes: DH compliant, including epilogue. Any seemingly 'fluffy' references are intended as teasing/humour only.
"What the hell was that about?" Ron screamed as he threw himself into the sofa in the Aurors' lounge.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, grinning.
"I mean what the fuck are you playing at, Harry? You nearly got yourself - and me - killed out there!"
"You're exaggerating, mate. We're just fine."
"Yeah, but just barely."
"Ron, you know we always come out of everything okay."
"No, Harry, I don't. What I see is that we barely scrape out of sticky situations that nearly get us killed on a weekly basis!" Ron had jumped up and was now pacing. "Ginny's right," he mumbled under his breath.
Harry stopped his pacing with his outstretched arm. "What did you say?" he asked through gritted teeth and narrowed eyes.
"I said that Ginny's right. She's been saying for months now that you have a death wish. Ever since Lily went off to Hogwarts, it's like you don't care what happens to you anymore."
"That's a load of rubbish, and you know it!"
"Is it? I don't think so Harry. I think she has a point. Do you know how many times you have broken the rules, skirted protocol and jumped in when you know damn well you should wait for backup? Do you?"
Harry scowled in response.
"I didn't think so. Well, I do. Fourteen times in the past eight months, Harry. Fourteen times we both could have died."
"You didn't have to follow," Harry reasoned, his voice calm but angry.
"Oh, really? And what was I to do, stand back and let you jump in with no backup at all? Or stay back while someone attacks me standing there on my own? Neither prospect holds much promise, does it?"
"Maybe," Harry suggested, barely holding back his rage, "you should request another partner if I'm such a loose canon."
"Ha!" he barked in response. "Are you kidding? My sister would kill me if I left you to fend for yourself!"
"Oh fuck off, Ron. It's not like you're out there saving my arse every day. I take care of myself. Why don't you just put yourself out of your misery and move on then?"
"Well, Hermione would certainly appreciate it if I did," Ron retorted.
Harry could tell by the look on his face that Ron hadn't meant for that to slip out. Fine then. If Hermione didn't want her precious husband partnered up with Harry, he would soon take care of things. He stormed out of the lounge and into Kingsley's office, slamming the door behind him.
"I want a different partner," Harry announced without preamble. "As soon as possible." He looked at his boss whose face was unreadable. "Please," he said as an afterthought.
"Did the two of you have a falling out?" Kingsley asked.
"In a manner of speaking," Harry replied. "It seems that he and his wife would rather have him paired up with someone ... well, with someone who is --"
"Less reckless?" Kingsley offered, brows raised.
"Fine. Yes. Someone who will just go in and do what he's told and not risk anything. Someone not like me."
"And the reason Mr. Weasley isn't in here requesting this transfer instead of you?"
Harry drew a calming breath, trying to maintain some composure. "My wife apparently feels that her brother's job is to babysit me." At Kingsley's bemused expression, he continued. "I disagree."
"And you've given this some thought?"
"Look, Kingsley, I'm tired of being hounded day and night by the two of them. Ginny is manipulating her brother and he doesn't see it. I can't trust him anymore, because I think he's reporting to his sister. This partnership has worked out for years, but it isn't working now. If I don't trust my partner, what else is there?"
"Very well, Harry. I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you."
"I want to go back into the field," Draco informed Kingsley. "It's been long enough. I'm ready to go back."
Kingsley looked at him doubtfully. "Draco, I don't --"
"I'm ready!" he all but screamed. "Sure, I had some problems at first. Her death took a toll on both of us, and I appreciate that you let me do desk duty - you know, for my son's sake. Scorpius really needed me around as much as possible over the summer holidays. The shorter hours were more than I could have expected."
"And you've done a fine job bringing yourself back up to full-time since the school year started again." Kingsley gave him a meaningful look. "How is Scorpius now?"
Draco's face broke into one of his rare grins. "He's doing very well, thanks. It's been a tough road for him - he and his mother were very close - but he's recovering nicely now. Of course, the fact that he's back at Hogwarts helps. It's his second year now, and between his classes and the antics he and his classmates get up to, his mind is able to focus on things besides the loss of his mother.
"So …"
"Right. Back to my original request. I know we tried field work when Scorpius returned to school after the holidays last year and … well …"
"It was an unmitigated disaster," Kingsley finished quite unhelpfully. "You were --"
"It was too soon. I know that now. I hadn't given myself the opportunity to grieve, to let go. I had been focussed on ensuring Scorpius healed, but I hadn't looked after myself."
"And now you have?"
"I think so. I needed to get used to living alone. I had never lived alone before. While he was back at school, I did my grieving. Then when he was home for the summer, we did a lot of things together, thanks to the flexibility of work. Now that he's been gone for a couple of months, I'm finding myself … well, bored frankly. And I'm definitely ready to get back in the field."
"Well I have …" Kingsley let his words fade as he looked up at Draco. "You're quite sure you're ready for this?"
Draco smiled, knowing he was about to agree. "Definitely."
"Very well, then. I have a request that came across my desk in the last couple of days for a transfer, so we actually have an Auror in need of a partner."
"Perfect. Who is it, and when do we start?"
"Whoa, Draco. Don't get yourself too worked up about it. You might not like the partner I have in mind for you."
Draco snorted. He figured, after the debacle that had been his last return to the field, that he didn't have much choice in the matter. In fact, he wouldn't be surprised if the person wouldn't want to work with him, not the other way round. "How bad could it be? It's not like you'd be partnering me with Potter, and there's no one else --"
"That's exactly the partnership I had in mind, as a matter of fact."
"What?" he asked, stunned at this turn of events. "But he and Weasley --"
"Are no longer working together."
"Since when? Why? What happened?"
"Since yesterday, and I'm not at liberty to discuss the events surrounding the change. All you need to know is that Weasley is now working in the office until the new recruits begin in six weeks, and Potter is currently without a partner."
"He probably prefers things that way."
This time Kingsley snorted. "His reputation precedes him, I see?"
"He's always jumping in … well he always did … even at school."
"If you don't want to work with him, I understand. I won't force you to go back into field work. You may remain where you are, and wait until the new recruits begin, at which time you can be partnered with one of them."
"But then that would mean I'd be in training mode again, right?"
"Effectively, yes. But you would be the trainer in this case."
"But it would be mainly safe, hands-off scene investigations and interviews rather than detective work and suspect pursuit."
"That's correct. You remember what it was like when you started."
"And Weasley actually wants this?"
"I can't discuss either Weasley's or Potter's rationale. I have told you all I can. Why don't you take the week to think about it, and we'll talk on Monday?"
"No," Draco replied without even thinking.
"I understand. Potter isn't exactly the ideal partner --"
"No, I meant I don't need to think about it. I'll take the assignment … with Potter … whenever we can start. The sooner the better."
Kingsley looked at him in shock. "Are you absolutely sure, Draco? I realize the two of you don't have the best history …"
"True, but we're hardly school boys anymore, are we? Twenty years have passed. I think that's time enough to grow up. We may never be friends, but we're both professionals, and we can bring ourselves to work together, I'm sure."
Kingsley looked sceptical. "You know his reputation."
"Yes, I do. And he knows mine. We may never have got on, but we both never had any problem telling the other what we thought. If nothing else, we're honest with each other. That's half the battle between partners, I'd say."
"I suppose you have a point."
"So, when do I start?
"How about Monday?"
"Not tomorrow?"
Kingsley laughed. "We'll arrange a meeting tomorrow, but I figure you'll need a few days to wrap up your current work."
Draco rolled his eyes. "I can put the time in after hours to finish that up. I'd like to start on the fieldwork right away."
"There's no reason to do that. Let's just start Monday."
It was with reluctance that Draco, not one known for his patience, agreed. "That sounds reasonable."
"What?!" Harry barked at Kingsley.
Kingsley stared him down. "I believe you heard me, Harry."
"I didn't think Malfoy was ready to go back into the field."
"I disagree. He feels that he's ready, and I agree with him."
"But why me?" He cringed as he heard the whine escape from his lips. "Never mind."
"No, Harry, I'd like to answer that. Draco asked to be placed back in the field. I gave him two options. He could wait for the new graduates, when all three of you would be assigned partners, or he could partner with you."
"And he chose to be with me?"
Kingsley laughed. "Well, I wouldn't put it quite that way. His reaction was much the same as yours at first, but when faced with the prospect of having to go back into training mode, he decided that he would be mature about the situation, and team up with you."
Harry didn't miss the implication that he was being less mature than Malfoy. He glared at Kingsley to indicate to his boss that he knew he was being manipulated. "Very well, then. His arse is on your conscience."
"Oh? Surely you don't mean that you will not support your partner." Kingsley's tone was deadly serious.
"I ... of course not! I would never endanger the life of a fellow Auror!" Harry replied indignantly. "I merely meant that I'm not going to ... to ... mollycoddle him."
"Mollycoddle?" Kingsley suppressed a smile as he looked questioningly at Harry.
