The Mists of Memory

Chapter 2: I'm Not a Death Eater!

Strangely enough, not long after Dumbledore disappeared, Sirius had come back...all of sudden and without giving an explanation. Harry couldn't be happier to see him again, but his godfather didn't want to tell him how he got out of the Veil. Harry had tried to find out, but Sirius had always changed the subject...in the end he hadn't asked anymore, accepting Sirius's right to keep it a secret. He suspected that Professor Dumbledore had played a part in it, though.

Anyway, using his newly acquired "influence" over the Ministry of Magic, Harry had cleared Sirius from all the charges. The day when the sentence of his godfather had been revoked had been one of the happiest of his life. He'd not been forced to return to Privet Drive any longer, and had moved to number 12, Grimmauld Place.

Ron had finally had his dreams come true...He'd got married to Hermione in a very private ceremony, and had also become the reserve keeper for the Chudley Cannons. Hermione had continued to study and was often travelling for work. They were like two peas in a pod; they argued constantly, but reconciled quickly.

Then, little more than two years before, someone had destroyed their peace.

Voldemort.

Yes, him. Still alive, despite all efforts.

'It's not easy to meet you either. I read in the Daily Prophet that your father received the Dementor's Kiss two years ago. Many Aurors have been looking for you ever since.'

'Are you one of them? Were you following me? If so, you should've let that Dementor kill me. I'd have preferred that than to be indebted to you. Not kidding,' Draco said, slurring his words as his teeth chattered. He looked at Harry with his pale eyes as deep shivers ran through his body and a deep cough tickled his throat.

'Me? An Auror? You must be joking. No, I wasn't looking for you, I'd gone out to get something to eat.' He pointed to the package he was carrying, which Draco noticed for the first time. 'But it'll be cold by now, so the others won't want it.' He sighed.

'What were you doing in the alley then? The stores in this neighbourhood were all closed.'

'In fact I got this from the other side of the city. I'd only just Reapparated here when you bumped into me.'

Draco was startled. So that was Potter...After I bumped into him, he must have followed me to help me. He tightened his fists. 'Don't expect any apologies,' he hissed.

Harry bent his head backwards and laughed. 'Of course not. And I don't expect you to thank me either; I know you won't.'

Without looking at Draco, Harry opened the package he'd bought. It was all cold...well, it didn't matter; they'd heat it up. He took something out of it and bit into it. Then he turned towards Draco and threw him another.

'Eat,' he said. Draco observed with astonishment that what he had caught instinctively was a chocolate bar.

'I won't accept your charity, Potter,' Draco said, his teeth chattering with every word. It was not easy maintaining a semblance of dignity in that state...and he couldn't stop coughing, damn!

'Malfoy, I always knew you were a git, but I didn't make you a complete idiot.' Harry smiled when Draco's eyes became small cracks on his face. 'You were about to receive the Kiss from a Dementor; it's not a small thing. You're shaking like a bloody leaf!'

Draco realised at that moment that Harry was right. Probably the shivers running along his back weren't due to the cold alone.

'I don't think the Dementor was the main cause of that,' he reflected aloud, looking down at his soaking clothes. But he glared at the bar, unwrapped it and bit into it.