Chapter 6 - Sugar Quills

"Did you pack all your clothes Harry? The ones we bought you? I won't have you going back to school in those rags." Narcissa sat at the table flipping through her schedule. Harry noticed her china cup was empty, and walked over to refill it for her "Oh in fact, just burn your old clothes, I had a few I need to get rid of as well. Oh, Harry dear you didn't need to do that." She gave him a wry smile as he filled her cup.
Harry just shrugged "Old habits die hard I suppose, anyway, it's the least I can do Narcissa. And yes, I made sure to put all the clothes in my trunk." He gave her a warm smile "Thank you, again." He said sheepishly.
"Harry, if you thank me one more time I'll have to resort to sending you a Howler during the opening feast." She smirked.
Harry laughed "You're good." He looked around "Where's her highness?"
She raised a shapely brow "I assume you're referring to my son? He's probably still sleeping. The elves get everything ready for him, so he sleeps in." Harry rolled his eyes "Just what is so amusing?"
"I just find it amusing that her highness values her beauty sleep." He bit back a laugh.
Her eyes crinkled gently with a smile "We are Malfoy's after all, and appearances are everything."
Harry laughed gently and poured his own cup "Man I'm going to miss this…" he murmured quietly into his cup. Harry hadn't intended on being heard, but even the best laid plans are sometimes laid to rest.
"What do you mean Harry?" she asked as she set down her cup.
"Oh…uh, it's nothing don't worry. Just my insane, heroic ramblings." Was the weak reply Harry gave.
She pressed her baby blue eyes into a stern glare and bore down on Harry "Don't mistake me for a fool Harry. I'm a Malfoy and a Slytherin and head of this household and you will answer me." Harry gulped; she reminded Harry of the distant woman he had always seen standing at Lucius Malfoy's side. "Now what will you miss Harry?" she asked in a softer tone.
"Well I guess we've uncovered the uncomfortable topic of the day." He grumbled, ignoring the way Narcissa's brow pinched together "What I'll miss is this," he waved his hand, gesturing at the room "the…normalcy, if you will."
"Normalcy?"
Harry sighed "No…that was probably the wrong word. It's more like…homeliness. The company I suppose."
"Whatever do you mean? You're going back to Hogwarts; you can't tell me you don't have company there."
"True. However living in a dorm and going to school isn't the same as this. This is," he searched for the right word "nice, comfortable, peaceful. When I go back, I won't be going back home – Hogwarts was like a home to me – when I go back, I'll just be going back to the place where I lost everyone. Everyone that made Hogwarts home is gone." The silence was heavy after Harry finished; he ran his fingertips over his mug – he refused to use the china that Narcissa did n fear of it breaking.
"Don't do that Harry it's unhygienic." Harry looked up at her smiling face flabbergasted, as he lifted his fingers from his mug. "I know how you feel Harry, you're not the only one that's lost people in this war."
"I know! I know! Everyone has lost people! But they all have someone left!" his voice lowered to a mere whisper "I don't."
"Harry, I know what it feels like. I've lost everyone too."
Harry stood up violently from his chair "No you haven't! Andromeda is still alive! You still have Draco! Even bloody Lucius is still alive!"
"I have not spoken with my sister since our final Hogwarts year and my husband is locked away in Azkaban." She sighed.
"You have Draco. That's one more person than me. I-have-no-one." He raked his fingers through his hair, pulling at the roots "My mother and father are dead, my godfather is dead, Remus is dead, Tonks is dead, Cedric is dead, Fred is dead! Everyone I love died! I have no family, I never HAD any family! And it's all because of me and some god damned PROPHECY! Everyone I have EVER come close too has died! And it's my fault!"
Narcissa watched as Harry fled the kitchen in a flurry of emotions. She stared at the space between the doorframe for a few minutes before sighing and taking a sip of a tea. With a small 'clink', she set it back down on its saucer.
"You can come in now your highness." Narcissa didn't need to turn around to see the small blonde head peer in through the door that connected to the dining room.
"I resent that." Draco sat next to his mother and looked at the door that Harry fled through "He thinks this all about him doesn't he?"
