s missing.

When Draco arrived home that evening, he began planning how he would pack his things for his move to France. From his desk he’d sent a Ministry owl to the letting agent and asked them for a bolt-on lease earlier than his current lease started since he knew the apartment was already empty. He didn’t want to start packing before he knew he could go earlier so he contented himself with planning.

He’d considered getting rid of his current flat after he moved considering he hated the place, but since he’d paid for it outright, it didn’t make sense to sell it just yet. Yes, it would’ve paid for his settling in in France, but if he kept hold of it he could be back when Teddy was home from school with as little disruption as possible. He hadn’t quite worked out what he was going to do about telling Teddy, but he was sure he’d be able toe up with something.

He was just deciding whether it would be safe to take the family time-turner with him, or to leave it in his Gringotts vault, when the floo flared. He didn’t even have time to register who it was before he was being yanked up by his collar and pressed against the nearest wall.

‘What the hell is this?’ A file was shoved directly into his chest and he nearly dropped it as the force of the impact knocked the air out of him. Draco immediately recognised it as his Ministry personnel file. He opened it and on the first page was his basic information and a thankfully updated headshot. It had originally been his Azkaban mugshot, not his finest hour.

‘My Ministry file?’ He asked a furious looking Harry. When was this guy ever going to learn that he couldn’t just barge in here without an invitation?

‘Obviously.’ Harry spat, sounding scarily like Severus Snape. ‘I was referring to its contents.’

Ah, the penny dropped.

‘If you would kindly let go of me, maybe I’ll tell you.’ Draco told him calmly. It seemed Harry hadn’t actually realised he was still pinning Draco to the wall as he shook his head and released his collar. ‘Thanks.’

‘Well?’ Harry demanded. Draco tried his best not to roll his eyes at Harry’s impatience.

‘Well what?’ Draco said as he flipped through the file, ‘I’m no longering into the Ministry for the case. I don’t see why that’s such a big deal, Kings-’

‘That’s not what I’m talking about.’ Harry snapped and turned the pages back to Draco’s basic information. Draco couldn’t figure out what was so important that Harry felt the need to barge into his flat after hours and—oh.

‘Shit.’ He whispered. It hadn’t even urred to him that Harry, as Draco’s superior, would have to sign off on Kingsley’s decision. Kingsley however, had been Head Auror before he became Minister, which meant he should’ve absolutely foresee—oh that meddling bastard. No wonder he was so calm about Draco leaving his post.

‘Damn right. When exactly did you think you were going to tell me you’re still using my name, Potter? Is this all a game to you? Play with my feelings and then what, rob me for all I’m worth? Sell me out? I’m really fucking curious because you can’t possibly have just otten about this, Mr. some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter.’

Draco cringed as Harry "ed his eleven-year-old self back to him. He was such a snotty kid, he couldn’t even deny it.

‘I never got 'round to changing it back.’ He said quietly. Harry scoffed.

‘You expect me to believe that? Three years Draco. No one is that busy for that length of time.’

‘You obviously already know why I didn’t change it and why I didn’t tell you Harry, why did you evene here?’ This really was getting ridiculous and Draco was done. He wasn’t going to play along anymore.

‘I don’t know.’ Harry said defeatedly. That surprised Draco.

‘You’ve got to stop being so hot-headed.’ Draco told him. ‘Between the pair of us, Teddy’s going to turn out an absolute headcase.’

‘Why can’t we just get along, Draco?’ Harry asked him tiredly, rubbing his eyes beneath his glasses.

‘Since when did we ever get along?’ It wasn’t like they’d been holding hands and making daisy chains since the day they met. Harry dropped down onto Draco’s lumpy sofa. Alright, make yourself at home then.

‘We were happy for nearly eight years.’ Harry argued stubbornly.

‘We’ve known each other eighteen.’ Draco pointed out. Harry sighed.

‘See, now we can’t even have a normal conversation without disagreeing. What happened?’

‘We made mistakes Harry. We were young and stupid and we both thought we knew best.’ Draco was done blaming either one of them for what went wrong, he was finally ready to move on with his life.

‘This isn’t what I wanted for Teddy. He’s already had one set of parents taken from him, he doesn’t need another. I dread to think what would have happened if anything had happened to Molly and Arthur, and I don’t think we’ve been fooling Teddy.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘He calls you Daddy, you know.’

Draco finally caved and sat on his sofa next to Harry.

‘He what?’

