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Things Fall Apart, But Then You Build Again	By : zeldaofarel Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 13943 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 7
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
Author's Notes: Chapter 9 is finally here! I know, it's taken me long, but I caught a nasty infection which made my eyes light sensitive. The screen really bothered them and since I work with a computer as well, once I was back to work, my eyes got really tired by the evening. Audiobooks are good. Finally, I was able to do the edit. So, here it goes.

Chapter 10 you guys are asking? Yeah, well, that is the tiny problem. I'm having a bit of a writer's block. It probably has several reasons, like my birthday coming up. Another thing is that I had a check-up last month and I got a letter that they found something and I have to go back. It's probably not a big thing, but I'm still worried and a tiny bit scared. Hopefully, it will be resolved easily, but only time will tell and several more exams. So yeah, stuff always happen around my birthday, and never any good ones. Plus, it's my 29th and that in itself is not a happy occasion.

I do have this idea of writing a one-shot from Hermione's POV about her life in Malfoy Manor to help me see my story from a different perspective. It wouldn't be part of the main story since that is basically from Harry's POV. What do you guys think? Would you like that?

As always, if you want to get updates of how I'm progressing, or just life-signs between chapters, then you can subscribe to my update group. The address is always on my profile. If you want to see what I look like and find out some stuff about me, you can visit my homepage as well.

This chapter was betad by the wonderful Icicle, Hazel still MIA.

Have fun reading! Perhaps R&R.

Chapter 9: The Ministry Ball

Harry adjusted his purple robes in the mirror and cringed as the star pattern twinkled on them. Apparently Ginny's idea of the perfect man to dress him as was Dumbledore. At least she had relented on him spelling his hair long and silver. No beard either. Just the robes. For the umpteenth time Harry wondered why Dumbledore insisted on wearing such clothes, but the again, the old man had probably never made it on any "Best Dressed" lists either.

Ginny entered their bedroom from the bathroom and smiled at him from behind old-fashioned spectacles. She was wearing a lot of tartan in her costume as McGonagall: tartan skirt, tartan robes, only her shirt was white. It was as if the clans of the Highlands had exploded on her, they all had a different pattern. Harry didn't think it was very flattering on her, but he didn't know anything about clothes, he reminded himself.

"Don't you think we make the perfect couple? Just like they did," she remarked as she gazed at the two of them in the mirror.

"Gin, they weren't a couple," Harry had to point out.

"Of course they were!" she cried in indignation. "Everyone at school talked about it all the time. They had the perfect partnership. I just can't understand why they never got married."

"Luv, Dumbledore was gay."

"That's just a nasty rumour," she rebuked and wrinkled her nose. "Voldemort spread it to make us think less of Dumbledore."

"I never thought less of him because of that," Harry revealed. "I know he was with Grindelwald in his youth. They parted ways over ideology, but I saw a picture of them and I know they had been happy at one point. Gods, it must have been hard to fight someone you once loved," he wondered aloud, but Ginny just scoffed at him.

"Believe what you will, Harry. Still, this costume says to everyone tonight that you are going to be just as important as he had been." She slipped her arm into the crook of his arm and pulled him out of the room, down the stairs, straight to the Floo.

* * *

They arrived to a lavishly decorated Floo entrance chamber and quickly moved on to leave room for the other arrivals.

The Halloween ball was held at the home of the Minister for Magic, Hildegard Noble. She was a Muggle-born who had quickly risen in the anti-pureblood climate that characterised the decade after the Second Voldemort War. The home itself had once belonged to a pureblood family whose name Harry could not recall.

They made their way through a corridor where already many people were milling about. Harry didn't have time to guess who they were or who they pretended to be as he was pulled along by his wife. Ginny was searching for her family. They had a quick look in the ballroom where a string quartet was playing a waltz and then stepped into the dining room, which was conveniently set up with a buffet table, a champagne table and several smaller dining-tables that could seat six people around them.

"Oh, there they are!" Ginny exclaimed and soon Harry found himself seated at a table with Arthur and Ron.

They greeted each other and sat in silence for a few minutes, just gazing at the various wizards and witches milling about the room. Harry also took his time to observe the two other men at his table.

Arthur was sipping a glass of champagne as he greeted them. Harry tried to guess who he was dressed as, but had no idea. His father-in-law was wearing and old sort of robe in brown that was ragged, but on his breast he was clearly marked as the Chief Warlock. He knew this because the insignia was the same one as what they used these days.

