Beta: CofAYM: Keikokin's faithful bitch, er, servant, er, I'm fast and easy... wait, that's not it either!
Disclaimer: Not my characters all credit for the HP world goes to JK. I am an insect in her hair. Buzz. I get no money. Buzz. Flick...Ouch!
**********************************************************************************************************


'Knock, Knock' came the tap at the fireplace of Harry Potter's small, comfortable flat at the east end of London. Harry wiped away a tear, closed up the photo album he was looking in, and then crossed the room. Remus Lupins' head appeared in the fire. Harry smiled. Remus had replaced Sirius in his life in many ways. He had been very grateful for that and always happy to see him.

Harry bent down in his blue jeans and black sweater, sitting Indian style before the hearth.

"Hey Moony. You coming over for lunch today?"

Remus Lupin looked painfully and sadly at his adopted Godson. He had news to tell him which he was sure would hurt him.

"I don't think you'll be up for it. Mind if I come over to talk to you now?"

Harry looked questioningly at the fire, shrugged and got up. He extended a hand into the green flames helping the werewolf into the flat. "Scourgify" Harry said, waving a wand over his visitor before he stepped on the white sheepskin rug. Sighing, he realized he should probably move that rug, but he couldn't bear it - not yet. He trudged off toward the kitchen, ignoring the empty pang in his heart or the clenching of his stomach.

Calling back over his shoulder to his visitor he said, "Want some coffee?" There was a moment of silence, then Remus agreed to have some. It wasn't that Harry's coffee was bad, he just wasn't sure how long he should stay after delivering his news. He sat at the small counter that divided the kitchen from the sitting area. Harry put a coffee cup in front of the older man while taking a drink from his own.

"So, anyone we know?" Harry began as a preamble to what surely must be bad news. So many people had died in the war and the aftermath of it these past 3 months that it seemed Harry was always in black.

"No, thank God. No one has died - that I know of," Remus said, yet the smile he tried to force to his lips didn't make his eyes. Harry nodded and drank more of his coffee, his stomach unclenching slightly. "Have you seen the paper today Harry?" Remus began again. Harry shook his head no as a tear escaped. With one hand he pointed to the photo album on the table. Remus nodded in understanding. There had been many days and nights where he had found Harry looking at those pictures, crying his eyes out.

"This won't be easy for you to hear, I know." Remus began yet again as he noticed Harry had covered his chest in an all too familiar posture he used to shield himself from pain. "The Manor is going up for auction today at Noon."

A shudder escaped from Harry's chest; tears filled his eyes. "They can't." he gasped. Remus reached out a hand, covering the shoulder of the man in front of him. Then, with a glance at the clock and a fierce look in his eyes, Harry ran to grab his shoes.

"NO! Harry, no, let it go!" Remus wailed after him, knowing it was a perfect waste of breath.

************* Shortly before Noon at the Malfoy Manor ************************

Remus reluctantly registered his name and Harry's in the Auctioneer's book. Everyone in attendance was receiving a placard regardless of whether they were to bid or not. The werewolf looked sadly at Harry, whose large green eyes had gone slightly out of focus, signaling he was thinking about Draco again.

Draco, Gods how I miss you my love. It's amazing though how we ever got together. The sixth year at Hogwarts, yes, I suppose that's when it began. How long ago was that? Damn, I'm getting old. That year was the change between us. It was so simple; we just shook hands for the first time, willingly. We swore we wouldn't fight anymore. For the next two years we became friends. No, good friends. Then, at Graduation, even that changed. I remember it so vividly.

"Hey Harry!"

Draco had yelled across the emptying platform before the Hogwarts Express left. I stopped instantly, smiling happily at you. You smiled back at me then said softly.

"There's something I've been wanting to give you for a long time now Harry."

I remember feeling very confused, my heart beating wildly as I realized you were about to kiss me. Then you did; the boundary was crossed for the first time. I put my arms around you, held you close, and kissed you in return.

Harry's eyes still fluttered closed in remembrance of that kiss.

A month later we made love for the first time in my flat on the sheepskin rug in front of the fire. I swear I can still feel the heat of the moment, those touches, kisses, and words.

"I love you Harry."

Things had become very serious after that. Draco stayed almost every night at the flat. The nights he didn't, Harry stayed at the Manor. Then Harry received the notice from the Ministry that they needed him to fight Voldemort.

They had made love over and over until they could barely walk, much less sit. It was a desperate, deep, binding love that consumed them, their fear that they would never be together again driving them into a near frenzy of lovemaking. At long last, crying in each other's arms, they had to go their separate ways. Harry to fight Voldemort and Draco to destroy the Death Eaters from the inside.

It was likely neither would live though the night. Then Draco had said the words, which had haunted Harry's heart, body, mind, and soul for the three months they'd been apart.

"Never doubt that I will return to you Harry. I will return to you. I love you, forever."

Remus touched Harry on the shoulder pulling him back to the present day. This morning he had spent, like so many others, pouring over pictures of he and Draco together at friends' houses, playing, kissing, hugging, cooking, and just being together. Draco had often kidded that Harry was turning into Colin Creevey but it was worth it to have all those memories of the man he loved so deeply.

"Hey Harry, they're starting."