Narcissa dropped her cup back on its saucer with a loud clatter and Draco turned to her outraged face "You would be at the wrong end of my wand if I knew you mean that." She said dangerously "Harry has done more for us than anyone ever has. He saved your life. More than once, and in return I saved his." Draco's eyes widened, this was the first time he had heard this. He quickly schooled his features.
"That doesn't entail Potter to a pity party."
"It does when there's no one left to pity him." She said quietly. "Harry has lost all the family he has ever had."
"He got the Weasly's." He said with disdain.
She glared at her son "That's different and you know it Draco." Narcissa didn't need an answer from her son; the deafening silence was answer enough. With a sigh, she drained the last of the fragrant liquid from the cup and placed it back onto its saucer. "I want you to go and talk to him." She ignored the obviously horrified look on his face "Don't look at me like that Draconis, I want you to go talk to him. He responds better to you," she paused "his Veela side anyway. He can't help the fact that his emotions are flaring. You can communicate with him better than I can. Just do it Draco, this is non-negotiable." Narcissa left the room in a flurry of robes, leaving her astonished son in the kitchen; luckily Draco did not notice the mischievous spark, twinkling in her eye as she glided from the room, reminiscent of a late headmaster.

Harry stormed into his room and slammed the door loudly behind him, almost regretting the action. However that feeling of guilt was quickly washed over by the torrential waves of anger saturating his being. He rapidly paced around the perimeter of the small carpet letting his magic fluctuate wildly around him. Although he could feel his magic pulsing around him, he was too wrapped up within his emotions to notice the sparks flying off of his eyelashes, hair and fingertips as they fell to the ground and singed the carpet. He made the picture of raging beauty: eyes flaring a motley dark jade and silver, his raven windswept locks dancing about in the air, shapely brows pinched above his eyes, tightly clenched fists shooting off raging blue sparks and his taut legs striding around the carpet. He was so distraught that he did not even notice Draco open the door and lean against its frame, so that he could watch Harry pace.
"You know my mother happen to like that rug; it came from Bulgaria I'll have you know. I would appreciate it if you would stop singing it. Burns are really hard to get out of that material, even with magic." Harry spun around at the sound of the familiar drawl and growled at its maker.
"Get-out-Draco." Draco's eyes narrowed and he stepped into the room.
"You can't tell me what to do Potter, it's my house."
"Leave. Me. Alone!"
"Don't speak to me like that half-blood."
"If it wasn't for this half-blood, your sorry pureblood arse would be dead. Draconis." He added as an afterthought.
"Don't call me that you pompous, excuse for a wizard! Just because your cowardly mind has decided to have a pity party and ruin everyone's day doesn't mean you can insult me in my own house."
Harry snarled and stormed over to Draco, his eyes turning a burning mercury colour. "Take that back."
"Wha-"
"I am not a coward."
He snorted "I don't know how you ever made it into that excuse of a house. There isn't anything brave about you Potter. You are a coward."
Before the words had left his mouth, Draco found himself on the floor with a red faced Harry straddling him.
"Shut-Up-Draco." Draco tried to sit up but he was only roughly shoved back to the ground by Harry's hands on his chest. "You have no right to call me a coward" he spat. Draco shifted his head quickly to the left to avoid the blue sparks falling from his full lips. "not with that tattoo on your arm."
With a new found strength, Draco pushed the boy off of his chest with a roar, reversing their positions so that he straddled his waist, pinning his arms.
"IT WASN'T MY CHOICE POTTER!" he wrapped a hand around Harry's throat and squeezed, leaning down to whisper in his ear "Don't you ever think I chose that life." He sat up to look at Harry with haunted eyes. "Ever."
Harry watched Draco's almost tortured expression with silver slits with baited breath.
"Now, are you ready to stop ranting and ruining the floorings like some savage muggle and calm down like a civilized wizard, or am I to ward off the room until you've finished your Weasly worthy hissy fit." Harry nodded as much as he could with Draco's hand around his throat. Harry stayed on the ground, watching Draco as he got up off of his waist and went to lean against the bedside table.
"Sorry," Draco's head whipped around to look at Harry, propped up on his elbows, still on the ground. "That was a low blow."
"Are…are you apologising to me? A Malfoy, Potter?"
"Yes, now shut up and accept it you prat."
