It was 3 weeks until Draco was destined to go back to Hogwarts. He was surprised when McGonagall had owled him personally to offer him a spot in 8th year along with the other 7th years who were going back to get their diploma's.
"My Dragon are you ready to leave?" Draco scowled at the door which his mother was yelling through. They usually went on their annual holiday during the summer holidays to an exotic country, but with his father in prison, and their connections to the dark lord they were not allowed to leave the country. His mother thought it would be a good idea to get out of the house and still go on their holiday to the Forest of Dean of all places. She believed it would increase the Draco whined as he followed his mother down to the manors main dining of the pair of them.
"Do we have to go mother. The forest really? Why do we have to camp like some muggle?"
"Draco Malfoy if you are to be anyone you must remove yourself form your father's ideals. We do not hate muggles. We are not dark people. We were influenced by unfortunate circumstances. We deserve a second chance. And this holiday will be good for you." Narcissa lectured her son shrewdly. There were many things about his upbringing that she had not agreed with and she was going to right them now that she had the chance. Not that Draco hadn't grown up to be a strong self-assured confident young man but there was still an air of arrogance and importance. The mask was a hard one to take off Narcissa knew all too well.
"Okay mother, I just don't know about 'camping," As he said the word he scrunched his nose. Draco had grown over the years but he still didn't know how to cook or clean or live without the house elves. The other change that Draco had undergone was this want in his chest. He wanted his own family to love and raise and erase the legacy of his father and make his own name for himself.
He held onto his mother's proffered arm and felt the accustomed squeeze of apparition. Even though uncomfortable it was less messy and didn't ruffle his clothes which made it Draco's favorite type of transport.
They arrived at a rather remote section of the forest of Dean and Draco helped his mother set some wards around their camp sight. Muggle repellent and warning and security charms.
Draco had been secluding himself to his section of the tent for days until his mother tricked him into going outside and then warded the tent against his re-entry. Draco kicked a few stones and mumbled a few choice words under his breath. Knowing his mother wouldn't let him back in until he had at least spent some time in the forest he decided that a walk would not kill him.
Draco walked a small distance from their campsite when he came across a small trickling stream which had spongy moss growing around it. On the other side there was a small patch of luscious grass just large enough for a picnic blanket surrounded by bushes. There was a rustling in the bushes on the other side of the stream and Draco through his years of honed survival instincts ducked behind a tree and cautiously inspected the bush where the rustling had come from.
Draco didn't have to wait long to find the culprit as the one and only boy-who-lived emerged from the undergrowth and sat down by the stream. Harry hadn't looked up since coming into the clearing and Draco was sure he hadn't been spotted.
Harry walked down to the clearing by the stream. He had been coming here with a packed lunch and a book or two to read. It was rapidly becoming one of his favorite spots in the forest perhaps even the world. It was advanced transfiguration 6th or 7th year he assumed. It was on one of Hermione's extra-curricular reading lists and the title had caught his eye.
To enhance your magical ability when doing advanced transfiguration one must be accomplished in at least basic occlumency. It is important to have the skill of intense concentration when trying to transfigure larger objects or areas or more complex beings.
'Well isn't that just dandy' Harry thought sarcastically before he could even attempt anything in this book he would have to develop his occlumency skills which theoretically shouldn't be too difficult but Harry had always be rubbish at clearing his mind. Vaguely he wondered if that was partially the hoarcrux's fault.
Draco watched as Harry sat in the clearing leaning against a shady tree and opening a rather large old book. Draco couldn't see the title from his hiding spot. Potter seemed engrossed in the book and had a look of hard concentration plastered on his face. Draco couldn't help but notice how hot Potter looked these days. His normally messy hair spiked up and wet like he had just come out of the shower. His muscles had not decreased or thinned out over the holidays like they usually did but had in fact gotten more defined and Draco had to physically shake his thoughts away from how gorgeous the Brunette was. Draco had spent many a nights thinking about the mop of brown hair and ruby lips in places he really shouldn't be thinking about. Harry hated him of course and that made Draco's yearning for him increase. Draco had resided himself to admiring him from afar. It was ultimately Draco's infatuation with the Golden Boy that made him defy his father and change sides. He was sure his mother was aware of his affliction and that was why she encouraged him taking the same subjects as Harry this year. The only difference was that Draco was still taking potions even though Severus wouldn't be back to teach it this year, or ever.