"You know what I mean. I'm not going to listen to him whine and complain about what a hard life he's had. Or what a great life I've had. I put up with enough of that shite at school."
Kingsley stood up at that point and his stare bored into Harry's eyes. "Enough, Harry. Draco is hardly a child. He is an accomplished Auror that doesn't go around whining and complaining like some spoiled brat. He went through a very difficult time. He stumbled a little along the way, but he's back - and in fine form I might add. In fact, I would suggest to you that he is acting much more adult about this than you. You found yourself in an untenable situation, and I granted your request for reassignment. As of Monday morning, you and Draco are partners. I suggest you get used to that idea. Now go find your new partner and talk."
"Talk?" Harry asked, rather surprised at Kingsley's abrupt tone. "About what?"
"Frankly, Potter, the topic of conversation is irrelevant. Talk about the weather, the Cannons, the latest trends in fashion for all I care! Take the afternoon, go for a drink ... whatever. It's obvious to me that you need to work through this before you are thrown into the field. But work it through you will. You have no other option. Have I made myself perfectly clear?"
"Yes ... sir."
Harry left Kingsley's office fuming. What the hell was he supposed to talk to Malfoy about? Oh this was lovely! Just fucking lovely.
"Malfoy!" he called round the corner when he got to Draco's section of the department. "Let's go grab a pint!" he said as he poked his head into Draco's cubicle.
"Now? What? Potter, I have work to do."
"Boss's orders. We have to ... talk."
"Why?"
"Because apparently we might have some issues to work through before we go out to work in the field together on Monday," Harry explained grudgingly.
"Oh," Draco replied, quite unhelpfully. Then he looked up at Harry in surprise. "Oh! So you agreed to the assignment?"
This question threw Harry for a bit of a loop. Kingsley gave him the impression that he hadn't had a choice in the matter. For reasons best known to the Head of the Aurors, he apparently hadn't told Malfoy that.
"Sure. Why not? We can be adult about this, right? I mean we're both good at what we do, so what's the problem?"
"Um ..." Malfoy looked like he was pondering whether or not to say what he was thinking. "Well, there is the fact that we hate each other."
"Point. Which," Harry said, gesturing towards the exit, "is the reason we're going for a pint. No better way to get past hating someone."
Draco frowned at him, but seemed to decide a pint might help after all. "Fair enough. But you're buying."
Harry grinned at Draco. "Oh, no," he said slyly. "This one's on Kingsley!"
Draco couldn't help but smile back. "Then might I suggest the venue?"
"By all means, partner."
Three hours, and two bottles of oak-matured mead later, Harry and Draco were feeling no pain, and had actually shared a few laughs. They had started out sober, talking about work, that being the safe territory. As they had a few drinks, they risked talking about growing up, but avoided the more difficult times from school - just enough that Harry felt a twinge of guilt. He had reached his own conclusions about Draco (somewhere around the halfway mark of the second bottle, he'd become Draco) based on his own observations, his encounters with Lucius, Ron's admittedly biased assumptions, and his own journey into Voldemort's mind. He was pleased to find out that many of his assumptions were wrong. It turned out the Slytherin wasn't such a horrible person after all.
If the fleeting looks on Draco's face said anything, Harry suspected he felt the same way about him. Discovering that Harry's childhood had not, in fact, been golden seemed to be a cross between unbelievable and shocking to Draco. Harry chuckled a bit when Draco seemed to get angry, even indignant on Harry's behalf, when he explained about the cupboard. He hadn't meant to tell him about it, actually. It just sort of slipped out when Draco spoke of hiding out in a closet when he was a boy and falling asleep in there, only to be discovered by a bemused Narcissa hours later. Harry had laughed and commented, "At least my cupboard had a bed in it." Draco's confused look led to an explanation and, eventually, his indignation. Of course, it was probably because a Muggle dared to treat a wizard in such a fashion, but Harry was pleased nonetheless.
He had excused himself to use the loo as the waitress brought them some much-needed coffee, and was on his way back to their table when he looked at Draco sitting there. Obviously he didn't know Harry had returned, and was looking pensively into his glass, swirling the remnants of his mead around, deep in thought. Harry's felt a jolt of (was that compassion?) for this man. He had lost his wife, and his only remaining family was Scorpius, who was now away school.
"So, Draco," Harry said as he took his seat, "how is Scorpius doing?" Instantly Draco's face lit up, and Harry could practically feel the love emanating from him across the table. His eyes danced, and there was no mistaking that Draco was a very proud father indeed.
"He's doing great! He wrote me saying that he's glad to be back at school, back with his friends."
"I know how that feels," Harry said. "Hogwarts was always like home to me. I couldn't wait to get back there every fall."
"Really?" he asked. "Oh, well, of course ... the Muggles."
"But I'm sure that's not the situation with Scorpius," Harry hastened to add. He hadn't meant to make it sound like Scorpius wasn't happy at home, and was mortified at how he must have sounded.
Draco chuckled. "Relax, Potter. No offence taken," he said as though he had read Harry's mind. "It's been a tough time for him. He and his mother were very close, and I think being at home was a constant reminder. He needs to have distractions."
"Yes, I suppose he does," Harry agreed. "Listen, you don't need to talk about this --"
"No, you know what? It feels okay to talk about it now. For some strange reason, it feels right to talk about it."
"If you're sure."
"Yeah, Harry. I think I am," Draco said, casting Harry a wistful smile. "Who would have thought?"
Harry frowned in confusion. "Thought what?"
"That of all people, you would be the only one I would feel comfortable talking to."
Harry was taken aback. "You've never ... you haven't talked to anyone about this? About what happened? But ... why?"
Draco shrugged his shoulders. "Too proud, I suppose. It's not something one talks about, the loss of one's life partner, is it?" Harry noted that he hadn't said wife or love, but life partner. He wondered if that meant anything, or if it was just a pureblood thing.
"I suppose not," Harry agreed, though he thought that he would have, with Ron or Hermione. Well, not any more, but once upon a time he might have. He thought rather bitterly that perhaps Draco was right.
"Scorpius took it all very hard. He and his mother were so close, and he was already feeling a little bit guilty about leaving her to go away to school."
"But," Harry interrupted, "he wasn't leaving her alone. You were still there."
Draco sighed. "I fear our son knew more about our relationship than we ever knew." At Harry's confused look, he continued. "Ours was an arranged marriage, not uncommon for purebloods. We were married shortly after the war, and we became rather comfortable with one another."
Harry was horrified. "But you didn't love her?"
Draco laughed the sort of laugh you used to humour those that just didn't understand. "Oh, Harry, love has very little to do with marriage in the wizarding world, you know."
"But my parents ... the Weasleys ..."
"Are more the exception than the rule, I'm afraid. Then again, your mother was Muggle-born, so --"
Harry's blood boiled. "And what's wrong with that?" he barked.
"Nothing," Draco whispered, urging Harry to calm down. "I didn't mean anything negative by it." At Harry's disbelieving glare, he rolled his eyes. "Really, Harry. I might once have meant that as an insult, but it is merely an observation. You see, it is common for pureblood marriages to be arranged, to ensure the purity of the bloodline. Families not so concerned with that might find themselves marrying for love. But in my family, and indeed many others, love is a fanciful concept best not dwelled upon."
"But ... well ... wasn't it awful being married to someone you didn't love?" Harry asked.
"Not really," Draco offered. "In fact, our marriage was quite comfortable. We knew what we expected of one another, and after Scorpius was born, there were no more obligations as such. We could coexist quite nicely. We worked together to raise our son, and we became friends."
"Friends? You were married to your friend?" Harry shuddered at the thought of being married to Hermione.
Draco looked perplexed. "Surely you are friends with your wife?" he asked.
"No," Harry replied without thinking.
"I find that strange. I would have thought that all good partnerships should have a basis in friendship. Anything else would grow from there."
Harry wasn't sure he liked the direction this conversation was heading. "And did love grow from your friendship?"
"Sadly, no. But it wasn't to be avoided. You see ..." His words trailed off as though he thought better of finishing his thought.
"What?"
"Never mind. It's not relevant. What is relevant is the fact that Scorpius knew we didn't love each other. No, that's not true. We did love each another, we just weren't in love. There was no passion, no spark, but there was mutual respect and affection. I think he felt guilty leaving, not knowing what would become of our marriage once he was gone. I fear that he considered himself to be the glue that held the family together." As though in afterthought, he mumbled, "He may have been right."
"And she was killed shortly after he started school."
"Yes. A little over two months later, she was hit by a car in Muggle London. Her wand had been crushed, and she was unable to Apparate or cast a Healing Spell to sustain her until she could be taken to a Mediwitch. The Muggle paramedics did what they could for her at the scene, but her injuries were just too great to heal without magic." He stopped for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. "If I had only been there ..."
Harry reached across the table and placed his hand over Draco's. "If there's one thing I've learned after everything I've been through," he said honestly, "it's that there's no changing the past. You can beat yourself up about what you might have done, could have done, should have done ... but none of it makes a damn bit of difference. In the end, the past is the past, and all we can do is learn from it and move on."