Ron next to him was undoubtedly a Chudley Cannons player. His orange robes clashed horridly with his hair and even Harry cringed at the sight. Of course, he couldn't identify which one because he didn't follow Quidditch all that much anymore, just the major events. The Cannons hadn't made it to anything important in a long while. The younger Weasley was currently doing what he always did when presented with a vast amount of food. He was shovelling it into his mouth, grinning around his mouthful. He quickly got up once his plate was empty, probably going for another helping. Harry stared after him for a moment, but quickly diverted his attention to Arthur.

"Having fun, Arthur?" he asked.

"Oh yes, lots. Hildegard got a great champagne. I do love the idea of dressing you as Dumbledore," he remarked.

"It was a great idea, no?" Ginny grinned next to Harry and was clearly very proud of herself.

"Yes, it was," Harry grudgingly agreed. "So, who are you dressed as?" He directed the question to the man before him.

"Gawain Weasley. He used to be the Chief Warlock about five-hundred years ago. This was his actual robe. My family has preserved it for generations," he said proudly. That explained why the robe looked so old. "He was known for being a righteous man. One of the best Chief Warlocks ever to take the position. Yes, everyone in the family is very proud of his legacy." He puffed up his chest and smiled even broader.

"Oh, wonderful," Harry said. He was sure that wearing the actual clothes of the man was taking it a bit too far.

"Harry, better grab some of the food before it's all gone!" Ron exclaimed as he sat down. He was balancing two smaller plates, one on each of his massive hands. He managed to put them down safely before he sat down on his chair. "I don't understand why they never have normal plates on these occasions, just these tiny ones," he scoffed. "So, are you going to get something?" Ron looked questioningly at Harry.

"No, I'm fine." Harry shook his head.

"Oh, there's Linda! I'd better go and say hi." Ginny got up and was already shouting to her friend. Harry watched her go and looked to Arthur.

"Arthur, where is Molly tonight?" Harry broke the silence that threatened to fall onto their table.

"Home. She's watching Ron's and your kids tonight," Arthur replied dismissively.

Then Harry remembered that Molly never did attend any of the parties; she always stayed at home. He silently scolded himself for saying something so stupid.

"Well, we'd better get started with the mingling," the older Weasley said and they got up from the table, leaving Ron to his food.

In the coming hour Harry shook more hands than ever before in his life. Arthur introduced him to everyone important, not just Wizengamot members, but Ministry officials as well. Harry had worked at the Ministry for some years, but he had never even seen half of these people. Granted, when at work he was either in the Auror Department, or out on the field, so he never got the chance to do much mingling. He was mostly of the opinion that the workplace was for work, not for socialising. However, it seemed like his prospective job was more about mingling than actual work. He tried to memorise the faces and names, but after a while it was all just a blur. He smiled at everyone, remarked on the brilliance of their costumes, kissed the hands of the ladies, and was generally trying to make a good impression. He did tire though and told Arthur that he would go and find Ginny, because she would be cross with him if he didn't take a turn with her on the dance-floor. He had gotten slightly better at dancing since the Yule Ball, at least enough to not embarrass himself. Arthur stayed with an old colleague and waved him away.

Harry first visited the bathroom, as it had been a while and he had to toast a couple of times with his champagne to the Wizengamot. He gaped at the gold faucets he had found and remembered the elegant white ceramic ones at Malfoy Manor. He always held a sort of fascination of bathrooms, probably because so many things had happened in the ones at Hogwarts. Therefore, he often only remembered the bathrooms of some of the places he had visited and couldn't recall much of the other rooms.

He first headed to the ballroom in his search for his wife. He couldn't see her there, but what he did see made him stop and stare. He saw Lucius Malfoy, as elegant as ever and dressed as Merlin. However, the strange thing about it was not the fact that one of the greatest Dark Wizard of all time wore the guise of someone so beloved by the side of the Light. The real reason for staring was the elegant woman on his arm, dancing to the waltz perfectly. It was none other than Hermione and Lucius was leading her around the ballroom to the astonishment of many people around them. She was beautiful in a green gown with purple trimmings and around the hems white smoke seemed to languidly dance to the music. Harry realised that she was dressed up as Cliodne, a druidess who cured the sick in ancient times. He remembered her from a Chocolate Frog card, because she was one of the more beautiful people on there. The smoke was also reminiscent of what she had discovered and held in her hand on the card. He couldn't remember what it actually was though. He thought that it was taking the image of a person in a very elegant way. He felt all the more self-conscious in his twinkling stars.

First, he looked around for Ron. He would not be pleased and would probably make a scene. He was glad when he didn't find him. Ron was probably still stuffing his face.