Those words snapped Harry back to the here and now. A large crowd seemed to have gathered since he'd been daydreaming. He took a deep breath, summoning his courage for what he was about to do.

"Do I hear one hundred thousand galleons?" the English Dandy of a wizard asked from his podium.

Several hands shot up at once.

"Excellent, two hundred thousand galleons?" the auctioneer went on for sometime as the participants thinned.

"Do I hear one million galleons?" The auctioneer had to look for hands this time and Harry raised his placard. Next to him, Remus gasped. The auctioneer smiled at his famous bidder.

"Very good. I believe it is time for an intermission. We shall resume at one o'clock, sharp." He looked pointedly at Harry, who nodded.

Harry turned to the werewolf beside him whose mouth was on the ground. Taking him by the elbow, he ushered him out of the crowd, looked at his watch, and summoned a cup of tea for each of them as they sat down at a table.

"WHY?" Remus gasped.

"Because it's a part of him, a part of us. I haven't given up Remus. He will come back. The Manor must stay in the family."

"But Harry, what if..."

"NO! Malfoys always keep their word!" Harry fought to keep his tears from running down his cheeks.

"That's right, they do," came a voice from behind Harry. Turning, he looked into the eyes of Vince, Greg, Pansy, and Blaise. They smiled at him.

"Told you he'd be here, didn't I?" said Pansy to her old classmates.

"Way to go Harry," Vince said.

"Yeah, if anyone should own that Manor it should be you!" Blaise insisted.

"It's almost like he's here," Greg whispered, looking at the imposing structure beyond the tents.

"Yeah, " Harry started to cry. Pansy slipped her arms around Harry.

'TIME FOR THE AUCTION TO COMMENCE!" Came a magically loud voice.

"Damn!" Harry said and bolted through the crowd.

Panting, he arrived in time to raise his placard for a bid of three million galleons. Bidders began to drop out like flies as Harry found himself surrounded by Remus and the old Slytherin gang. Soon it was down to Harry and one other person who Harry suspected was a dealer ready to rip the Manor apart and sell it bit by bit. He felt his temper rise, knowing full well he'd liquidate everything Sirius had left him to buy the Manor.

"Six million galleons!" the auctioneer announced happily at Harry's last bid.

"Ten!" yelled the dealer.

"Twenty!" Harry yelled back, marching over to the man in fury.

"Forty!" exclaimed the man smugly.

"ONE HUNDRED MILLION GALLEONS!" bellowed Harry. The other man sputtered like a fish out of water, then stormed away. Harry felt hands pat him on the back.

"All right, it looks as though that is my last bid to Mr. Potter at One Hundred Million Galleons for Malfoy Manor. Is there anyone else?" The auctioneer looked hopefully around the assembly. He smiled at Harry.

"Going once!"

"Going twice!"

A gasp echoed through the crowd and Harry felt bodies being shoved into other bodies. The auctioneer stopped mid gavel, stood on his toes to see what was going on, then with a shrug raised the gavel into the air.

"NOT FOR SALE AT ANY PRICE!" came a magically heightened voice, a voice that made Harry scream.

"DRACO!" Harry took off, clawing his way desperately through the crowd.

"HARRY!" Draco yelled back, his long blond hair now visible.

"DRACO!" Harry sobbed as he collided into Draco, clutching desperately at him.

"Oh Harry. I love you. I told you I'd be back."

"And a Malfoy never goes back on their word," Harry cried from somewhere in Draco's neck. "I love you. Welcome home Draco."

Draco pointed his wand at his throat. "Sonorous!"

"MALFOY MANOR IS NOT FOR SALE. THE OWNER HAS RETURNED. PLEASE LEAVE THE PREMISES IMMEDIATELY OR I WILL HEX YOU ALL! DAMN VULTURES!"

Harry laughed for the first time in three months. As the crowd apparated away leaving only Remus and the Slytherins, gasping in amazement at Draco's return, "You always were one for a dramatic entrance,' Pansy laughed.

"You ever do that to Harry again and I'll kill you myself!" Remus growled, yet smiled as Draco nodded, still caught in a vise-like bear hug by Harry.

"Well, its great to see you back Draco," Greg said and the others nodded.

"But we should go leave the lovers alone. BUT we will be back for dinner tomorrow night Draco!" Pansy shooed everyone away to apparate.

Draco looked down at Harry in his arms. He gently kissed his lover before it turned more passionate. With a groan, Draco pulled away. Sighing happily, Harry curled back into his lover's arms.

"They ruined the lawns!" Draco growled unhappily, waving his wand to repair the damage and remove the remnants of the auction.

"Is that all you care about?" Harry smirked.

"No, of course not lover," Draco beamed. "But just out of curiosity, how much was she about to sell for?"

"One hundred million galleons," Harry chuckled at Draco's face of shock.

"Who?" Draco gasped.

"Me, silly. You think I'd let you come back to the Malfoy Manor being taken from you?" Harry said seriously, looking into Draco's eyes. "I know what it means to you, to us. It's a part of you."

"But Harry love, that kind of money would have left you destitute, or nearly, surely."

"It was an investment?" Harry asked, starting to blush through his tears as he stared into his lovers' eyes.

"Yes, in love," Draco said, kissing Harry deeply for his caring, love, and devotion, before they apparated inside Malfoy Manor to make love.

Fin