Draco looked up at him, not for the first time that night, with surprise. "She's gone, Draco. You need to let it go. You have a son that needs you. Just focus on that."
Draco nodded, staring at their hands. He took his free hand and placed it over Harry's. "Thanks."
Come Monday morning, Draco was actually looking forward to working with Harry. He wasn't sure if it was the alcohol that had dropped their barriers, or the fact that they had been forced to talk, but whatever it was, he was grateful for it.
Draco had found himself strangely at peace after returning home from the pub that night. Something Harry had said, the compassion he had shown Draco, had lifted a burden he hadn't known he was carrying.
As he had thought about it over the weekend, he realized that it was more than compassion. It was the absence of pity that really did it. Draco had seen in Harry's eyes that the man felt for him, truly wanted to help. But he hadn't looked at him as some weak thing that needed to be saved. That revelation surprised Draco, since 'saving people' seemed to be Potter's thing. Maybe, he thought, that was Potter's thing, but it's not Harry's thing. He realized that this new Harry - or the Harry he had never known - was a much more complicated person than Draco had ever given him credit for. And he was surprisingly intelligent. Who knew?
He also recalled with horror what he had almost let slip. Merlin, what had he been thinking? Well, he hadn't been thinking; that was the problem. He hadn't told anyone, and he wasn't sure he ever would. He did well enough disguising himself when he went out to that part of town, so he was confident that no one knew his secret. And he planned to keep it that way.
"Hey, partner!" Harry called to Draco as the blonde walked into the conference room Monday morning. Draco smiled back at him and walked over to sit next to him. Harry didn't miss the heads turning in their direction, nor did he miss the look of horror cross Ron's face as he gave Draco a friendly slap on the back in greeting. Harry ignored his friend and turned his gaze to the front of the room.
Kingsley called the meeting to order. "We have some changes in staffing to announce," he began. "First, Ronald Weasley is going to be working on the training programs for the new recruits who will be starting in five weeks' time. I'm sure Ron will welcome any input that you may have. In fact, he has asked for volunteers to help with the practical tests at the halfway and final mark. Sign-ups are on the board outside, and time may be used towards your required twenty hours of annual training." There was rumbling around the room, and Harry was pleased to see that there would be plenty of interest. He really did want Ron to succeed.
"Next, as a result of Weasley's assignment, we had Harry Potter left without a partner. Draco Malfoy is back in active duty as a Field Auror, and is Potter's new partner." Harry's greeting had prepared the room, but only slightly. There were gasps and louder rumblings at this announcement. "Yes, well," Kingsley continued, hiding a smirk, "I suspect their reputations preceded them."
The room echoed with barely-concealed chuckles, and one loud snort that Harry was sure had come from Ron. Draco glared at him, and Ron gave him the finger. "Now, Weasley, there'll be none of that," Kingsley admonished. Harry and Draco grinned conspiratorially at one another.
"Go on and get it out of your systems now," Kingsley continued. "This new assignment is permanent, so get used to it. Malfoy and Potter have worked it out, and I'm sure it will prove to be an excellent decision. Now, onto our assignments for the week."
Kingsley handed out various new cases, and reviewed ongoing investigations. For their part, Harry and Draco were assigned a routine robbery case, to add to Harry's existing workload. Knowing that Draco still had work to clear from his old job, neither complained.
The next few weeks marked a transition. Draco managed to wrap up most of his work the first week, with only a couple of files carried over for a few more days. Much was the same with Harry's old files, which he was able to wrap up after two and a half weeks. They currently had four investigations ongoing, all of which were new to them as partners, which made their situation more real. It was no longer a mishmash of each others' files.
"It's rather like when you first get married, isn't it?" Harry mused one night over a pint. Draco raised his eyebrow in question. "No, really. I mean when you both move in together, there's her stuff and your stuff. Gradually you accumulate stuff together, and over time you discard the old, so that eventually there's no division any more. Like us. Now all of our cases are ours - not mine or yours, but ours."
Draco grabbed onto Harry's hands and squeezed, letting out a sigh as he batted his eyelashes. "Oh, Harry," he said in an artificially choked-up voice. "I didn't know you cared! This means so much to me. I mean ... should we ... I don't know ... celebrate? Have a party? Invite all our friends?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Oh, shut up!"
"But Harry, this is a big step for us. I mean, there's no turning back now, is there?" he said, still in the same voice.
"Right," Harry kidded, "perhaps we should seal it with a kiss, then?"
"I agree!" Draco announced, and got up, placed his hands on Harry's cheeks, and gave him a big smack right on the lips. "There!" he said and sat back down. "Now that's settled," he continued, back to his own voice, "shall we order another pint?"
Harry sat there, stunned. Had Draco just kissed him? I mean, he had been joking. Of course, there was nothing sexual about the kiss. It had been anything but ... only still. It had been on the lips. And Harry hadn't minded. Not one bit.
Three and a half weeks in, they found themselves following some suspects down a street in the dodgy part of Hogsmeade. The Tracking Spell they had placed on one of them had not yet been noticed as they watched them enter an abandoned building.
"I suppose we should wait for back-up," Harry said.
"Fuck no! They'll get away as soon as they hear anyone Apparate. We need to go in now," Draco replied, stunned that Harry of all people would suggest such a thing.
Harry grinned at him. "I was hoping you'd say that."
Harry went in the front while Draco went round the back, and they cast Charms on the building, to prevent Apparation, Portkey and Floo travel, as well as all communication into and out of the building. Then they went in.
Five minutes later they arrived at the Ministry, eleven suspects in tow, and the building on lockdown. They had apprehended the wizards in record time, locating the storage facility for one of the largest counterfeit operations in Britain's history. Harry and Draco were greeted with congratulations from most of the department. Ron said nothing, nor did he join them for their celebratory drink at the local pub.
When Harry got home that night, it was clear that Ginny was unimpressed. It was also clear that she knew everything about the arrest, including the fact that he and Draco had gone in alone, without backup. Since Harry had given her no details when he called home to say he was going out to celebrate a successful day, he was sure who had told her.
"Harry, I want you to quit," Ginny said. "Take a desk job, or take some other job, but I'm tired of you working in the field. I can't take it any more."
"You can't take what?" he asked incredulously.
"I can't take this self-destructive behaviour. Don't you care about me?"
"Of course I care about you. What's that got to do with my job?"
"You always run into things without thinking, and I'm sick of it. You need to back off and take an easier job."
"I don't need to do anything of the sort. This is my job. This is who I am. You knew that when you married me, Gin. Nothing's changed."
"I've changed."
"No shit."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that ... oh, never mind."
"Oh, go on Harry. You know you're dying to. Do tell me how wonderful you are, what a hero you are, how everyone loves you for it."
"What?"
"Don't pretend with me, Harry. You get off on this. You love all the attention, all the praise, all the fame. You always have. And you're just sorry that I'm not fawning all over you any more. Well I grew up, Harry. I know it's hard for you to accept, but I no longer worship the hero."
"Do you even know me?" He wondered if she ever really had.
"Yes, Harry. I know you better than you know yourself. You've had the taste of fame, and you just can't let it go. Now that the Boy Who Lived and the Chosen One and the Saviour headlines are gone, you just have to do something to make people notice you!"
Harry was struck dumb by this pronouncement. After all these years, it had come to this. How long had she thought this way about him? By the sounds of it, their entire marriage. The realization hit him hard. Their lives had been a lie.
"Aha! You can't deny it, can you? Well good. I'm glad we got that sorted. Now tomorrow you will go into the office and ask for a desk job. Ron tells me they'll give you whatever you want. You know, the whole Harry Potter is our Saviour thing. Comes in handy sometimes, I suppose."
"No," Harry replied, his ears ringing.
"What do you mean, no? Of course they'll give you what you want."
"No, Ginny, I'm not going to ask for a desk job."
"You will or else!" she shrieked.
"Or else what?" Harry asked through gritted teeth, knowing what the answer would be, but needing to hear it from her mouth.
"Or else I'm leaving you, Harry. I've had enough. It's high time you got over yourself and did something for me."
"No, I don't think so, Ginny."
"What?" she said, apparently surprised that he would refuse her this.
"I said no. No, I won't do this for you. No, I won't quit my job. No, I won't ask for a reassignment. No, I won't use my name to get favours. And no, I will not get over myself because there's nothing to get over. You don't know me, and apparently you never did. I don't think I'm any better than anyone else. I happen to like my job. No, it's more than that. I love my job. I get a sense of satisfaction from doing a good job and getting bad people off the streets. I think it's you, Ginny, who needs to get over herself."
"How dare you!"
"Surely you're kidding me, right?"
"How could you speak to me this way?"
"Haven't you been listening to yourself? You claim to know me better than I know myself, yet a fundamental part of who I am seems to have escaped you. In fact, you have been lying to me, pretending to be something - and someone - you aren't. You have been manipulative and sneaky, getting your brother to feed you information about me at work. And you have the nerve to suggest that I am the one being unreasonable? I don't think so, Gin. You want to leave, there's the door. I'm not stopping you."
