**Author's notes
Hello everybody. Thanks to everyone that reviewed or added my story to their alerts. I enjoy all feedback so don't hesitate to tell me if something sounds wrong or you would like me to add something to the story.
Disclaimer: See previous chapters.**
Chapter 7
Harry awoke when a small weight plopped onto his chest. "What the—" Harry blearily opened his eyes to see a smiling Draco sitting on his chest.
"Morning Harry!" The little boy said happily, the events of last night already gone from his mind. Harry stared at the little boy with disbelief. He rolled over, nearly crushing the smaller boy and making him laugh. "Haaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyy." Draco whined, tugging at his guardian's sleeve. "I'm hungry." Harry growled before leaping up from the bed and grabbing Draco. The boy shrieked in joy as he was swung into Harry's bed and tickled. Harry growled playfully again. He only let go of Draco when he feared that the boy couldn't breathe anymore. He watched as Draco gasped and sucked in more air into his depleted lungs.
He was shocked when Draco jumped him. "Oof," he fell back again the bed with the tiny weight of Draco on his stomach. Tiny pale hands were tickling his sides and he laughed breathlessly as he realized that it was payback. Such a Slytherin. "Weren't you hungry?" Harry managed to get out. Draco paused in his attack and debated his options. Harry laughed as the food side won and Draco clambered off of Harry. He arched his eyebrows at Harry when the boy didn't move. "I have to get ready." Draco nodded and ran out to the room, shouting the whole entire way. Harry chuckled before rolling out of bed. He trudged sleepily into the bathroom, scratching his head. He yawned loudly before getting ready for the long day ahead of him.
When Harry was finally ready and walked into the dining room, Draco was already sitting down and tucking in. "Pig." Harry said affectionately, ruffling his hair. Draco smiled back, his mouth full of eggs and bacon. A house elf popped into the room as soon as Harry sat down.
"Would Master like some eggs and bacon too?" the house elf squeaked. Harry nodded politely and the house elf bowed once to Harry before popping out and coming back with a plate piled with eggs, bacon, and toast.
Harry put liberal amounts of butter on his toast before mashing the eggs and bacon between two slices. "What do you wanna do today?" Harry asked Draco.
Draco shrugged his eyes still on his plate. "I just wanna hang out with you." He said innocently. Harry's heart swelled with love and pride as Harry tried to blink back tears. After breakfast, Harry and Draco started a game of Exploding Snap, both boys laughing and giggling. When they were finished with Exploding Snap, Draco had managed to coax Harry into letting them go out flying.
"Okay, okay," Harry relented. "But," he said, stopping Draco from squealing with joy. "Only if you promise that we'll go straight to Madam Pomfrey after that." Draco agreed happily and squeezed Harry around the middle. Harry hugged him tightly before releasing him. "Hurry up before I change my mind." Draco stared at Harry in horror before scrambling off to go change. Harry shook his head in exasperation before allowing himself a small grin.
"I'm ready!" Draco sang. "What?" Harry looked at Draco's clothes and choked back laughter. Draco was wearing a thick red turtleneck sweater and a pair of dark blue Muggle jeans. Harry just shook his head, eyes filled with unshed tears of laughter. "And look!" Draco produced a red and gold scarf. He wrapped it around his neck. "It matches!" he said happily. Harry couldn't contain himself anymore. He burst in loud laughter, his laugh echoing around the living room.
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"Look Harry. Look!" Harry smiled at the ecstatic Draco. Draco zoomed around Harry happily, the tiny broom only allow Draco to go up to Harry's waist height. Harry smiled sadly as he was reminded of the picture he had found in Sirius's room during the search for the Horcruxs. Draco looks just as I did. Harry thought sadly.
Draco zoomed by Harry again. "Hey!" Harry yelped as he jumped out Draco's way. He fell back into the cold snow and shivered as it got into his shirt. Draco laughed when Harry growled. "That's it you brat." He ran after a gleeful Draco. Draco speed out of Harry's reach, giggling and laughing when Harry failed to catch him. With a burst of speed, Harry tackled Draco into the ground. "Gotcha brat," Harry smiled as he caught the struggling boy. Draco squealed as Harry stuffed snow down his shirt. Draco grabbed a handful of snow and stuffed it in Harry's face. "Oh this is war." Draco wiggled out of Harry's arms and grabbed another handful of snow before letting it fly towards Harry's face. Harry's Seeker reflexes made it easy for him to duck and avoid Draco's attack. Snowballs flew from each side of the war before Harry whipped out his wand. Muttering a spell, a pile of snowballs appeared next to him.
"No fair!" Draco complained. Harry smiled wolfishly before charming the snowballs to chase after Draco. Draco screamed as the snowballs rose slightly in the air before darting towards him. Draco narrowly avoided the missiles and made a run towards Harry.
"What the—" Harry said, confused. With a loud thwack, Draco crashed into Harry, making the snowballs hit Draco as well as Harry. They fell into a tangled help onto the snow, giggling and laughing loudly. Draco's cheeks were tinted pink and he looked delighted with himself. Harry cast a strong Drying and Warming charm on the little boy. "Let's go back inside," Harry said, hustling the boy back into the castle. He cast a fearful eye towards the sky. "Madam Pomfrey would kill me if I let him get a cold." Harry's mind wandered over the beautiful, silent landscape. Hogwarts was so peaceful when there was snow. It muffled the everyday sounds and created a picture of peace and tranquility. It was quiet…a bit too quiet. "Draco?" Harry called, looking back to where he last saw the boy. He wasn't there. "DRACO?" Harry shouted, his worst fears being confirmed when the boy didn't answer. His mind dredged up gruesome pictures of creatures dragging off the defenseless boy. "DRACO!" Harry yelled, his voice echoing in the very silent, Draco-free air.
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Draco Malfoy hummed happily as he skipped into the snow. It was such a pretty day. He was glad that Harry had allowed them to come outside today. He looked back to tell his slowpoke guardian to hurry up, only to find that his guardian was gone. "Harry?" Draco squeaked out, his eyes darting from left to right. Tears began to fill his grey eyes. Harry had left him. Harry didn't love him. He held back tears. Malfoys don't cry. Draco said, wiping his wet eyes. He repeated the phrase like a mantra. Malfoys don't' cry. Malfoys don't cry.
"Hello?" A soft, girly voice said, startling Draco from his mantra. A girl with a huge fluffy coat was standing in the snow, looking straight at Draco. She started to walk up to him but stopped when Draco stepped back. "It's okay." The girl said softly. "I'm not going to hurt you." Draco looked at her suspiciously but allowed the girl to walk closer. "Are you lost?" the girl said, her liquid brown eyes examining his face. Draco burst into tears and allowed the stranger to pull him into her arms. She rocked him, murmuring soothing words to help calm the upset boy.
"He abandoned me." Draco blubbered out, his voice breaking.
The girl kept up with the rocking motion, holding the boy tight to her bosom. "What's your name?" she said.
Draco hiccupped and wiped his face. "Draco. Draco Malfoy." The girl flinched and stiffened at Draco's response. "What's your name?" he asked.
She looked at Draco with an unfathomable expression before replying, "Hermione. Hermione Granger."
**This is the end of chapter 7
WHAAAAT? Harry lost Draco and Hermione found him? What's going to happen? Will Draco find his beloved caretaker again?
SPOILER ALERT: He does…
Anyways, thanks to all the people that like my stories. Please R&R for more chapters.**