Draco made his way back to the place where his mother had declared camp. He found that he could easily walk back into the tent and realized he must have spent at least his designated time outside for the day and settled into an armchair with a rather large potions textbook. He was just reading on how wormwood and powdered bats wing can be combined in different way to achieve different desired results when his mother entered the little lounge area.
"Ah your back I was about to send a search party you were gone for quite some time for a boy who says he hates the outdoors." Narcissa admonishes Draco. If she noticed the pink tinge to his cheeks she does good to not mention it.
"I'm making dinner Dragon do come and help." Draco heard his mother call several hours later. Draco grumbled to himself they were only going to be here for another 5 days but he sensed that if he didn't try and be less selfish and more homely he wouldn't put it past his mother to extend their visit.
"Coming mother," Draco smiled fondly at the thought of cooking, what was happening to him.
The next day he decided that he would go down to the little clearing, Harry had looked to comfortable sitting there reading and it seemed a shame to waste such a lovely day in the tent. It was barely sunrise when Draco donned a pair of black slacks and a light blue button up shirt leaving the tails untucked a blanket under his arm he ventured out into the forest of Dean once more. It wasn't until his stomach started to growl a few hours later that Draco saw the flaw in his master plan. He was far too comfortable leaning against the tree he had only the day before seen Harry Potter leaning against and he didn't want to move from his spot but his stomach made loud protesting noises to his lack of breakfast.
There was a rustling in the bushes behind him, Draco had managed to scramble to his feet and draw his wand before a rather ruffled boy who lived stumbled into the clearing.
"Malfoy?" Harry stared at the wand pointed at his head warily.
"Oh it's only you Ha… Potter," sighed in relief just catching himself from calling his arch rival by his familiar name. Draco lowered his wand and picked up the potions book he had knocked in his haste.
"What do you mean it's only me?" Harry had drawn his own wand.
"I saw you here yesterday, you looked quite peaceful reading. I just came by today to see if it really was that nice of a spot. It was well picked. If you want it back you can have it. Mother is probably wondering where I am." Draco pocketed his wand and turned to leave mentally scowling at how much information he had just given to Potter.
"You saw me here yesterday? Why are you even in the forest of Dean? Have you been looking for me of something? Is this some sort of revenge for your father?" Harry still hadn't lowered his wand. Draco breathed deeply to calm himself, he guessed if he wanted to get close to the Gryffindor, which is undoubtedly what he wanted, he would have to explain himself.
"Mother suggested camping for our annual holiday this year, not just because we have lost our fortunes she says," Draco sneered before continuing. "Mother thinks it will make me appreciate muggles and poor people more, she thinks I need to be distanced from my father's influence. If anything I can spend more time studying potions out here it is rather peaceful even if I have to cook," Draco scrunched up his nose in disgust, he still hated cooking. Harry regarded Draco for some time and then lowered his wand.
"Well that was not what I expected from the ice prince at all," He mused out loud.
"Well the war changed a lot of things," Draco commented, he was not all that comfortable mentioning the war but Draco also had no one else to talk to. Most of his friends had finished on the other side and Draco couldn't talk to his mother there were something's he just didn't mention to anyone. The nightmares were one of them. He now slept with heavy silencing charms around him to silence his screams. His mother had sent him to a mind healer who had prescribed dreamless sleep, he had assured his mother that it had worked but truth be told Draco liked the reminder of just how far he had fallen. The guilt and the worry he deserved that much for what he had done.
"Do you think… Draco… that we could… maybe… be friends?" Harry stumbled over the words but they warmed Draco all the same. It was all he ever wanted to be Harry Potter's friend. The brave courageous Hero, the insecure, unloved boy, the great, the powerful, the dashingly handsome. Okay Draco it's time to shut up now.
"Yeah I would like that Harry," Draco smiled weakly at the other boy. "I should really check that mother hasn't burnt the tent down though she is really as hopeless at cooking as I am but at least I can control a flame. Shall we meet tomorrow?" Draco didn't want to sound too presumptuous but honestly what else were they supposed to do in this god forsaken forest.
"Yeah probably best if you had breakfast first, I'll bring you lunch I'm rather a good cook." Harry smiled at Draco before Draco turned and walked back towards his mother a new found spring in his step.
Draco's mother was surprised when Draco entered the tent minutes later she had been under the impression that he was still hauled up in his room.
"And where have you been that's put you in such a good mood? You haven't been apparating back to London have you. That would defeat the purpose of coming on this trip," His mother gave him an icy look.
"No mother I have just been down by the stream reading the potions book you gave me for my birthday." Draco held up the book in his hand as proof.
"Oh well come help me cook lunch," his mother appeased happily.