She stared at him, her mouth opening then closing. She opened it again, then closed it. Finally she turned and stormed out of the room. Harry could hear things flying around their bedroom, then heard the distinct sound of her Apparating.
Fifteen minutes later, the owls started arriving:
My solicitor will contact you tomorrow - Ginny.
Harry, I'll come by the flat tomorrow evening. We need to talk - Hermione.
Harry, I'm sure this is just a phase, and you will work things out. You can reach Ginny at the Burrow - Molly.
Harry, what the fuck is going on? You need to fix this. I'll be over in the morning before work - Ron.
Harry, I'm quite sure that you and Ginevra can sort this out. If I may be of any assistance to you, feel free to contact me via owl. Perhaps we might have a spot of tea to discuss matters at the Ministry tomorrow. I'm sure Kingsley won't mind if I ask him in the morning - Percy.
"Harry?" Draco asked as he entered the front room of his local flat, where he stayed during the work week. "My house-elf just informed me you were at the door. Is something wrong?"
"I'd say so, yeah."
"Shall I get us some tea?"
"Firewhiskey would be preferable, actually."
Draco looked at his partner. What on earth could have happened between their celebration and now? He had been in such a good mood, the best he had been since they'd become partners, and now he looked ... broken.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"Ginny left me."
"Firewhiskey it is then."
Draco listened to Harry recount the story, and he did his very best not to interject. He felt his blood pressure rising by the moment, and he silently prayed for the strength not to run out and find the bitch. He had never liked Ginny - well, he had never been all that fond of any of the Weasleys, but Ginny had a special place in his heart. She didn't deserve Harry, and never had. But this was too much, even for her. Didn't she know anything - anything at all - about her own husband? They'd been together twenty years, for Merlin's sake! How could she know so little about someone she supposedly loved?
"You did the right thing," he told Harry when his partner had finished.
"Did I, Draco?" he asked, a pained look in his eyes. "Did I really?"
"Yes, Harry, you did."
"I don't know. What ... what about the kids?"
"What about them?"
"What will this do to them?"
"Well, they're away at school for most of the year, so it's really only the breaks you need to think about."
"True."
"From what you just told me, it doesn't sound like Ginny knows you at all."
"No, it doesn't."
"So there's no chance that this is temporary?"
"Absolutely not. She's ... she's just ..."
"A bitch," Draco finished for him. Harry looked at him with shock. "Well, she is. Always has been as far as I'm concerned, but it wasn't my place to say. You loved her after all."
"Yeah ... I suppose so."
"What do you mean you suppose so?"
"Well ... I'm not so sure I really knew her at all. So how could I be in love with someone ... I'm beginning to think I was in love with a person that doesn't even exist."
"You have a point there."
Harry finished his third Firewhiskey and reached for the bottle, but Draco's hand covered his. "I'm not going to stop you, Harry, but you might want to reconsider the idea of drinking any more tonight." Harry frowned at him. "You will probably want a level head and a clear mind tomorrow," he suggested.
"Maybe you're right."
"Of course I'm right. I'm always right."
Harry chuckled and rolled his eyes. "You're good for me, you know that?"
"And don't you ever forget it!" Draco teased.
"I wouldn't dream of it," he said with a smile. "Draco?"
"Mmm?"
"Can I stay the night? I don't think I can stand the sight of any more owls."
"Of course you may. I'll have my house-elf fix up the spare room."
"Thanks."
"Any time, Harry."
As they had agreed, Draco went into the office in the morning, grabbed their assignments, and then left. Harry didn't step into the office once that day, but did check in periodically to be sure Kingsley knew he was working.
Part way through the day, they stopped in at Harry and Ginny's flat to check on any owls. There were three from Ron, another one from Hermione and one from Ginny's lawyer. Ron's and Hermione's were repeats of the previous ones, and the other one told Harry that Ginny wanted a divorce, the flat and the children. In that order.
He looked around the home that he and Ginny had lived in, and Harry realized that she had decorated every room there. He hadn't contributed a thing. Of course, he wasn't asked to. He recalled coming home from work to find she had done something else, which had been fine at the time. But now as he looked at it, he realized that there was nothing that reflected him.
"Good riddance," he said aloud as he scribbled a reply to the lawyer.
I won't contest the divorce. She may have the flat. I want the children.
"Draco, do you mind finishing up the day without me?" he asked.
"Not at all, but is there a reason? Besides the obvious, I mean."
Harry handed him the letter from the lawyer, and his response. "I'm looking at this place, and suddenly it doesn't feel like home. All I can see here is Ginny, and it feels like a house full of lies. I just want to gather my things and leave. I'll need some time to clear everything out and move it over to my house."
"You have a house?"
"Grimmauld Place. Sirius left it to me when he died."
"So why don't ... why didn't you live there?"
"Ginny fancied a new place, a flat in a 'better neighbourhood' she had said."
"Why didn't you sell the other place then?"
"I couldn't do it. Sirius grew up there. I know it sounds stupid, especially because he hated the place himself, but I couldn't sell the only connection I had to him."
"That doesn't sound stupid at all. That house represents those things for Sirius, and he had been an important person in your life - a connection to your parents."
"Yeah, he was."
"Well then, let's get to it."
"Get to what?"
"Let's get you moved out."
"You don't have to --"
"I know, Harry. I want to."
Harry collected his clothing from the bedroom and brought it through to the living room. "I'm curious about something, Draco," he said.
"What's that?"
"How is it that I managed to work with you for a few weeks and you seem to know me better than my wife, someone I lived with for nearly twenty years?"
Draco hesitated, wondering how he should answer that. He adamantly refused to lie to Harry, so he gave him the truth - or at least a part of it. "I'm Slytherin, Harry. It's in my nature to observe people."
Much to his relief, Harry didn't ask him any more questions, and they managed to get him moved into Grimmauld Place in about an hour.
"This place is utterly uninhabitable," Draco stated.
"It is in rather a state, I agree."
"Then it's settled. You'll stay with me until this place is fixed up."
"Draco, I couldn't impose --"
"I won't take no for an answer."
"Are you sure?" Harry asked.
"Positive. Besides, I could use the company." He knew that Harry could to, but that he'd never admit it. As it was, his grateful expression spoke volumes.
Over the next few weeks, word got out about Harry and Ginny's split, and Harry refused to talk to anyone except Draco about it. He ignored all of Hermione's owls, which grew more numerous by the day. He simply opened them, read them, then pitched them into the fire. He ignored Ron altogether.
Meanwhile, Harry had, with Draco's help, turned Grimmauld Place into a home much more habitable than it had been. He had moved in a week after he and Ginny had split, and continued to redecorate while there. He and Draco had met with contractors, and Harry had, upon Draco's insistence, added his own touch, to ensure the house reflected his tastes, not anyone else's. He had done some basic painting when the war had ended, but now he really made some changes.
Surprisingly, the lawyers managed to work out reasonable arrangements for joint custody that Ginny had agreed to. Harry's solicitor advised him that being the Saviour of the wizarding world had likely been the key to secure his position, and Harry had never been more thankful for his fame than at that moment. Ginny had likely been advised not to push for sole custody, for fear of the public backlash of such a move, and the potential for Harry to be granted custody instead.
At work, Harry and Draco continued to function well as a team. So well, in fact, that they had found themselves on the front page of the Prophet several times for some rather high-profile arrests. Kingsley couldn't have been more pleased. Ron couldn't have been more annoyed.
"Harry, we need to talk," Ron said as he finally cornered Harry alone.
"I'm not going to talk to you about my marriage. It's over."
"No it's not!"
"What?"
"I said it's not. You and Gin can work through this."
"No, we can't."
"Sure you can, mate. There's nothing you've done that she can't forgive you for."
"What did you say to me?"
"I said that she'll forgive you. Just tell her you're sorry, she'll take you back, and everything will be fine."
Harry couldn't believe his ears. "You don't have a fucking clue what you're talking about Ron, so I suggest you leave off."
"Harry, look, just apologize, ask Kingsley for a nice desk job, tell Draco to fuck off and everything will be fine."
"Ron, I suggest you get away from me before I hex your arse into next week."
"What the fuck, Harry? You really are a piece of work, you know that? I'm trying to help --"
"I don't believe Harry needs your sort of help, Weasley." Draco had just walked into the room. "Now why don't you try listening to him and get the fuck out? Now!"
"I will not --"
"Get out, Ron. Now. I have nothing more to say to you," Harry said, his wand aimed directly at Ron's chest.
Part 2
.
Below is the first half (due to length) of my entry. I'll back-date and post the second half so it follows this one.
Title: More Than a Partner
Author: sesheta_66
Beta: charmed310
Recipient: oceaxe. Original request can be read here.