Second, Harry searched for Narcissa and there she was, sitting on a chair and chatting with some friends. She didn't seem bothered at all by what her husband was doing. Ironically, she was another Chocolate Frog card character, Morgana. She had a very elegant crown on her head, indicating that she was the Queen of Avalon.

Harry's people watching was interrupted by an elderly wizard. He had been previously introduced as Bartholomew Mildew, a Light Wizard member of the Wizengamot.

"Mr. Potter, if I could have a moment."

"Of course, Mr. Mildew." He let himself be led to another room to the side. It was much smaller than the ballroom and deserted. They sat down on an ornate sofa that reminded Harry of what Ginny had furnished their living room with. It was just as uncomfortable as well.

"How can I help you?" Harry asked.

"Oh, I just wanted to see what you were made of, young man, without Mr. Weasley. You want to enter politics and that is a big step. I know you are a very reliable man." He fixed his gaze on Harry. "However, politics is a lot more complicated than the wand-waving you've been doing."

"Wand-waving?" Harry was honestly puzzled by that and perhaps a bit insulted.

"Yes! You've been an Auror. You went to and fro, waving your wand about and taking down criminals. I'm not saying that's easy work, but not exactly taxing on the mind. Also, I am aware that you defeated Voldemort, but that didn't take a lot of brains either."

Harry was a bit miffed about what the man was saying. He clearly thought him to be stupid and not even a bit clever. He thought about correcting the bloke, but then he realised that perhaps it was for the best if he was considered unassuming and easily led.

"Mr. Mildew, I know that politics is hard and that I'm not very knowledgeable in the area. However, that is why I rely on men like Mr. Weasley and you to help me learn how to become a good and valuable member of the Wizengamot. Over time and with guidance, I'm sure I'll manage."

"Good, good. I was afraid you had the arrogance of youth and with all that fame many grow big heads. I'm sure I'll be able to help you a lot once you take your seats. Now my only concern is your wife." Mr. Mildew pulled his lips in worry.

"My wife, sir?" He was confused again.

"Yes, yes. I've heard that she had been away a lot these past few years and that is probably why you haven't had a child these past years."

Apparently, this was another problem. Harry realised that he was being tested and probably not just the man before him was asking the questions, but the whole fraction as well. He felt the butterflies take off in his stomach, but forced them on the ground again to be able to concentrate on giving the best answer possible. He couldn't think properly if he let his nerves take over.

"Ginny wished to travel for a while after Lily was born. Of course, I had to stay home with my duties as an Auror," he began.

"However, for a wife to travel alone for so long..." came the interruption.

"I only wanted to please my wife, sir."

"That is fine, young man. However, if your wife leads you so easily, then how can you hope to lead Our World?" Mr. Milder asked pointedly.

"You are right. I have become lenient with her," he admitted as there really was no way of denying it.

"I suppose, you are young. I do recommend keeping her on a tighter leash in the future though. Give her another child and then she'll have to stay home. You do want to emulate Mr. Weasley in that, don't you?"

"Of course! The more children the better!" He grinned broadly. "What excellent advice! Thank you so much for that Mr. Mildew, I'll follow your guidance." Harry figured that the best policy in this case was to simply agree with the man and flatter him as much as possible. Draco had said in his brief teaching that flattery could always get you out of a tight situation.

"I'm glad to be of help." The man grinned back. "You do need it, but I'm sure that given a bit of time, you'll become an excellent Wizengamot member and a proper Light Wizard."

"Oh, if I have men like you at my side, I'm sure of it." Harry hoped that he wasn't taking flattery a bit too far.

"I'll be seeing you around, then. In the future, please call me just Bart," he said, as he got up, clearly finished with the assessment.

"Thank you, sir ... I mean, Bart." Harry also got up and watched as the man went back towards the ballroom.

When he was completely out of sight, Harry allowed himself a sigh of relief. He decided to explore the house a bit, rather than going back and perhaps facing another one of those conversations, in case someone else had different concerns. Therefore, when he walked out of the door, he went down the corridor to the opposite direction than everybody else. He peeked into one room after the other. He felt like the old days when he would walk around Hogwarts, trying to find secret places. Of course, those excursions mostly revealed dusty and unused classrooms, but the fun was in the walk, not the findings. He saw a great, but empty library. It wasn't completely empty, some shelves were occupied, but Harry only saw Muggle romance novels and none with more substance. He remembered the great library in Malfoy Manor and estimated this one to be about the same size. Clearly, the previous occupants had either taken their books, or the new one just didn't need them. It was a bit sad, actually.

Most of the rooms were of course unremarkable sitting rooms. Harry wondered about why great houses tended to have so many, but couldn't really come up with an answer. Perhaps it was just a way of occupying space on the ground floor that was needed for the bedrooms above.