"…apology accepted…git." Harry gave him a weak smile. "So why are chucking such a hissy fit?"
Harry snorted "You certainly don't beat around the proverbial bush do you?"
"No." Harry couldn't help but roll his eyes at the clearly, gleeful smirk on his face.
When Harry didn't speak again it was all Draco could do not to speak up; it was obvious that Harry was attempting to avoid answering his question like a fly would a swatter. This was not something Draco appreciated; when Draco wanted something, he got it and what he wanted right now was an answer. "You still haven't answered my question Potter. Why did you fly off the handle like that to my mother?"
"Well if you heard what happened in there im sure you don't even need to ask that question. It's pretty obvious."
"You've got the Weasly's don't you? There's enough of them to go around, surely they count as a family."
"There isn't you know" Harry ignored the blatant mockery of Ron's family, figuring it best that he did not provoke the blonde further.
"There isn't enough of what Potter?"
Harry sighed, ignoring the question "I don't even know why im having this conversation with you Draco. It's not like you care. And I'll be willing to bet that the only reason that you are up here is because your mother told you to come and talk to me."
"That may be true. I don't really care Potter, but that doesn't mean I'm not curious; why don't you consider the Weasly's to be family? It's like you said, they are all you've got left, it's not like you can afford to deny them as your family, you haven't got anyone else left. So what's the deal?"
Harry jumped up and flung his hands into the air with a cry "You really don't get it do you?" he took a step towards Draco "I'm not a part of their family. I never was. I'm not connected by blood to them at all! The only reason they ever talked to me was because I was Harry Potter, because I was the poor little orphan boy that Molly and Arthur took pity on. If I had a family I wouldn't be nearly as close to them as I am now!" and puffed out an angry breath and continued "And as a matter of fact there ISN'T enough of them to go around…not anymore."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Harry snorted and looked at Draco pointedly "You didn't really think the only reason I stayed here was to help with the foundation did you?" the look on Draco's face told Harry that that was exactly what he had thought. "Damn it Draco I can't believe you're so thick!" he continued on before Draco and the chance to protest to the insult "I stayed because I had nowhere else to go! I couldn't possibly go to the Burrow! I could've collaborated with you over floo and owl's and such, I didn't need to stay to help you plan!"
"…Then what the hell made you stay here? And what do you mean 'you couldn't possibly go to the Burrow'?"
"I can't go because I can't bare to face them!" he shouted "Their son is dead because of me! Fred is dead and it's my fault! How could I possibly face them? How could I possibly face George? I can't face them, I just can't knowing what I did. They would throw me out the second they saw me." He paused, chest heaving "And even if that wasn't the case. Even if everything was bloody hunkey fucking dorey they still wouldn't be family! I would just be someone standing on the outside. Someone they let in because they pitted them. They've all grown up together, they all know each other ins and outs, I have never seen a better, warmer and friendlier family. I'm not a part of it, I can't be a part of it. I don't know how to be a part of it." Harry started pacing around the carpet again and twisted his fingers into his hair "That's not the point. The point is they are not my family. They are my friends. I love them and I relied on them and they gave me all I could have ever asked for. And how do I repay them? By getting their son killed and getting his twin's ear blasted off. They could never forgive me and I wouldn't blame them, I can never forgive myself." Harry stopped pacing and practically dropped back down onto the floor with his head in his hands "Fuck I hate this emotional Veela thing…" he grumbled.
