What If? - Drarry

Chapter Twelve

"I guess it'll be what you make of it," Harry shrugged. 'Hopefully, it'll be good, because you'll be getting out- actually, that reminds me: do you have anywhere to go when you're released?"

Harry sounded nonchalant as he spoke, but Draco noticed that he watched him closely as he waited for an answer. Caught off guard by the change of subject, it took Draco a moment to gather a response.

"Honestly... no," Draco said. "I don't really know what I'm going to do when I'm out - I'm definitely not going back to the Manor."

"No, of course not," Harry was silent for a minute. Then, haltingly, he said; "You know, I was thinking... well, I have a spare room in my apartment, and I thought - I mean, if you've not got anywhere to go - I could always let you stay at my place for a while, while you get things on track."

Draco was silent as he processed what Harry had said. He imagined what it would be like to live with Harry; to come home at the end of the day to a house full of him; to eat meals with him. On the one hand, it sounded perfect. On the other, it sounded like torture. He looked at Harry, who had turned a little red during the silence.

"I mean, you probably wouldn't want to," Harry started, "it's pretty small so I understand if-"

Draco cut him off. "You know, I think that might actually be a pretty good idea." He nodded, thinking through the proposition. "You live in a muggle part of London, right?"

"Yeah," Harry nodded.

"Well, that's great because I'm banned from using magic for  a year after my release, so it'll be much easier to live in the Muggle world during that time... of course, I'll only live with you until I find a place to stay myself, but in the meantime, I'd really, really appreciate that." Draco cocked his head to the side. "Why are you so surprised?"

Harry blinked. "What?"

"You seem surprised by the fact that I said yes."

"I think I'm more surprised by the fact that I asked," Harry grinned in an embarrassed sort of way. 

"Well, of course, if you don't think it would work I'll find somewhere else," Draco said hastily, but Harry shook his head.

"No, no, it'll work fine. Don't worry."

Draco smiled. "Glad to hear it. To tell you the truth, I've been pretty worried about what was going to happen for a while now, so this is a big weight off my-" Then Draco remembered something, and his mood dropped like a stone. "Shit."

"What?" Asked Harry, worriedly.

"My dad still legally owns all the Malfoy gold. How the hell am I going to pay rent? Or for food or anything? I barely have two sickles to rub together!"

"Draco, don't be stupid," Harry cut in. "You don't need to pay me, I'm perfectly well off. You can get a job and start saving, and by the time you get your wand back, you'll have some money in the bank. Really, it's no big deal," He reiterated. Draco bit his lip.

"It feels wrong to live in your house and eat your food and not pay you."

"Well, if you really insist, you can pay me back the money when you have it. But I don't care, honestly." Harry's eyebrows furrowed. "Your dad still owns everything?"

"Pretty much," Draco said darkly. "Everything in the Manor, and everything in the Gringotts vault. My mother might have a few galleons stashed in another vault, but," He gestured. "that's about it."

Harry grimaced. "Maybe, when your mother gets out- she'll file for a divorce, right?"

"I bloody well hope so."