‘He calls me Dad and you Daddy.’ Harry said it like it was the easiest thing in the world, but Draco felt like his heart would burst.

‘No, he doesn’t, he calls me Draco.’ He said cautiously.

‘He calls you Draco to your face because he thinks you wouldn’t like it if he tried to call you Daddy. Whenever you’re not around it’s “Daddy said this and Daddy that”, sometimes he calls you ‘other Dad’—he thinks it’s funny.’

Draco didn’t know what to say.

‘I see.’ He said quietly.

‘Yeah. Just thought you should know.’ Harry said as he started rubbing his neck awkwardly again. ‘Anyway, I should be going, I have someone—somewhere to be.’

Draco heard the someone. He said nothing.

‘Ok.’ He said instead.

‘I never did lift those wards, did I?’

‘Nope. Don’t worry about it now.’ Draco reassured him.

‘Are you sure?’

‘I’m sure.’ Draco didn’t tell him he wasn’t going to be living there much longer, he wasn’t ready for another goodbye.

‘Well alright then.’ Harry said as he walked over to the floo.

‘Oh, and Harry?’ Draco asked as he watched Harry reach for a handful of floo powder.

‘Yeah?’ Harry turned his head back to look at Draco.

‘Never show up at my home without my permission again.’ Draco’s tone was firm, but Harry grinned anyway.

‘Alright.’ And then he was gone.

Draco felt a hell of a lot better about leaving his flat after that. He supposed it was because he had some sort of closure. He could leave knowing everything between him and Harry was out in the open, even if Draco didn’t want to pursue anything.

A week later, Draco received an unexpected owl. He’d just begun packing his stuff up for his move when an unfamiliar tawny owl started scratching at his window. He hauled himself up from where he’d been sat cross-legged on the floor to let the owl in and was surprised to find an official Gringotts envelope. He hadn’t kept his own owl for a long time and since he didn’t have anything to give the tawny, it bit at his fingers and he yelped. He managed to shoo it back out of the window—trust the goblins to employ the nastiest owls possible.

He sat down at his kitchen table to open the letter, which seemed far thicker than any letter he’d ever received from Gringotts before. Gringotts never contacted anyone unless to inform them of an inheritance or an outstanding debt to be paid, neither of which applied to Draco. With a strange kind of eagerness, Draco tore apart the wax seal and began reading the almost indecipherable goblin script.

Dear Mr. Potter,

It hase to the bank’s attention that your loan application was prematurely denied. It appears that you do qualify for a business loan through Gringotts Goblin Bank Inc., and we extend our deepest for any inconvenience caused.

As a respected and loyal client of the bank, we would like to offer you a reduced interest rate as a gesture of goodwill.

It has alsoe to our attention that, owing to the War Reparations Act of 1998, the freezing of inheritance assets has ended after the statutory 10 years. Due to an oversight in our administration centre, it hase to our attention that vault number 726 should have been released as of 2nd May 2008. Once again, we offer our sincerest apologies and would like to reassure you that all parties involved have been dealt with ordingly as per the internal protocol of the bank.

Please do not hesitate to contact your nearest Gringotts bank with any enquiries you may have.

Yours Sincerely,

Lozk Gringott

Head Goblin of Gringotts Wizarding Bank

Draco was blown away. He knew the decision had been unfair, but once the goblins made their choice, no force on earth could usually sway them. Included in the envelope, were the deeds to the Malfoy property in France. Draco hadn’t realised that his father had already transferred ownership to Draco by the time of his arrest. Of course, Draco shouldn’t have been surprised—Lucius had always been ruthless and calculating when it came to the Malfoy Estate. Vault 726 was the vault his father had set up for him when he was a child. It was customary in pureblood families to do so as although Draco was already set to inherit the Estate as the sole heir, it was assumed that the money would be used to keep his bride until such time that it was necessary for him to take over.

That obviously hadn’t been applicable in Draco’s case.

Nevertheless, Draco had long since assumed that all of that had been taken by the Ministry during his trial. He had no idea he had any assets to be frozen at the time. This certainly changed his plans for his move to France.

Still, and call it his inner Slytherin cunning, he was sure this wasn’t a coincidence. Someone, maybe at the bank, maybe someone who knew something about Draco’s situation, wanted him to leave as soon as possible. Probably Harry, he thought when he went over their last conversation. There was nothing left to say between them, and although Harry knew nothing of his plans to move to Paris, Draco was sure he’d be more than happy to get Draco out of the way now that their somewhat tenuous arrangement was no longer necessary.

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