He heard the rustling of clothes and look up to see Draco peering down at him with an expression he had never seen on his face before; pity "You, Harry Potter, are an idiot." Harry's jaw dropped, outraged. Draco raised a hand to halt the slew of protests undeniably about to spout out of Harry's mouth "That war wasn't all about you Potter. It started long before you were born; it bloody well started long before your parents even got together. So don't you dare think for a second that this was all about you." He snorted "Leave it to your Gryffindor arrogance to put you in the limelight." He ignored the way Harry jumped up from the floor outraged and continued on "This war had been going on long before you were born Potter and you remember that. It would've kept going on even if you hadn't been born. You were just born in the wrong place at the wrong time. People were dying and sacrificing themselves long before your sorry arse ever came into existence. So stop belittling their memories by saying that everyone died for you. They died for themselves Potter. They died fighting for their lives, not yours. Granted you may have been the catalyst that set everything into motion and you did play a significant role in the war, which cannot be denied. But it can be said that you are not the reason Fred Weasly died. He died for his life and for his family's. Did you point your wand at him and utter the curse? No. I don't think so. Itso facto, you did not kill him. And I don't see why those blood traitors would blame you, even they can't be that thick. You don't have the right to feel guilty about his death Potter." Draco walked past Harry who was seemingly frozen to the spot, aside from his emerald eyes, following Draco's every move. Draco halted just outside of the doorway and turned back to look at Harry, with an unamiable flicker in his eye "I may not like the Weasly's Potter, but I do know this about them; I think they would be incredibly insulted by what you just said. I know enough about them to know that they consider you family, and I don't think that they would take too kindly to you speaking like that. Heed my words Potter, for a Malfoy is never wrong." A stunned Harry watched as Draco slipped out of sight, only to see him pop back into view ten seconds later. "Oh, you should probably start getting ready, the train gets to the platform at ten, and I plan to be on it as soon as it gets there, so get ready. It's already nine thirty."
Shocked out of his stupor, he cast a tempus charm to see that Draco was – in fact – telling the truth. He let lose an unmanly screech before dashing to the bathroom with the first set of clothes he could grasp in hand.

At promptly ten o'clock Harry found himself standing on the deserted platform with Narcissa and Draco as the train rolled into the station with a whistle that was carried across on the wind. Though nobody was around aside from the platform workers, Narcissa and Draco kept their masks firmly in place. They appeared to be the aristocratic, upper class figureheads of years past. Harry couldn't quite grasp why they would bother with such obviously fake appearances when there was barely anybody apparent. They were both always impeccably dressed, it wasn't that that confused him. It was their faces. In the short time he had lived with the two of them, he had grown to know the two of them better than he had ever thought he would. To see the both of them standing on the platform with their cold and stoic masks in place was peculiar to say the least. Harry had gotten so used to seeing their normally expressive faces – Narcissa's motherly and Draco's smug – that seeing them blank and cut off was strange.
"You Malfoy's and your appearances, I'll never understand it."
"Wouldn't' expect you to Potter. Some of us grew up in a cultured home life." Draco ignored the way Harry's face fell slightly, refusing to acknowledge the way his expression pulled at his heart strings.
"This is why purebloods have such a bad rep…" Narcissa nearly missed the mumble and merely raised an eyebrow.
"The point is Potter, you act different ways in different places and social settings. It's not a pureblood thing, it merely represents a good upbringing; manners and such, we purebloods can't be seen walking around in public acting like a bunch of Weasly's," he ignored the way Harry's eye's thinned "so don't be dim enough to look down upon purebloods just because they show decent etiquette."
"There's a difference between simple etiquette and snobbism."
"Boys," They both turned to see Narcissa's disapproving face "I will not be seen with you two acting like children."
Harry waved his hand around the empty station "There's no one here to see!"
Narcissa glared at them and Harry felt the need to take a step back "Harry Potter that is not the point. Now you wanted to be the first onto the train did you not?" she didn't bother to wait for their reply "Well you're here now so you better get on. I would stay to wave you off but I have some business to take care off so I'll have to be going." She gave both boys a chaste kiss on the cheek and turned on her heel, apparating away.
Harry stared at the spot in which Narcissa Malfoy had just vacated, mouth a gape. He turned to Draco only to realise the blonde was already stepping through the train doors.

Harry boarded the train to see a glimmer of blonde disappearing into the next carriage. "Draco! Draco! Oi Draco!" Harry sped off after him only to see him slip into the first compartment. The door was donned with a golden plaque and upon it the words 'Heads and Prefects' were written in elegant script.
Harry tutted to himself as he pushed open the door "Trust a Malfoy to make it as Head Boy…" Draco had the window seat and he was sitting comfortably with his left foot hanging over his knee. In his hands he had a leather bound book and pen; Harry recognised this book as notebook. He hardly went anywhere without it. And it was currently being used for their plans for the foundation. Both Harry and Draco had spent hours pouring their ideas and notations into that journal and Harry was now incredibly familiar with the particular book. Harry also knew that Draco made a point of writing in it by himself when he didn't want to talk to anyone and was sulking about some matter or another.