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco, Ron/Hermione, Harry/Ginny, past Draco/wife
Summary: Harry Potter appears to have a wonderful life: wife, children and the job of his dreams. When things begin to crumble, he finds solace and comfort in a partnership he never saw coming.
Rating: Mature
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended. The author is not responsible for underage readers. This story is intended for adults. Please observe the age of legal consent for your country.
Word Count: ~ 15,170
Author's Notes: DH compliant, including epilogue. Any seemingly 'fluffy' references are intended as teasing/humour only.
"What the hell was that about?" Ron screamed as he threw himself into the sofa in the Aurors' lounge.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, grinning.
"I mean what the fuck are you playing at, Harry? You nearly got yourself - and me - killed out there!"
"You're exaggerating, mate. We're just fine."
"Yeah, but just barely."
"Ron, you know we always come out of everything okay."
"No, Harry, I don't. What I see is that we barely scrape out of sticky situations that nearly get us killed on a weekly basis!" Ron had jumped up and was now pacing. "Ginny's right," he mumbled under his breath.
Harry stopped his pacing with his outstretched arm. "What did you say?" he asked through gritted teeth and narrowed eyes.
"I said that Ginny's right. She's been saying for months now that you have a death wish. Ever since Lily went off to Hogwarts, it's like you don't care what happens to you anymore."
"That's a load of rubbish, and you know it!"
"Is it? I don't think so Harry. I think she has a point. Do you know how many times you have broken the rules, skirted protocol and jumped in when you know damn well you should wait for backup? Do you?"
Harry scowled in response.
"I didn't think so. Well, I do. Fourteen times in the past eight months, Harry. Fourteen times we both could have died."
"You didn't have to follow," Harry reasoned, his voice calm but angry.
"Oh, really? And what was I to do, stand back and let you jump in with no backup at all? Or stay back while someone attacks me standing there on my own? Neither prospect holds much promise, does it?"
"Maybe," Harry suggested, barely holding back his rage, "you should request another partner if I'm such a loose canon."
"Ha!" he barked in response. "Are you kidding? My sister would kill me if I left you to fend for yourself!"
"Oh fuck off, Ron. It's not like you're out there saving my arse every day. I take care of myself. Why don't you just put yourself out of your misery and move on then?"
"Well, Hermione would certainly appreciate it if I did," Ron retorted.
Harry could tell by the look on his face that Ron hadn't meant for that to slip out. Fine then. If Hermione didn't want her precious husband partnered up with Harry, he would soon take care of things. He stormed out of the lounge and into Kingsley's office, slamming the door behind him.
"I want a different partner," Harry announced without preamble. "As soon as possible." He looked at his boss whose face was unreadable. "Please," he said as an afterthought.
"Did the two of you have a falling out?" Kingsley asked.
"In a manner of speaking," Harry replied. "It seems that he and his wife would rather have him paired up with someone ... well, with someone who is --"
"Less reckless?" Kingsley offered, brows raised.
"Fine. Yes. Someone who will just go in and do what he's told and not risk anything. Someone not like me."
"And the reason Mr. Weasley isn't in here requesting this transfer instead of you?"
Harry drew a calming breath, trying to maintain some composure. "My wife apparently feels that her brother's job is to babysit me." At Kingsley's bemused expression, he continued. "I disagree."
"And you've given this some thought?"
"Look, Kingsley, I'm tired of being hounded day and night by the two of them. Ginny is manipulating her brother and he doesn't see it. I can't trust him anymore, because I think he's reporting to his sister. This partnership has worked out for years, but it isn't working now. If I don't trust my partner, what else is there?"
"Very well, Harry. I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you."
"I want to go back into the field," Draco informed Kingsley. "It's been long enough. I'm ready to go back."
Kingsley looked at him doubtfully. "Draco, I don't --"
"I'm ready!" he all but screamed. "Sure, I had some problems at first. Her death took a toll on both of us, and I appreciate that you let me do desk duty - you know, for my son's sake. Scorpius really needed me around as much as possible over the summer holidays. The shorter hours were more than I could have expected."
"And you've done a fine job bringing yourself back up to full-time since the school year started again." Kingsley gave him a meaningful look. "How is Scorpius now?"
Draco's face broke into one of his rare grins. "He's doing very well, thanks. It's been a tough road for him - he and his mother were very close - but he's recovering nicely now. Of course, the fact that he's back at Hogwarts helps. It's his second year now, and between his classes and the antics he and his classmates get up to, his mind is able to focus on things besides the loss of his mother.
"So …"
"Right. Back to my original request. I know we tried field work when Scorpius returned to school after the holidays last year and … well …"
"It was an unmitigated disaster," Kingsley finished quite unhelpfully. "You were --"
"It was too soon. I know that now. I hadn't given myself the opportunity to grieve, to let go. I had been focussed on ensuring Scorpius healed, but I hadn't looked after myself."
"And now you have?"
"I think so. I needed to get used to living alone. I had never lived alone before. While he was back at school, I did my grieving. Then when he was home for the summer, we did a lot of things together, thanks to the flexibility of work. Now that he's been gone for a couple of months, I'm finding myself … well, bored frankly. And I'm definitely ready to get back in the field."
"Well I have …" Kingsley let his words fade as he looked up at Draco. "You're quite sure you're ready for this?"
Draco smiled, knowing he was about to agree. "Definitely."
"Very well, then. I have a request that came across my desk in the last couple of days for a transfer, so we actually have an Auror in need of a partner."
"Perfect. Who is it, and when do we start?"
"Whoa, Draco. Don't get yourself too worked up about it. You might not like the partner I have in mind for you."
Draco snorted. He figured, after the debacle that had been his last return to the field, that he didn't have much choice in the matter. In fact, he wouldn't be surprised if the person wouldn't want to work with him, not the other way round. "How bad could it be? It's not like you'd be partnering me with Potter, and there's no one else --"
"That's exactly the partnership I had in mind, as a matter of fact."
"What?" he asked, stunned at this turn of events. "But he and Weasley --"
"Are no longer working together."
"Since when? Why? What happened?"
"Since yesterday, and I'm not at liberty to discuss the events surrounding the change. All you need to know is that Weasley is now working in the office until the new recruits begin in six weeks, and Potter is currently without a partner."
"He probably prefers things that way."
This time Kingsley snorted. "His reputation precedes him, I see?"
"He's always jumping in … well he always did … even at school."
"If you don't want to work with him, I understand. I won't force you to go back into field work. You may remain where you are, and wait until the new recruits begin, at which time you can be partnered with one of them."
"But then that would mean I'd be in training mode again, right?"
"Effectively, yes. But you would be the trainer in this case."
"But it would be mainly safe, hands-off scene investigations and interviews rather than detective work and suspect pursuit."
"That's correct. You remember what it was like when you started."
"And Weasley actually wants this?"
"I can't discuss either Weasley's or Potter's rationale. I have told you all I can. Why don't you take the week to think about it, and we'll talk on Monday?"
"No," Draco replied without even thinking.
"I understand. Potter isn't exactly the ideal partner --"
"No, I meant I don't need to think about it. I'll take the assignment … with Potter … whenever we can start. The sooner the better."
Kingsley looked at him in shock. "Are you absolutely sure, Draco? I realize the two of you don't have the best history …"
"True, but we're hardly school boys anymore, are we? Twenty years have passed. I think that's time enough to grow up. We may never be friends, but we're both professionals, and we can bring ourselves to work together, I'm sure."
Kingsley looked sceptical. "You know his reputation."
"Yes, I do. And he knows mine. We may never have got on, but we both never had any problem telling the other what we thought. If nothing else, we're honest with each other. That's half the battle between partners, I'd say."
"I suppose you have a point."
"So, when do I start?
"How about Monday?"
"Not tomorrow?"
Kingsley laughed. "We'll arrange a meeting tomorrow, but I figure you'll need a few days to wrap up your current work."
Draco rolled his eyes. "I can put the time in after hours to finish that up. I'd like to start on the fieldwork right away."
"There's no reason to do that. Let's just start Monday."
It was with reluctance that Draco, not one known for his patience, agreed. "That sounds reasonable."
"What?!" Harry barked at Kingsley.
Kingsley stared him down. "I believe you heard me, Harry."
"I didn't think Malfoy was ready to go back into the field."
"I disagree. He feels that he's ready, and I agree with him."
"But why me?" He cringed as he heard the whine escape from his lips. "Never mind."
"No, Harry, I'd like to answer that. Draco asked to be placed back in the field. I gave him two options. He could wait for the new graduates, when all three of you would be assigned partners, or he could partner with you."
"And he chose to be with me?"
Kingsley laughed. "Well, I wouldn't put it quite that way. His reaction was much the same as yours at first, but when faced with the prospect of having to go back into training mode, he decided that he would be mature about the situation, and team up with you."
Harry didn't miss the implication that he was being less mature than Malfoy. He glared at Kingsley to indicate to his boss that he knew he was being manipulated. "Very well, then. His arse is on your conscience."
"Oh? Surely you don't mean that you will not support your partner." Kingsley's tone was deadly serious.