He was just about to leave a dark room, which was only illuminated by the rather bright moonlight, when he passed a slightly open connecting door. From the next room he heard voices and not able to help his curious nature, peaked inside. There he could see Astoria Malfoy sitting in all her splendour, surrounded by other ladies and holding court. She was obviously dressed as a fairy as her magical brightly coloured wings fluttered behind her.

"Poor Lavinia! I'm so glad she moved to Switzerland and can't see the destruction of her home!" she cried, her voice rather high and sounding very snotty. "It's obvious that Hildegard was brought up as a Muggle. No taste whatsoever."

"So true, Astoria," agreed another woman, though Harry had no idea who she was, he couldn't even see her. He did decide that is was better to eavesdrop if he wasn't seen, so he left the opening, but still managed to hear everything.

"How do you stand the presence of a Muggle yourself, Astoria?" asked another, equally high voice.

"It is hard, but I try to stay away from her. Luckily, she was placed in the guest wing, which is as far away from mine as possible. She's Draco's pet project, apparently. He picked out her dress and everything. I really try not to meddle into his political affairs, but it is stressing to even know the woman is under my roof." Harry wrinkled his nose in disgust. Apparently, Draco's wife didn't share his views.

"However, sometimes I do have to bear the sight of the creature!" she continued. "She is so undoubtedly common. Her parents were dentists, so she said."

"What's that?" a woman asked.

"It's some kind of a mediwizard. I wasn't really interested beyond that, I was just trying to fill in an awkward silence one time when I couldn't help being alone with her. She's so ugly too! Ah! I don't want to talk about her anymore! Primrose, who made your costume? That stitching is absolutely divine!" She changed the subject.

Harry had heard enough and felt pity towards Draco for having such a woman for a wife. Then he remembered that according to him, they hardly ever interacted.

He left the room and in another found an open doorway to the gardens. The night was rather cold, but he cast a heating charm and walked out into the moonlight. There were a few lamps lighting the path, but they didn't give the harsh and bright light that electric ones did. He spotted some lovely autumn roses by a wall and went to smell them. They had a strong perfume that felt heavy compared to the light scents of the season. As he was enjoying their fragrance, he heard voices coming from above him. Looking up, he spotted Draco and another man, whom he didn't know, gazing at the full moon. Harry tried to recall if he had seen him somewhere, but it was rather dark and the man had dark hair as well, just like most people, so he didn't ring any bells. However, he was delighted by the chance to do some further eavesdropping, so he plastered himself to the wall and even did a small spell to stop the twinkling of his robes.

"This party is has been such a drag," the unknown man remarked. "Until you showed up that is." The grin was evident in his voice.

"I aim to entertain," answered Malfoy. "You are right, though. It is rather boring. However, it's a great opportunity to show Hermione around. I just loved some of the faces when they spotted her among us."

"Draco, I don't want to talk about politics. You know I don't care for that stuff," the man said dismissively. "What I'm really interested in is when we can go back to your house for some fun."

"Adrian, you have a one track mind," Draco said with a little laugh.

Harry looked up and saw that the blond man was leaning over the railing of the veranda. His hair seemed to sparkle in the moonlight and his amused features were easy to make out. The hidden man wondered about what sort of fun they were talking about.

"You like me that way."

At that remark, Draco turned his face a bit towards his companion and grinned, his pearly white teeth showing.

"I most certainly do. I also like what I see and sometimes feel." He poked a teasing tongue out a bit.

The other man stepped next to him and allowed Harry to see both of them.

"You also like that I'm hassle-free. I don't want you to leave your wife, or declare me your lover in front of others. All I want is to slide into you and feel you moving beneath me. I want to touch your alabaster skin. Run my fingers down your spine and watch as I disappear inside you. I want to hear your voice cry out 'more', 'harder'. Scream as you spray your seeds all over those green silk sheets you're so fond of. Mind you, I'm fond of them too. I love how they show off your body when you lie down - legs spread, hard and waiting."

"Adrian, you don't have to entice me, I'm already yours for tonight anyway," Draco interrupted the erotic monologue. "However, I do have to stay for a while more and you're making that very hard."

Adrian looked down Draco's body and smiled at what he saw.

"Hard is clearly the right word," he remarked and leaned in towards the blond.

Harry was astonished to see them kiss. He had never seen two men do that and a little voice in his head told him to look away - it was clearly a very intimate moment. However, it was like watching a train wreck; he just couldn't tear his eyes away. The men kissed languidly, clearly very familiar with each other's lips. They were taking their time, enjoying the sensations if their moans were any indication. At last, Draco ended it, but smiled coyly at Adrian.