"Okay…" Harry said slowly; he stuck out a thumb and gestured over his shoulder at the window "…what was that?"
Draco sighed and put his book down in his lap and looked up at Harry "What was what Potter? Really, if you're going to be going around and asking questions you really do need to get your sentences straight so that people know what you are talking about."
"You know perfectly well what im talking about." Draco raised a brow and Harry sighed "Why did your mother go?"
If Harry hadn't spent the holidays with Draco he wouldn't have noticed the way he prickled at the question "You don't have ears don't you? She said she had some business to take care of."
"But isn't she going to wave you off?"
"Please…I'm not a child." He lowered his voice and looked out the window; standoffish "I've never been waved off."
"Ever?"
"No. Not ever. Now shut it Potter."
"Your mother has seriously never waved you off?"
"Do you not understand the meaning of the phrase 'shut it'?" Harry have him a pointed look and he sighed "No. She's never waved me off." He sniffed and raised his head "We Malfoy's act appropriately in public and hollering at your children from the platform and flailing your arms about like a madman is highly inappropriate behaviour."
"Is that just another one of your 'Malfoy's do not..' rules? Cause they are really stupid." Harry sat across from Draco, resting his chin in his hands and stared straight at Draco; his eyes unwavering.
"Drop it Potter or I'll break your nose again."
"Even you're more original than that," Draco stood up and took a step towards him; Harry put up his hands in a sign of subservience "Okay, okay, okay I get it. I'll drop it." He gave Draco a wolfish grin "Don't want a broken nose getting in the way of our business partnership now do we?"
Draco simply rolled his eyes and sat back down. Harry laughed and sat back comfortably against the seat.
Draco squinted and cocked his head to the side "Why are you even in here Potter? This is the Head's and Prefects compartment, as I am the Head Boy I see no reason for you to be in here. Especially considering the fact that I hate you and you hardly count as civilised company."
"As much as your words warm my heart Draco, I'm staying here. I have no intentions of sitting in a compartment by myself, it would be incredibly boring. Plus, I don't believe that there is any written rule that says I cannot be in here."
"So you decided to invade my personal space?"
"Yup. It would be boring waiting by myself for Ron and Hermione to arrive. I might as well sit here and annoy you. After all, you do have the cutest reactions Princess." He let out a mewl of protest when Draco stubbornly swung up his feet to rest in his lap.
"Do you mind?"
"I thought 'Princess' had the 'cutest reactions'."
"It's bad manners to put your feet on people."
Draco ignored him and picked up the notebook and pen and began furiously scribbling in it, ignoring Harry's protests.
With a private grin, Harry laid his arms over Draco's feet, causing the teen to look up, alarmed at the action "And just what do you think you're doing?"
"Resting my arms."
"Yes I can see that scarhead, you're resting them on my feet."
"Your feet are on my legs, where else am I supposed to put my hands?" He hummed in question.
"Well I'm comfortable, just keep your hands to yourself and you won't lose them." Draco rolled his eyes as Harry threw his head back and laughed.
A few minutes passed in silence before a strange noise tickled Draco's ears. He looked up and saw Harry, with one hand across his feet and the other propping up his head as he looked out the window calmly. Shaking his head, thinking he was imagining things, Draco went back to planning in his notebook. About a minute later the strange noise started up again. This time however, Draco pretended not to hear it and kept his head down. He strained his ears and listened for the sound. He could barely make it out, it was soft and slick. It sent shivers down his spine. It made his face flush. The sound made him feel uncomfortable in all of the right ways – which made it that much more wrong. He slammed his book shut and look up to the startled face of Harry.
"Would you stop it!"
"…Stop what?" he asked all to innocently.
"That…that noise!"
If Harry had a light bulb over his head, Draco would've sworn it just went off "Oh…sorry. I had to talk to someone…"
"Huh?"
Harry lifted his head off of his hand and scratched awkwardly behind his ear. "Well your obviously not going to talk to me and I'm bored senseless. So is Septimus for that matter, so it would only make sense that I would talk to him."