"I ... of course not! I would never endanger the life of a fellow Auror!" Harry replied indignantly. "I merely meant that I'm not going to ... to ... mollycoddle him."
"Mollycoddle?" Kingsley suppressed a smile as he looked questioningly at Harry.
"You know what I mean. I'm not going to listen to him whine and complain about what a hard life he's had. Or what a great life I've had. I put up with enough of that shite at school."
Kingsley stood up at that point and his stare bored into Harry's eyes. "Enough, Harry. Draco is hardly a child. He is an accomplished Auror that doesn't go around whining and complaining like some spoiled brat. He went through a very difficult time. He stumbled a little along the way, but he's back - and in fine form I might add. In fact, I would suggest to you that he is acting much more adult about this than you. You found yourself in an untenable situation, and I granted your request for reassignment. As of Monday morning, you and Draco are partners. I suggest you get used to that idea. Now go find your new partner and talk."
"Talk?" Harry asked, rather surprised at Kingsley's abrupt tone. "About what?"
"Frankly, Potter, the topic of conversation is irrelevant. Talk about the weather, the Cannons, the latest trends in fashion for all I care! Take the afternoon, go for a drink ... whatever. It's obvious to me that you need to work through this before you are thrown into the field. But work it through you will. You have no other option. Have I made myself perfectly clear?"
"Yes ... sir."
Harry left Kingsley's office fuming. What the hell was he supposed to talk to Malfoy about? Oh this was lovely! Just fucking lovely.
"Malfoy!" he called round the corner when he got to Draco's section of the department. "Let's go grab a pint!" he said as he poked his head into Draco's cubicle.
"Now? What? Potter, I have work to do."
"Boss's orders. We have to ... talk."
"Why?"
"Because apparently we might have some issues to work through before we go out to work in the field together on Monday," Harry explained grudgingly.
"Oh," Draco replied, quite unhelpfully. Then he looked up at Harry in surprise. "Oh! So you agreed to the assignment?"
This question threw Harry for a bit of a loop. Kingsley gave him the impression that he hadn't had a choice in the matter. For reasons best known to the Head of the Aurors, he apparently hadn't told Malfoy that.
"Sure. Why not? We can be adult about this, right? I mean we're both good at what we do, so what's the problem?"
"Um ..." Malfoy looked like he was pondering whether or not to say what he was thinking. "Well, there is the fact that we hate each other."
"Point. Which," Harry said, gesturing towards the exit, "is the reason we're going for a pint. No better way to get past hating someone."
Draco frowned at him, but seemed to decide a pint might help after all. "Fair enough. But you're buying."
Harry grinned at Draco. "Oh, no," he said slyly. "This one's on Kingsley!"
Draco couldn't help but smile back. "Then might I suggest the venue?"
"By all means, partner."
Three hours, and two bottles of oak-matured mead later, Harry and Draco were feeling no pain, and had actually shared a few laughs. They had started out sober, talking about work, that being the safe territory. As they had a few drinks, they risked talking about growing up, but avoided the more difficult times from school - just enough that Harry felt a twinge of guilt. He had reached his own conclusions about Draco (somewhere around the halfway mark of the second bottle, he'd become Draco) based on his own observations, his encounters with Lucius, Ron's admittedly biased assumptions, and his own journey into Voldemort's mind. He was pleased to find out that many of his assumptions were wrong. It turned out the Slytherin wasn't such a horrible person after all.
If the fleeting looks on Draco's face said anything, Harry suspected he felt the same way about him. Discovering that Harry's childhood had not, in fact, been golden seemed to be a cross between unbelievable and shocking to Draco. Harry chuckled a bit when Draco seemed to get angry, even indignant on Harry's behalf, when he explained about the cupboard. He hadn't meant to tell him about it, actually. It just sort of slipped out when Draco spoke of hiding out in a closet when he was a boy and falling asleep in there, only to be discovered by a bemused Narcissa hours later. Harry had laughed and commented, "At least my cupboard had a bed in it." Draco's confused look led to an explanation and, eventually, his indignation. Of course, it was probably because a Muggle dared to treat a wizard in such a fashion, but Harry was pleased nonetheless.
He had excused himself to use the loo as the waitress brought them some much-needed coffee, and was on his way back to their table when he looked at Draco sitting there. Obviously he didn't know Harry had returned, and was looking pensively into his glass, swirling the remnants of his mead around, deep in thought. Harry's felt a jolt of (was that compassion?) for this man. He had lost his wife, and his only remaining family was Scorpius, who was now away school.
"So, Draco," Harry said as he took his seat, "how is Scorpius doing?" Instantly Draco's face lit up, and Harry could practically feel the love emanating from him across the table. His eyes danced, and there was no mistaking that Draco was a very proud father indeed.
"He's doing great! He wrote me saying that he's glad to be back at school, back with his friends."
"I know how that feels," Harry said. "Hogwarts was always like home to me. I couldn't wait to get back there every fall."
"Really?" he asked. "Oh, well, of course ... the Muggles."
"But I'm sure that's not the situation with Scorpius," Harry hastened to add. He hadn't meant to make it sound like Scorpius wasn't happy at home, and was mortified at how he must have sounded.
Draco chuckled. "Relax, Potter. No offence taken," he said as though he had read Harry's mind. "It's been a tough time for him. He and his mother were very close, and I think being at home was a constant reminder. He needs to have distractions."
"Yes, I suppose he does," Harry agreed. "Listen, you don't need to talk about this --"
"No, you know what? It feels okay to talk about it now. For some strange reason, it feels right to talk about it."
"If you're sure."
"Yeah, Harry. I think I am," Draco said, casting Harry a wistful smile. "Who would have thought?"
Harry frowned in confusion. "Thought what?"
"That of all people, you would be the only one I would feel comfortable talking to."
Harry was taken aback. "You've never ... you haven't talked to anyone about this? About what happened? But ... why?"
Draco shrugged his shoulders. "Too proud, I suppose. It's not something one talks about, the loss of one's life partner, is it?" Harry noted that he hadn't said wife or love, but life partner. He wondered if that meant anything, or if it was just a pureblood thing.
"I suppose not," Harry agreed, though he thought that he would have, with Ron or Hermione. Well, not any more, but once upon a time he might have. He thought rather bitterly that perhaps Draco was right.
"Scorpius took it all very hard. He and his mother were so close, and he was already feeling a little bit guilty about leaving her to go away to school."
"But," Harry interrupted, "he wasn't leaving her alone. You were still there."
Draco sighed. "I fear our son knew more about our relationship than we ever knew." At Harry's confused look, he continued. "Ours was an arranged marriage, not uncommon for purebloods. We were married shortly after the war, and we became rather comfortable with one another."
Harry was horrified. "But you didn't love her?"
Draco laughed the sort of laugh you used to humour those that just didn't understand. "Oh, Harry, love has very little to do with marriage in the wizarding world, you know."
"But my parents ... the Weasleys ..."
"Are more the exception than the rule, I'm afraid. Then again, your mother was Muggle-born, so --"
Harry's blood boiled. "And what's wrong with that?" he barked.
"Nothing," Draco whispered, urging Harry to calm down. "I didn't mean anything negative by it." At Harry's disbelieving glare, he rolled his eyes. "Really, Harry. I might once have meant that as an insult, but it is merely an observation. You see, it is common for pureblood marriages to be arranged, to ensure the purity of the bloodline. Families not so concerned with that might find themselves marrying for love. But in my family, and indeed many others, love is a fanciful concept best not dwelled upon."
"But ... well ... wasn't it awful being married to someone you didn't love?" Harry asked.
"Not really," Draco offered. "In fact, our marriage was quite comfortable. We knew what we expected of one another, and after Scorpius was born, there were no more obligations as such. We could coexist quite nicely. We worked together to raise our son, and we became friends."
"Friends? You were married to your friend?" Harry shuddered at the thought of being married to Hermione.
Draco looked perplexed. "Surely you are friends with your wife?" he asked.
"No," Harry replied without thinking.
"I find that strange. I would have thought that all good partnerships should have a basis in friendship. Anything else would grow from there."
Harry wasn't sure he liked the direction this conversation was heading. "And did love grow from your friendship?"
"Sadly, no. But it wasn't to be avoided. You see ..." His words trailed off as though he thought better of finishing his thought.
"What?"
"Never mind. It's not relevant. What is relevant is the fact that Scorpius knew we didn't love each other. No, that's not true. We did love each another, we just weren't in love. There was no passion, no spark, but there was mutual respect and affection. I think he felt guilty leaving, not knowing what would become of our marriage once he was gone. I fear that he considered himself to be the glue that held the family together." As though in afterthought, he mumbled, "He may have been right."
"And she was killed shortly after he started school."
"Yes. A little over two months later, she was hit by a car in Muggle London. Her wand had been crushed, and she was unable to Apparate or cast a Healing Spell to sustain her until she could be taken to a Mediwitch. The Muggle paramedics did what they could for her at the scene, but her injuries were just too great to heal without magic." He stopped for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. "If I had only been there ..."
