Plot: There are too many resemblances between Harry and the character of Draco's novel "The girl who didn't want to be my friend" for our Gryffindor to think this is just some coincidence. Is that a personal message Draco is trying to get across?
Warning: Slash. HP/DM
Disclaimer: Same old stuff. The characters belong to JKR blablabla. :)
Note: That story takes place about two years after the war.
Keep in mind that I'm French, hence the English mistakes! ;)
THE BOY WHO DIDN'T WANT TO BE MY FRIEND.
CHAPTER 1 –DIAGON ALLEY
"Malfoy!" a very angry Harry Potter yelled, brandishing a book in front of a familiar pale face. "Explain this!"
Draco Malfoy was sitting at a desk at Flourish & Blotts, Diagon Alley, London, signing copies of his newly published book, The girl who didn't want to be my friend.
"Potter! What a delightful surprise!" He exclaimed in a fake enthusiastic tone as he looked up and recognized Harry. "I always knew you'd be one of my biggest fans! Anyway, I understand how much you'd like me to sign your copy, but having saved the world from the Dark Lord doesn't allow you to jump the queue, you know?"
Harry looked around him. Dozens of people were there, all eyes on him, whispering things he could barely hear. Awkward and uncomfortable embarrassment overwhelmed him.
"Look... I'm sorry... I... I'm leaving right now..." he stuttered and then whispered to Draco: "Can I talk to you in private?"
"Well, my signing session is nearly over, so how about we meet at the Leaky Cauldron in thirty minutes?" the blonde offered, smiling one of his polite smiles that never failed to annoy the hell out of Harry.
"I'll be there. Don't be late!" Harry snarled in a low voice. He then gave a curt nod to the people who had gathered around him, and left.
Diagon Alley was pretty lively this day. A new term was about to start at Hogwarts, and the place was crowded with excited kids who were getting there all the items on the wizarding school supply list. As the summer sun was warming his bones, Harry couldn't help but smile with nostalgia when he came across a small boy who was proudly carrying his new owl companion in a golden cage. Images of Harry's first time in Diagon Alley nine years ago were floating around him like a thousand bubbles. His first wand, his first set of robes, his first books about magic... and his first encounter with Malfoy. Time had flown by so fast... and his life had taken so many ways since that day where everything seemed so wonderful...
"Harry!" A voice greeted him as he entered the Leaky Cauldron.
"Hey, Hannah!"
Hannah Abott, who recently got married to Neville Longbottom, now was the landlady of the pub.
"You were in such a hurry earlier that you didn't even hear me calling you and let me tell you I was pretty upset!" she gently teased him. "Anyway, it's good to see you! Oh, but it's such a pity Neville's not here right now. You know how he's like, he's out picking plants and stuff for his next lessons. So what can I get you? It's on the house, naturally!"
"Why, thank you, Hannah. I'll have a butterbeer then please!"
"Sure!"
Within seconds, the Hufflepuff girl made her way to the bar and came back with the drink.
"Here you are! I'm sorry, Harry. I wish I could speak with you much longer, but today's a really busy day," she apologised. The pub was indeed full of customers who were all speaking so loud it was giving Harry a headache.
"It's okay," Harry smiled, "say hello to Neville for me, will you?"
He had just finished his butterbeer when Draco Malfoy appeared in the doorway. Harry hadn't noticed earlier how thin the blonde wizard had become, nor had he noticed the dark rings under his icy eyes. Anyway, Harry had to admit that Malfoy looked particularly elegant in that short sleeved pale green shirt. His hair was a bit longer than it had been during their last year at Hogwarts, and his skin looked paler than ever.
"Oi, Potter!" Draco said as he took a seat.
It felt somehow strange to sit in front of his long time rival, Harry thought. Last time they had been that close was... during their seventh year at Hogwarts, in the Room of Requirement. Harry gulped, trying to chase those memories away. He didn't know much what had happened to Malfoy after the end of the war. He had only learnt both his parents had died in an accident last year while travelling in France, and as much as he had always hated the Malfoy, Harry had been pretty affected by the news. He wondered if Malfoy had changed since their school days.
"So... How's life Potter?" Draco asked, once he had ordered a cup of tea. "Replying to all your fan mail must keep you way busy I imagine..."
No, he definitely hadn't changed and Harry suddenly remembered why he was that mad at him.
"Shut up, Malfoy! I'm not here to discuss my life!"
"No? That's a pity. It's been so long since we last talked to each other, that I was more than eager to catch up with you. The only news I get is when I see your mug and your stupid grin every now and then in the Daily Prophet at breakfast. Bad way to start the day, if you ask me."
"Let me get straight to the point," Harry snapped, ignoring Draco's sarcastic comment. "What's this?" He asked, waving the book in front of the blonde.
"This is a book I've just published. Aren't you proud of me?" Draco sneered.
"Can't you just try to be serious for one minute, Malfoy? I know what this story is about!"
Draco sipped at his tea and looked at Harry with some kind of amusement shining in his grey eyes.
"And your point is?"
"I don't know, for some reason, it reminds me of certain people..." Harry explained, a hint of irony in his voice.
The blonde took his time to drink his tea and Harry was losing his nerve.
"I don't know what you're talking about... Can you enlighten me?"
Harry sighed in exasperation and started to read the back cover out loud.
"When the popular and arrogant Harmony refused Dorian's offer of friendship on their first day at school, the two of them become long time rivals. Follow the elegant and handsome young boy's struggle to get to know what the word 'friend' means."
"Congratulations, Potter! I must say I'm impressed. I didn't know you could actually read," Malfoy teased, his signature smirk on his face.
"How funny!" Harry grumbled, rolling his eyes. "Is it me or does this story sound strangely familiar?"
"Merlin, Potter! I know that 'popular and arrogant' sounds exactly like you, but if you're trying to tell me you assume this story is about you, then you got even more big-headed than you already were! Why on earth would I write about you? Who do you think you are? Some kind of muse? You're not everyone's hero, Potter, like it or not!"
"I've never considered myself as a hero!" Harry protested, anger colouring his cheeks.
A strained silence ensued during which the two young men didn't dare to look at each other.
"Have you even read it?" Malfoy finally broke the silence, looking unusually uncomfortable.
"Wha-? No... I... I'm not that much into reading and stuff... " Harry mumbled.
The Slytherin set his empty cup of tea back on its saucer in an almost graceful movement and let out a long sigh.
"That's what I thought... You always talk about things you hardly know about, Potter..."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, frowning.
"That you're a narrow-minded git. Always judging without knowing!"
Harry was fuming. He hadn't come there to get criticized after all, and he wouldn't stand any more of it.
"That's enough! I'm leaving!" Harry exploded as he stood up and turned on his heels. "Goodbye, Malfoy! Have a nice evening. Or not!"
"So you don't want me to sign your copy?" the blonde smirked.
"Sod off!" was the only reply he got.
Once Harry was out of sight, the Slytherin stared blankly at the empty wooden chair in front of him, a certain sadness written on his face...
Thanks for reading!
Published on January.24 2012