"Septi-What?" Draco almost let his jaw drop as he saw a small green head poke out of one of Harry's looser sweaters. The small, light green head stood out brightly against the emerald green of the sweater. A small tongue poked out and flicked in his general direction. Septimus turned and hissed to Harry, making him blush profusely.
"What? What did the snake say?"
"His name is Septimus and he was ….just asking about Hogwarts and such." Harry looked out the window, avoiding eye contact.
Draco raised a brow at the obvious lie; he could feel the veins in his forehead starting to swell he was so annoyed "Why would a stupid snake want to know about Hogwarts and why would you even bother telling him?" he asked, playing along with the lie.
The snake's eyes lessened to mere slits and he hissed angrily. Harry tutted at Draco reproachfully "Just because you can't understand him doesn't mean he can't understand you. Piss him off anymore and he might just bite you."
Draco pushed himself back into his seat with wide eyes. He knew that Boomslang snakes weren't that dangerous and their poison wasn't deadly and that Harry had a vial of the anti-venom hangng around his neck just in case, but that didn't change the fact that he didn't want to get bitten. He didn't take his eyes off of the hissing snake; he swore it was laughing – if snakes could even do that. He looked up briefly to see Harry barely suppressing a laugh.
"Oh shut up you filthy half-blood. Keep that bloody thing away from me. I regret getting that damn thing for you. Slimy snake."
"Snakes aren't slimy." Draco cried out in frustration and crossed his arms, looking out the window, trying to ignore the sound of Harry's laughter.

"But Hermione! The meeting doesn't start for another hour! Why do you want to go and sit in the Head's and Prefect's compartment?" Ron whined. They had left the station just under an hour ago and Hermione was adamant that she was going to go to the compartment early.
"Ron, it's my duty as Head Girl to be the first to these meetings!"
"I get that…sort of, but that doesn't mean you need to be there an hour early!"
Hermione stopped and turned on her heel to face Ron, standing in the middle of the walkway. " I have thing I want to get prepared for everyone else, plan to go through and what not. I just want to make sure I have ample time to do all of that."
Without another word she strode off in the direction of the second carriage. Ron groaned and went off after her. "I know I can't be in there when you guys are having the meeting, but can I just stay with you until then…" he finished awkwardly.
He could hear the smirk in his girlfriend's voice "Oh, and why would you want to stay with my until then Ronald?"
"Um…because I-I want to…want to spend some time…with you." Hermione turned her head over her shoulder to see Ron's face turn a brilliant red that contrasted surprisingly well with his hair.
She giggled and walked her head only to stop and turn when she realised Ron wasn't following her.
"Well? Come on then?" She giggled again when Ron ran up to her blushing, sticking to her heel.
They soon came to the compartment after passing the trolley lady and Hermione pulled open the door. The couple froze instantly at the sight that met their eyes.

"The train left the station long ago Potter, why haven't you left yet."
"I just got the seat warm. I wouldn't want to have to move to another compartment and have to warm up another seat, and odds are the window seat is gone."
"Cretin." Draco grunted.
Harry paused for a moment before speaking "Thank you."
"Excuse me?"
Septimus had long since vacated the heated fabric of Harry's sweater and he now hung loosely around his neck, he shifted uncomfortably, mirroring Harry's emotions.
"Well, I suppose I should thank you…for this morning that is. I mean – don't get me wrong, I still hate you," he gave a wolfish grin that made Draco wonder whether or not Harry actually hated him "but I probably would still be freaking out if you hadn't…well, hadn't thrown me to the ground and strangled me."
"Get your facts right Veela-boy, you threw me to the ground, I simply rolled us over. Then I strangled you." He smirked, loving the fact he had managed to get one in.
Harry's face showed a glimmer of humour before turning solemn "Look, in all seriousness thank you, Draco. I know we agreed to be civil considering we will be working together, but…I really did mean what I said. I do want to put the past behind me, behind us. I don't want to spend my life with any more enemies than necessary, and you Draco, aren't a necessary enemy." He sighed and raked a hand through his hair. Septimus sensed his distress and rubbed his head affectionately against his chin. The action creped Draco out slightly but Harry didn't seem to notice.