Harry reached across the table and placed his hand over Draco's. "If there's one thing I've learned after everything I've been through," he said honestly, "it's that there's no changing the past. You can beat yourself up about what you might have done, could have done, should have done ... but none of it makes a damn bit of difference. In the end, the past is the past, and all we can do is learn from it and move on."
Draco looked up at him, not for the first time that night, with surprise. "She's gone, Draco. You need to let it go. You have a son that needs you. Just focus on that."
Draco nodded, staring at their hands. He took his free hand and placed it over Harry's. "Thanks."
Come Monday morning, Draco was actually looking forward to working with Harry. He wasn't sure if it was the alcohol that had dropped their barriers, or the fact that they had been forced to talk, but whatever it was, he was grateful for it.
Draco had found himself strangely at peace after returning home from the pub that night. Something Harry had said, the compassion he had shown Draco, had lifted a burden he hadn't known he was carrying.
As he had thought about it over the weekend, he realized that it was more than compassion. It was the absence of pity that really did it. Draco had seen in Harry's eyes that the man felt for him, truly wanted to help. But he hadn't looked at him as some weak thing that needed to be saved. That revelation surprised Draco, since 'saving people' seemed to be Potter's thing. Maybe, he thought, that was Potter's thing, but it's not Harry's thing. He realized that this new Harry - or the Harry he had never known - was a much more complicated person than Draco had ever given him credit for. And he was surprisingly intelligent. Who knew?
He also recalled with horror what he had almost let slip. Merlin, what had he been thinking? Well, he hadn't been thinking; that was the problem. He hadn't told anyone, and he wasn't sure he ever would. He did well enough disguising himself when he went out to that part of town, so he was confident that no one knew his secret. And he planned to keep it that way.
"Hey, partner!" Harry called to Draco as the blonde walked into the conference room Monday morning. Draco smiled back at him and walked over to sit next to him. Harry didn't miss the heads turning in their direction, nor did he miss the look of horror cross Ron's face as he gave Draco a friendly slap on the back in greeting. Harry ignored his friend and turned his gaze to the front of the room.
Kingsley called the meeting to order. "We have some changes in staffing to announce," he began. "First, Ronald Weasley is going to be working on the training programs for the new recruits who will be starting in five weeks' time. I'm sure Ron will welcome any input that you may have. In fact, he has asked for volunteers to help with the practical tests at the halfway and final mark. Sign-ups are on the board outside, and time may be used towards your required twenty hours of annual training." There was rumbling around the room, and Harry was pleased to see that there would be plenty of interest. He really did want Ron to succeed.
"Next, as a result of Weasley's assignment, we had Harry Potter left without a partner. Draco Malfoy is back in active duty as a Field Auror, and is Potter's new partner." Harry's greeting had prepared the room, but only slightly. There were gasps and louder rumblings at this announcement. "Yes, well," Kingsley continued, hiding a smirk, "I suspect their reputations preceded them."
The room echoed with barely-concealed chuckles, and one loud snort that Harry was sure had come from Ron. Draco glared at him, and Ron gave him the finger. "Now, Weasley, there'll be none of that," Kingsley admonished. Harry and Draco grinned conspiratorially at one another.
"Go on and get it out of your systems now," Kingsley continued. "This new assignment is permanent, so get used to it. Malfoy and Potter have worked it out, and I'm sure it will prove to be an excellent decision. Now, onto our assignments for the week."
Kingsley handed out various new cases, and reviewed ongoing investigations. For their part, Harry and Draco were assigned a routine robbery case, to add to Harry's existing workload. Knowing that Draco still had work to clear from his old job, neither complained.
The next few weeks marked a transition. Draco managed to wrap up most of his work the first week, with only a couple of files carried over for a few more days. Much was the same with Harry's old files, which he was able to wrap up after two and a half weeks. They currently had four investigations ongoing, all of which were new to them as partners, which made their situation more real. It was no longer a mishmash of each others' files.
"It's rather like when you first get married, isn't it?" Harry mused one night over a pint. Draco raised his eyebrow in question. "No, really. I mean when you both move in together, there's her stuff and your stuff. Gradually you accumulate stuff together, and over time you discard the old, so that eventually there's no division any more. Like us. Now all of our cases are ours - not mine or yours, but ours."
Draco grabbed onto Harry's hands and squeezed, letting out a sigh as he batted his eyelashes. "Oh, Harry," he said in an artificially choked-up voice. "I didn't know you cared! This means so much to me. I mean ... should we ... I don't know ... celebrate? Have a party? Invite all our friends?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Oh, shut up!"
"But Harry, this is a big step for us. I mean, there's no turning back now, is there?" he said, still in the same voice.
"Right," Harry kidded, "perhaps we should seal it with a kiss, then?"
"I agree!" Draco announced, and got up, placed his hands on Harry's cheeks, and gave him a big smack right on the lips. "There!" he said and sat back down. "Now that's settled," he continued, back to his own voice, "shall we order another pint?"
Harry sat there, stunned. Had Draco just kissed him? I mean, he had been joking. Of course, there was nothing sexual about the kiss. It had been anything but ... only still. It had been on the lips. And Harry hadn't minded. Not one bit.
Three and a half weeks in, they found themselves following some suspects down a street in the dodgy part of Hogsmeade. The Tracking Spell they had placed on one of them had not yet been noticed as they watched them enter an abandoned building.
"I suppose we should wait for back-up," Harry said.
"Fuck no! They'll get away as soon as they hear anyone Apparate. We need to go in now," Draco replied, stunned that Harry of all people would suggest such a thing.
Harry grinned at him. "I was hoping you'd say that."
Harry went in the front while Draco went round the back, and they cast Charms on the building, to prevent Apparation, Portkey and Floo travel, as well as all communication into and out of the building. Then they went in.
Five minutes later they arrived at the Ministry, eleven suspects in tow, and the building on lockdown. They had apprehended the wizards in record time, locating the storage facility for one of the largest counterfeit operations in Britain's history. Harry and Draco were greeted with congratulations from most of the department. Ron said nothing, nor did he join them for their celebratory drink at the local pub.
When Harry got home that night, it was clear that Ginny was unimpressed. It was also clear that she knew everything about the arrest, including the fact that he and Draco had gone in alone, without backup. Since Harry had given her no details when he called home to say he was going out to celebrate a successful day, he was sure who had told her.
"Harry, I want you to quit," Ginny said. "Take a desk job, or take some other job, but I'm tired of you working in the field. I can't take it any more."
"You can't take what?" he asked incredulously.
"I can't take this self-destructive behaviour. Don't you care about me?"
"Of course I care about you. What's that got to do with my job?"
"You always run into things without thinking, and I'm sick of it. You need to back off and take an easier job."
"I don't need to do anything of the sort. This is my job. This is who I am. You knew that when you married me, Gin. Nothing's changed."
"I've changed."
"No shit."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that ... oh, never mind."
"Oh, go on Harry. You know you're dying to. Do tell me how wonderful you are, what a hero you are, how everyone loves you for it."
"What?"
"Don't pretend with me, Harry. You get off on this. You love all the attention, all the praise, all the fame. You always have. And you're just sorry that I'm not fawning all over you any more. Well I grew up, Harry. I know it's hard for you to accept, but I no longer worship the hero."
"Do you even know me?" He wondered if she ever really had.
"Yes, Harry. I know you better than you know yourself. You've had the taste of fame, and you just can't let it go. Now that the Boy Who Lived and the Chosen One and the Saviour headlines are gone, you just have to do something to make people notice you!"
Harry was struck dumb by this pronouncement. After all these years, it had come to this. How long had she thought this way about him? By the sounds of it, their entire marriage. The realization hit him hard. Their lives had been a lie.
"Aha! You can't deny it, can you? Well good. I'm glad we got that sorted. Now tomorrow you will go into the office and ask for a desk job. Ron tells me they'll give you whatever you want. You know, the whole Harry Potter is our Saviour thing. Comes in handy sometimes, I suppose."
"No," Harry replied, his ears ringing.
"What do you mean, no? Of course they'll give you what you want."
"No, Ginny, I'm not going to ask for a desk job."
"You will or else!" she shrieked.
"Or else what?" Harry asked through gritted teeth, knowing what the answer would be, but needing to hear it from her mouth.
"Or else I'm leaving you, Harry. I've had enough. It's high time you got over yourself and did something for me."
"No, I don't think so, Ginny."
"What?" she said, apparently surprised that he would refuse her this.
"I said no. No, I won't do this for you. No, I won't quit my job. No, I won't ask for a reassignment. No, I won't use my name to get favours. And no, I will not get over myself because there's nothing to get over. You don't know me, and apparently you never did. I don't think I'm any better than anyone else. I happen to like my job. No, it's more than that. I love my job. I get a sense of satisfaction from doing a good job and getting bad people off the streets. I think it's you, Ginny, who needs to get over herself."
