Hey uploaded this chapter a bit early. Gonna try to keep up with daily updates but ya never know. Tell me watch ya think! ~Thanks, Em.
The next week passed quickly and without his Uncle's mad dash to escape a hoard of letters Harry spent it staying out of his relatives' way as much as possible.
Harry knew that they had noticed something was off as they kept throwing him furtive glances as he went about the day. As a result, Harry could swear to Merlin that his Aunt had been purposefully loading him down with chores so that even with his strengthened magical core he was completely exhausted by the time each day drew to a close.
Despite the close eyes of his relatives Harry had managed to subtly steal enough money for a trip to London on the public transport. It had been a long week and a part of Harry was glad that his Aunt had unknowingly favored him with the gift of a distraction. Despite his constant need for a distraction to get through the impossibly tiring week the day Harry had been simultaneously dreading and anticipating.
Today was his birthday. Harry had once again indulged in his childhood tradition of wishing himself a happy birthday just past midnight and had spent a good few minutes deciding whether it was technically his eleventh or twenty first birthday.
Today was also the day that Hagrid had collected him before and so today, like last time he would head to Diagon Alley. Harry had told himself that he just wanted to wait until his birthday since he had last time but in reality the only reason he had waited out the week was because today was also the day he had met Draco.
Harry had spent many hours the past week arguing with himself over the situation that was Draco Malfoy.
Before, as he had taken to calling it, Draco had of course been his rival but then he became a friend, a lover, a confidant and then they had a soul bond together. Harry loved Draco, but he had to face the harsh fact that the Draco in this time wasn't his.
Harry consoled himself with the fact that things didn't have to be the same as last time. Draco and him didn't have to be rivals and instead could be friends. Although as this age Draco was still blindly adoring of his father and constantly seeking his approval as well as still being a prejudiced prat but that could hardly be helped. He would just have to steer Draco in the right direction so that he would become a better person, not to mention happier.
Harry succumbed to a jaw aching yawn and bemoaned the fact that he had had to get up at basically the crack of dawn to escape the house. With one of Dudley's old baseball caps shielding his dace Harry made his way to London and toward the Leaky Cauldron.
Finally, two hours later Harry was finally standing outside the Leaky Cauldron and as he strolled inside suppressing another yawn he grinned and hurried towards Tom.
"Excuse me, are you Tom?" Harry made sure his hat completely obscured his forehead. He would gladly avoid being mobbed this time around.
After Harry had entered Diagon Alley he made his way towards the gleaming towering building that was easily recognizable as Gringotts. Harry glanced around and happily smiled to himself at the sight of the gleefully bustling street.
Rather than looking around in wonder as he had last time Harry purposefully strode towards the nearest free Goblin.
"Hello, my name is Harry Potter and I was informed that I had a vault that I would be able to withdraw money from here. See the problem is I do not have a key. Is there any way you can help me resolve this little," Harry paused and glanced up from his nails to give the goblin a savage little grin, "problem?"
Harry had long ago learnt that goblins held a lot of distaste for wizard-kind in general but he had also learned that the respected above all else viciousness, ruthlessness and cunning.
Just as he had intended he was quickly receiving a new vault key and having the old copy destroyed with a simple blood verification. The trip down to his vault was far less riveting this time around as it was one he had made many times before and soon enough he was striding from the bank after collecting a substantial amount of both wizarding and muggle money.
With a glance down at his cracked watch Harry realized that it was time. Without thought Harry's legs carried him to Madam Malkin's and as he was ushered into the back his breath froze in his lungs, time stopped and his heart stuttered.
As the blonde head before him turned suddenly he was holding back tears. His gaze connected with storming grey and Harry managed to stumble his way onto the podium and ignore the little tape measure flying around him.
In the next second every hope every fear every smile every tear every single emotional moment in Harry's life seemed inconsequential as with one word every wall he had painstakingly built up over the past week came crashing down.
"H-Harry?" He could see the hope and fear in Draco's eyes and realized he had been wrong.
He had no idea how but this was His Draco. He could see it in his eyes. Could see the love, the fear and the painful hope.
"Draco?" As Draco nodded Harry's control shattered and before he could utter another word he was wrapped around Draco and Draco was wrapped around him and he was sobbing. All the tension of the last week slowly faded away as he realized he wasn't alone. He had Draco with him and that meant that no matter what things would be okay.
The moment was gone as the sound of an amused throat clearing in the doorway broke both boys out of their embrace. At the sight of an amused, albeit slightly confused Madam Malkin both boys flushed and stepped back so that the measuring could continue.
The next ten minutes passed in relative silence with occasional glances shared between Draco and Harry. When Madam Malkin declared Harry done he made a point to order extra robes and casual clothing and then waited in the front of the store to wait for Draco.
Five minutes later Draco made his way out and both boys exited the store in silence. Harry knew that he and Draco needed to discuss what had happened and what they were going to do but he was warring with himself; part of him just wanted to drag Draco around the corner of a building and snog his brains out against the wall while another part of him just wanted to break down in relieved tears all over again.
Finally, after a few minutes walking down the street Draco turned to Harry and with a small smile and eyes filled with warmth uttered a quiet "we need to talk."