"What would you say to starting over?" Draco gave him a look that clearly said I-have-no-clue-what-you're-on-about "To start again I mean. I…just…what I mean is-"
"How eloquent Potter."
"THAT!" Harry shouted, pointing at Draco "That's what I'm talking about! This whole…" he waved about in the air with his hands, gesturing aimlessly "animosity? Yes, animosity between us. It's pointless really. The only reason we're like this is because you're a dark wizard and I'm light, because I'm a Potter and you're a Malfoy, because you were a Death Eater and I was fighting you and because-"
"It's not the reason behind our 'animosity' – you really need to stop stealing Granger's words by the way-" he said, interrupting Harry "…it's not the reason…the animosity…it's not what started it anyway."
"What…Then…what was it?" Draco grumbled and turned away "Look, I'm serious about putting the past behind us."
Draco growled and looked at Harry "The reason I hate…or hated you – depending on how this goes – is not because of my father, not because of my friends or my house or the Dark Lord. It's…it's because you refused my hand."
"What?" he asked dumbly.
"You naive, blithering idiot! It's because you refused my hand when I offered it to you, first bloody year!" Draco snarled, glaring at Harry. He was not pleased at having so shamelessly revealing that information. 'Potter is the bloody Veela here, isn't he supposed to be the emotional one?'
"Oh…" Harry blushed slightly, and his skin seemed to almost sparkle in embarrassment – it was almost as it someone has sprinkled a light dusting of glitter upon his skin "I honestly didn't even think of that."
"You don't think of a lot of things you twot."
A few minutes passed in awkward silence, neither speaking nor looking at one another. Harry's thumbs twiddled, still sitting on Draco's feet.
Harry sighed and pushed Draco's feet off of him. Before the blonde could protest, Harry took a step towards him and jabbed out his hand, inches away from Draco's face.
"Potter, what are yo-"
"Hi, I'm Harry Potter," Harry was blushing furiously and his eyes sparkled silver.
Draco coked his head to the side, staring at the Veela boy "What in Merlin's name are you doing?"
Harry continued, ignoring him "It's nice to meet you, what's your name?" By this point Harry's cheeks were a Weasly worthy red and his eyes were a combination of both silver and emerald. Draco immediately got what he was getting at and shook his head viciously.
"Oh no, we are not doing this! It's ridiculous Potter."
"Harry, please." He pressed.
Draco groaned and smacked his palm to his face, trying to ignore the way that Harry's hand was invading his personal space. Dropping his own hand, he eyed Harry's warily, mentally weighing the options of this ridiculous game.
Draco looked into Harry's eyes with a piercing glare, trying to figure out just exactly what he was getting at. He could see Harry's eyes practically begging him to take his hands, just like he had all those years ago. There was a part of him that wanted to desperately to refuse the hand, just like Harry had; as his own personal version of vengeance. He knew the Gryffindor would take it hard if he refused, he also knew that there was a possibility that Harry would pull out of the foundation and leave him on his own and that simply could not happen.
But what Draco would not ever admit, was that there was actually a part of him that desperately wanted to take that hand, and welcome the boy's friendship.
He eventually came to a conclusion as he swam within the depths of Harry's silver and emerald sparkling eyes.
For many years to come, when either of the boys reflected on this day, Draco would be adamant that he had never taken Harry's hand, that the thought had never crossed his mind. That it was in fact Harry, he would say that it was Harry would grabbed Draco's hand – ever so forcefully – and forced him to shake it when he did not play along with Harry's game.
This was in fact false.
Draco stood up so that the boys were face to face, almost toe to toe. Draco could see every pore in Harry's face, he could see his glistening lips and his bright red cheeks and he could see how only a few excited specks on emerald could be seen in his silver eyes. He could tell that Harry wasn't angry in the slightest. Apprehensive, anxious, nervous even, but definitely not angry. He assumed it was just a thing that happened when emotions were on high.
Draco took a deep breath and swallowed and grasped Harry's hand firmly, enveloping it in his.
"My…my name is Master Draco Malfoy, heir to the Malfoy name. It is a pleasure to meet you Mister Potter." Draco bowed his head respectfully and as he looked up his heart stopped. Harry was grinning madly at him and for a fraction of a second he thought he had been conned by Harry Potter once again. That he had been pulled into a trap; lured into thinking that this boy actually wanted his friendship.