"We have been outside for too long. Go inside and let me cool down a bit," he said in a suggestive tone, although it was clearly an order.

"All right, Draco, but don't make me wait too long. I may go home with another bloke."

"Like you're going to find someone as pretty as me!" Draco said rather arrogantly, but even Harry couldn't deny that it was the truth.

The other man left, laughing at those words.

Draco did take some time, just breathing. Harry recognised the technique as what men would use to get rid of their arousal. To his surprise and confusion, he had to do it as well because he was in a similar predicament. He couldn't understand why it happened. He reasoned that what Adrian said was so blatantly sexual, anyone would be aroused by it. He seemed to be faster at deflating than Draco, therefore, he silently crept away next to the bushes. As he looked back to take a final look at Malfoy, he could have sworn that the other man was looking right at him. Yet, he couldn't have seen him in the darkness, away from a lamp.

Once Harry was at a safe distance, he stepped on the path again, letting the gravel make sounds under his feet. His thoughts were still on the blond man. He was obviously interested in men, so why did he marry Astoria? Then he remembered that Draco talked about how they were arranged to be married as toddlers. Also, it was possible that he was not only interested in men, but women as well. It wasn't that unheard of, even in the Muggle world.

Harry pushed the disturbing images that Adrian's speech created in his mind to the very back, sealed in a box on top of shelf 'do not disturb'. He swore to stay away from all thoughts concerning Draco and sex in the future. They were too unsettling.

He decided that he had done enough snooping for the night and returned to the ballroom to finally have that dance with his wife. However, what he found there interrupted his plans. Ron, Hermione and Lucius were standing in the middle of the dance-floor. Ron was shouting and beet red. Hermione was clearly annoyed and Lucius had the air of dignified amusement. None were speaking, though Ron had probably already shouted. The other guests were just standing around, like spectators at a sporting event. Harry supposed that, in a way, it was a lot like it.

He approached the group and he was allowed to go near them. Finally, he stood beside his brother-in-law and had the opportunity to put a hand on his shoulder.

"Ron, what is going on?" he asked to draw attention to himself, since the hand was just shrugged off.

"This ... this ... woman is dancing, in public, with this Death Eater!" he screamed with rage.

"You are right, Ron, what she is doing is shameful." He tried to acknowledge the cause of Ron's anger. "She is not acting as a proper wife should. Hermione, how dare you show your face in this crowd?" he addressed the woman in front of him. He tried to be just mildly hurtful, but still maintain the facade of a good Light Wizard. He hoped he wasn't sweating too much because he was deathly afraid of saying the wrong thing.

"I go wherever I please!" Hermione told him with no warmth. "I am a woman and an individual. I don't need any man to tell me where I can and can't go, or what I can and can't do! These past years I've never stood up for myself, now I do. If I have to make an enemy of you because of it, then so be it!"

"What?! I have tolerated such talk when we weren't together, but you are my wife and I'm tired of you acting this way!" Ron continued to scream and Harry was afraid his eardrums would burst. "You are coming home with me this minute! Or else..."

"Or else what?" Hermione asked, her voice forceful, but emotionless. "What are you going to do, Ron Weasley? What can you do except bully everyone around you? I don't know how I could stand you as long as I did. I must have been blinded by love. Well, I don't love you anymore," she declared. "Lucius, I'm sorry, but could you take me home?" Hermione asked, turning to her escort. "I tire of this."

"Of course, Hermione," Lucius answered. He even bowed a little and while executing it, he snuck a peek at Ron, who just sputtered incoherently. Malfoy offered his elbow to her and they both regally walked towards the Floo.

As they passed, Harry noticed that Draco was standing behind them. The younger Malfoy man was wearing a smirk on his face and had his eyes locked with someone. Harry followed his line of sight to spot a dark-haired man of obvious Mediterranean descent with a similar expression. Harry realised that it was Adrian. Adrian smiled then, and quietly parted from the crowd in the direction of the Floo as well. Draco followed in a few moments.

The crowd dispersed then, they no longer had any source of entertainment. Ron was left standing there alone, ignored by everyone.

"Ron, I think we'd better go home now," Harry spoke into his ear as the music had started up again.

He took the redhead's arm and looked around for the rest of the family. He soon noticed their ginger heads, the two of them huddled together in the far side of the room. He made his way to them and without saying anything they all went home.

Harry just hoped that he had made the right kind of impressions during the course of the evening.

In the morning, he made himself forget about green silk sheets.
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Things Fall Apart, But Then You Build Again