An End And A Beginning

2: Casting Enchantments On The Soul

The isolation of the following day seemed a hundred times worse than before owing to having had a glimpse of the world outside the Manor. What's more, having had a glimpse of the world with Potter by his side. He kept taking Potter's handkerchief out of his pocket and looking at it to make sure the previous evening had happened. It made the previous day real. The day dragged and Draco dreaded the evening. At least he still spent his days outside and busy as they prepared the estate for winter but night... night times brought with them the ghosts of the Manor and the lonely torment of the past.

Only there was a knock on the door once more and Draco berated himself for hoping it was Potter.

He felt his shoulders drop when he flung open the door and there the man was, leaning nonchalantly against one of the pillars and looking out across the front gardens in the falling dusk.

'So, you can't keep away, Potter,' he drawled slowly to hide the excited beating of his heart.

Potter smiled in that way of his and said, 'I imagine the gardens are beautiful in the summer, all colourful flowers and whatnot. Never liked those tall hedges along the driveway though. Bloody creepy to walk between at this time of day.' Draco wasn't sure if he ought to be insulted but he was inclined to agree, now Potter had pointed it out. However, Potter seemed blissfully unaware of his bluntness and continued, 'perhaps I'll have to come back when it's all in bloom and the sun is shining.' He pushed himself off the stonework and said, 'did you want to visit your father again?'

Draco supposed he didn't want to at all but if he said no, well, Potter would walk away and that might be it. So he nodded and said 'please'.

'Do you want to take anything?'

'Perhaps more cake...' Draco said and he led Potter back into the kitchen.

As they left, he grabbed up his jumper once more, though this time he tied it around his waist because he was feeling surprisingly flushed despite the cold chill of the late-November evening.

He snorted softly to himself when they got in the lift at St Mungo's to go up to the Blue Zone, amused by their reflection in the mirrored wall and his own faded tight grey t-shirt. When Potter glanced at him quizzically, he leant close and whispered, 'have you noticed how we seem to have swapped wardrobes since Hogwarts?'

Potter shook his head with a smile and said, 'yeah, but your clothes are remarkably more fitted than mine ever were in school.'

'Equally tatty though,' he exchanged a teasing insult for earlier but Harry just laughed and it caught Draco off guard. He didn't mean to say aloud, 'and your Auror uniform is a damn sight cooler than my pretentious black suits.'

'Is that a compliment, Draco Malfoy?'

'I think it might just have been,' Draco said coolly. 'My mistake...'

Potter held his eye contact. 'You know, I happened to quite like your black suits.'

Draco smiled, wishing this lift journey would go on forever and he didn't have to face the reality of what was coming. 'Yes,' he turned towards Potter, standing too close, especially as their wrists were handcuffed together. 'I always felt very sophisticated in them and most superior. Thing is, I hadn't really earnt them. I was just a child despite my pretences otherwise. You've clearly earnt this...' he touched the front of Potter's black wool coat, his fingers tracing lightly over the buckles across Potter's chest.

The lift pinged and they moved apart as the doors opened.

Draco felt his heartbeat increase in stutters as they walked along to corridor towards the ward and he wondered if this were Groundhog Day. It felt remarkably the same.