Thankfully his suspicions were false.
The raven haired boy grasped their entwined hands, capturing Draco's palm within the cavern of his flesh. His fingers squeezed Draco's hand tightly. "Nice to meet you."
Draco rolled his eyes "Enough of this game scarhead, pleasantries are neither my forte or yours." Harry narrowed his eyes at the blonde.
"This isn't a game, I mean it. Even if we are just acquaintances…I just don't want to fight you anymore." Harry squeezed their hands again and lent in slightly, closer to Draco "I don't want to fight you. You're not a bad person, a ferrety git maybe," he grinned, flashing his snow white teeth "but you're not a bad person. I have no need to fight with you."
Draco stepped backed hurriedly, yanking his hands out of Harry's when he realised that they hand been holding hands for far too long. Draco noticed how pain quickly flickered across Harry's face, causing his eyes to turn a dark grey.
He crossed his arms and turned around mumbling.
"What was that you said?" Harry asked tensely.
"I said fine. Last thing I need is another person that hates me. Having you around might just do my image some good. So fine, I'll be your civil acquaintance." He spun and glared at Harry "But I will not be your friend and I will not call you Harry." He flopped back down on the seat, crossing his arms "Sit the hell back down so I can have my foot rest back Potter." Harry just sat down opposite Draco and laughed.
They sat in a comfortable silence for a while before a familiar called outside the door "…the trolley. Anything from the trolley?" She poked he head in through the door "Anything from the trolley dears?"
Draco sneered at her "I don't want your plebeian sweets."
Harry rolled his eyes. He shoved Draco's feet of off his lap and went to the door. "Hello dear, what would you like?" she asked kindly, her eyes smiling.
"Umm…three packets of ice mice, 5 chocolate frogs, a packet of liquorice twists and 6 sugar quills." He handed over the money and she smiled sweetly as she handed him the pile of sweet goods.
"Enjoy your ride dearie." Harry smiled crookedly as he watched her waddle of in the direction of the other compartments.
Harry pretended not to notice the way Draco was eyeing him as he sat down as he opened up a packet of ice mice, popping the minty, marshmallowy goodness into his mouth.
Draco huffed "Typical Potter, hyping yourself off on sugary products." In Draco's defence he was trying very hard not to stare at the pile of sugar quills sitting beside Harry's thighs.
Harry snorted and looked at Draco deliberately "Stop bunging it on, don't pretend you don't like them. I've seen you, hiding away in your study, sucking on a sugar quill." What Harry failed to mention was the fierce way he had blushed the first time he had witnessed that particular scene.
"I'll admit I indulge in the odd sugar quill."
"Indulge? Puh-lease! I saw you bribing the elves to get you more when your mother took your stash." Harry grinned "You love them."
"Fine." He grumbled "I like them. Now give me one." He demanded.
Shoving five in his pockets, Harry held one high above his head "What's the magic word?"
Draco glowered "Oh no, we are not playing this game, I've already indulged you today scarhead, now give me the sugar quill before I choke you with it!"
"Magic word?" Draco growled and lunged himself at Harry. Again, he would later deny these actions as they were completely unbefitting of a Malfoy. However it had been a week since he had had one – his mother had purged the house of them – and he was desperate.
Harry shrieked almost gleefully as Draco launched himself at him. He tackled Harry across the seat, reaching for the quill he was still holding in his stretched hand. Septimus hissed indignantly and he slithered over to the window sill to watch the scene play out. Draco clambered on top of Harry and pinned his chest down with his forearm as he stretched out with his other hand, reaching for the quill. The blonde's knee was wedged between Harry's legs; Harry was effectively trapped.
Harry giggled shrilly and pushed against Draco's chest with his free hand "Get Off Draco!" He giggled even louder as Draco stretched further up his chest to reach for the quill, his blonde hair tickling Harry's neck. Draco cried out in triumph as he finally managed to snatch the quill. He pushed himself up on his arms and clamped his lips around the middle of the sugary quill, sucking greedily with a childlike grin on his face. Harry laughed underneath him at the look on his gleeful face.
It was at this inopportune moment that Hermione and Ron decided to open the compartment door.

TBC