"How dare you!"
"Surely you're kidding me, right?"
"How could you speak to me this way?"
"Haven't you been listening to yourself? You claim to know me better than I know myself, yet a fundamental part of who I am seems to have escaped you. In fact, you have been lying to me, pretending to be something - and someone - you aren't. You have been manipulative and sneaky, getting your brother to feed you information about me at work. And you have the nerve to suggest that I am the one being unreasonable? I don't think so, Gin. You want to leave, there's the door. I'm not stopping you."
She stared at him, her mouth opening then closing. She opened it again, then closed it. Finally she turned and stormed out of the room. Harry could hear things flying around their bedroom, then heard the distinct sound of her Apparating.
Fifteen minutes later, the owls started arriving:
My solicitor will contact you tomorrow - Ginny.
Harry, I'll come by the flat tomorrow evening. We need to talk - Hermione.
Harry, I'm sure this is just a phase, and you will work things out. You can reach Ginny at the Burrow - Molly.
Harry, what the fuck is going on? You need to fix this. I'll be over in the morning before work - Ron.
Harry, I'm quite sure that you and Ginevra can sort this out. If I may be of any assistance to you, feel free to contact me via owl. Perhaps we might have a spot of tea to discuss matters at the Ministry tomorrow. I'm sure Kingsley won't mind if I ask him in the morning - Percy.
"Harry?" Draco asked as he entered the front room of his local flat, where he stayed during the work week. "My house-elf just informed me you were at the door. Is something wrong?"
"I'd say so, yeah."
"Shall I get us some tea?"
"Firewhiskey would be preferable, actually."
Draco looked at his partner. What on earth could have happened between their celebration and now? He had been in such a good mood, the best he had been since they'd become partners, and now he looked ... broken.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"Ginny left me."
"Firewhiskey it is then."
Draco listened to Harry recount the story, and he did his very best not to interject. He felt his blood pressure rising by the moment, and he silently prayed for the strength not to run out and find the bitch. He had never liked Ginny - well, he had never been all that fond of any of the Weasleys, but Ginny had a special place in his heart. She didn't deserve Harry, and never had. But this was too much, even for her. Didn't she know anything - anything at all - about her own husband? They'd been together twenty years, for Merlin's sake! How could she know so little about someone she supposedly loved?
"You did the right thing," he told Harry when his partner had finished.
"Did I, Draco?" he asked, a pained look in his eyes. "Did I really?"
"Yes, Harry, you did."
"I don't know. What ... what about the kids?"
"What about them?"
"What will this do to them?"
"Well, they're away at school for most of the year, so it's really only the breaks you need to think about."
"True."
"From what you just told me, it doesn't sound like Ginny knows you at all."
"No, it doesn't."
"So there's no chance that this is temporary?"
"Absolutely not. She's ... she's just ..."
"A bitch," Draco finished for him. Harry looked at him with shock. "Well, she is. Always has been as far as I'm concerned, but it wasn't my place to say. You loved her after all."
"Yeah ... I suppose so."
"What do you mean you suppose so?"
"Well ... I'm not so sure I really knew her at all. So how could I be in love with someone ... I'm beginning to think I was in love with a person that doesn't even exist."
"You have a point there."
Harry finished his third Firewhiskey and reached for the bottle, but Draco's hand covered his. "I'm not going to stop you, Harry, but you might want to reconsider the idea of drinking any more tonight." Harry frowned at him. "You will probably want a level head and a clear mind tomorrow," he suggested.
"Maybe you're right."
"Of course I'm right. I'm always right."
Harry chuckled and rolled his eyes. "You're good for me, you know that?"
"And don't you ever forget it!" Draco teased.
"I wouldn't dream of it," he said with a smile. "Draco?"
"Mmm?"
"Can I stay the night? I don't think I can stand the sight of any more owls."
"Of course you may. I'll have my house-elf fix up the spare room."
"Thanks."
"Any time, Harry."
As they had agreed, Draco went into the office in the morning, grabbed their assignments, and then left. Harry didn't step into the office once that day, but did check in periodically to be sure Kingsley knew he was working.
Part way through the day, they stopped in at Harry and Ginny's flat to check on any owls. There were three from Ron, another one from Hermione and one from Ginny's lawyer. Ron's and Hermione's were repeats of the previous ones, and the other one told Harry that Ginny wanted a divorce, the flat and the children. In that order.
He looked around the home that he and Ginny had lived in, and Harry realized that she had decorated every room there. He hadn't contributed a thing. Of course, he wasn't asked to. He recalled coming home from work to find she had done something else, which had been fine at the time. But now as he looked at it, he realized that there was nothing that reflected him.
"Good riddance," he said aloud as he scribbled a reply to the lawyer.
I won't contest the divorce. She may have the flat. I want the children.
"Draco, do you mind finishing up the day without me?" he asked.
"Not at all, but is there a reason? Besides the obvious, I mean."
Harry handed him the letter from the lawyer, and his response. "I'm looking at this place, and suddenly it doesn't feel like home. All I can see here is Ginny, and it feels like a house full of lies. I just want to gather my things and leave. I'll need some time to clear everything out and move it over to my house."
"You have a house?"
"Grimmauld Place. Sirius left it to me when he died."
"So why don't ... why didn't you live there?"
"Ginny fancied a new place, a flat in a 'better neighbourhood' she had said."
"Why didn't you sell the other place then?"
"I couldn't do it. Sirius grew up there. I know it sounds stupid, especially because he hated the place himself, but I couldn't sell the only connection I had to him."
"That doesn't sound stupid at all. That house represents those things for Sirius, and he had been an important person in your life - a connection to your parents."
"Yeah, he was."
"Well then, let's get to it."
"Get to what?"
"Let's get you moved out."
"You don't have to --"
"I know, Harry. I want to."
Harry collected his clothing from the bedroom and brought it through to the living room. "I'm curious about something, Draco," he said.
"What's that?"
"How is it that I managed to work with you for a few weeks and you seem to know me better than my wife, someone I lived with for nearly twenty years?"
Draco hesitated, wondering how he should answer that. He adamantly refused to lie to Harry, so he gave him the truth - or at least a part of it. "I'm Slytherin, Harry. It's in my nature to observe people."
Much to his relief, Harry didn't ask him any more questions, and they managed to get him moved into Grimmauld Place in about an hour.
"This place is utterly uninhabitable," Draco stated.
"It is in rather a state, I agree."
"Then it's settled. You'll stay with me until this place is fixed up."
"Draco, I couldn't impose --"
"I won't take no for an answer."
"Are you sure?" Harry asked.
"Positive. Besides, I could use the company." He knew that Harry could to, but that he'd never admit it. As it was, his grateful expression spoke volumes.
Over the next few weeks, word got out about Harry and Ginny's split, and Harry refused to talk to anyone except Draco about it. He ignored all of Hermione's owls, which grew more numerous by the day. He simply opened them, read them, then pitched them into the fire. He ignored Ron altogether.
Meanwhile, Harry had, with Draco's help, turned Grimmauld Place into a home much more habitable than it had been. He had moved in a week after he and Ginny had split, and continued to redecorate while there. He and Draco had met with contractors, and Harry had, upon Draco's insistence, added his own touch, to ensure the house reflected his tastes, not anyone else's. He had done some basic painting when the war had ended, but now he really made some changes.
Surprisingly, the lawyers managed to work out reasonable arrangements for joint custody that Ginny had agreed to. Harry's solicitor advised him that being the Saviour of the wizarding world had likely been the key to secure his position, and Harry had never been more thankful for his fame than at that moment. Ginny had likely been advised not to push for sole custody, for fear of the public backlash of such a move, and the potential for Harry to be granted custody instead.
At work, Harry and Draco continued to function well as a team. So well, in fact, that they had found themselves on the front page of the Prophet several times for some rather high-profile arrests. Kingsley couldn't have been more pleased. Ron couldn't have been more annoyed.
"Harry, we need to talk," Ron said as he finally cornered Harry alone.
"I'm not going to talk to you about my marriage. It's over."
"No it's not!"
"What?"
"I said it's not. You and Gin can work through this."
"No, we can't."
"Sure you can, mate. There's nothing you've done that she can't forgive you for."
"What did you say to me?"
"I said that she'll forgive you. Just tell her you're sorry, she'll take you back, and everything will be fine."
Harry couldn't believe his ears. "You don't have a fucking clue what you're talking about Ron, so I suggest you leave off."
"Harry, look, just apologize, ask Kingsley for a nice desk job, tell Draco to fuck off and everything will be fine."
"Ron, I suggest you get away from me before I hex your arse into next week."
"What the fuck, Harry? You really are a piece of work, you know that? I'm trying to help --"
"I don't believe Harry needs your sort of help, Weasley." Draco had just walked into the room. "Now why don't you try listening to him and get the fuck out? Now!"
"I will not --"
"Get out, Ron. Now. I have nothing more to say to you," Harry said, his wand aimed directly at Ron's chest.
Part 2
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