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Chapter Seven: Malfoy vs. Potter

Dudley had enjoyed his day with Harry, Ron and Hermione. Perhaps a little more than he'd like to admit. He had soon found out that Ron was the joker of the three, Hermione the brain and Harry the heart of the whole trio. He had never thought his cousin to fit into the role of leader as well as he did. He had always thought of him as a following kind of guy.

He woke up early the following morning. He could hear Ron snoring in the bed next to his and then he heard a different sound. Harry was moaning and whimpering in his sleep. He got up and went closer to Harry's bed. It wasn't the first time he had heard Harry moan and talk in his sleep. When he returned after his 4th year Dudley remembered, Harry had woken up screaming on more than one occasion. He hadn't really discussed the war with Harry and he knew he had to bring it up eventually, though he didn't really want to. He knew that he was going to hear about all the heroic stuff they had done in the past year.

Dudley did not want to feel like the big bad wolf, he knew he was going to when he figured out just how horrible a past Harry had. He still had his parents, Harry had been left alone when he was a baby and Dudley had not made it any easier for his cousin to be an orphan.

He couldn't breathe, he needed to get out. He hurriedly put on some clothes and ran out. He didn't stop until he reached the last landing. He had not expected anyone to be up this early. He saw the blond boy he had met a few days ago, trot into the great hall. The blond didn't even notice him. Dudley was just about to go into the great hall himself when the blond turned and walked right into him.

"Watch it Blondie!" said Dudley, nearly falling over.

"What?" the blond said loudly. Dudley raised a single eyebrow and tilted his head a little.

"Are you deaf? Watch. It. Blondie." Dudley said again as if talking to a five-year-old. The blond sneered at him and took a step closer.

"Who do you think you are?"

"I'm Dudley Dursley, Harry Potter's cousin. And who the hell are you?" The blond decided to ignore Dudley's tone of voice and stood up a little straighter, raising his head.

"I'm Draco Malfoy." He waited for the realization to show on Dudley's face, though that never happened. Dudley smirked and frowned at him instead.

"Is that supposed to ring a bell?" He said and shook his head. Apparently this was too much for Malfoy and he raised his wand.

"Protego!" Someone shouted. Dudley was surprised to see Harry walk inside with his wand raised as the spell created a barrier between Malfoy and Dudley.

"Step back, Dudley." Dudley immediately did as he was told and walked backwards until his legs hit the bench at the Gryffindor table. Malfoy seemed to have frozen for a second but soon his eyes were shooting daggers at Harry and he tried to deflect the spell.

"Rictusempra!" Malfoy shouted but Harry was just as quick.

"Impedimenta!" Harry took advantage of the spell slowing down and moved away.

"Orchideous!"

"Ahhh!" Malfoy yelled as flowers started to spring out of the tip of his wand. Harry laughed, which only agitated Malfoy further.

"Crucio!" Harry just moved in time for the spell not to hit him. Malfoy walked towards him and Harry jumped on the table.

"You wanna play rough Malfoy. Serpensortia!" Harry yelled and a giant snake landed in front of Malfoy. He backed away from it. Dudley then heard the strangest sound coming out of Harry's mouth. It was not like anything he had ever heard before. He hissed and flicked his tongue apparently talking to it, because it turned its head towards him and hissed back before it slithered towards the Slytherin.

Even though it was moving away from him, Dudley couldn't help jumping up on the table beside Harry. He had a flashback of his first encounter with the snake at the Zoo. He had been afraid of them ever since. Malfoy was glancing between the snake and Harry, wavering between spells to cast towards him. Harry, seeing Malfoys hesitation, jumped off the table again still hissing at his snake. Suddenly Malfoy snapped out of his reverie and pointed his wand at the snake.

"Reducio!" His snake shrank instantly and looked more like a small caterpillar. Before Harry could say Quidditch he had aimed a spell towards him.

"Incarcerous!" Two large ropes appeared and wrapped around Harrys torso. He struggled to get free but it was no use. He fell backwards as the ropes covered his legs. Malfoy moved towards him slowly and bend over his body.

"You lose." He gloated and stepped over Harrys legs. Harry made a swift move and kicked Malfoys foot, making him fall over. Harry was just able to point his wand at the ropes.

"Evanesco!" The ropes vanished and Harry was now the one bending over Malfoy. Dudley went to stand beside his cousin and as if Harry had used Legimens they both leaned forward, hands on their knees looking down at Malfoy. They turned towards each other and Dudley gestured for Harry to decide what to do.

"Are we done?" Harry asked him, Malfoy just made an 'umpf' sound.

"I take that as a yes. Come on Big-D." Harry said and Dudley bumped his fist with Harrys and they walked out the great hall together.

"That was absolutely brilliant!" Dudley said and punched the air. Harry smiled at him and shrugged.

"Well, he deserved it and I know his technique. It is not the first time I have had a wand-off with Draco Malfoy."

"What was it you did with the snake?"

"It is actually a long story. I have been able to talk to them because Voldemort left a piece of his soul inside me. He was a Paselmouth, meaning he could talk to snakes and so can I. When he tried to kill me last year he removed the piece of his own soul within me. I can still remember some Paselmouth but not much. I thought I might as well give it a shot today. He understood me at least. I think I told the snake to 'scream at him' instead of 'scare him', that was why he turned his head and looked at me. Well he got the point in the end." Dudley admired his cousin and smiled at him until he remembered.

"Hey! At the Zoo, back when we were eleven. Did you talk to that snake as well?"

"Yeah, though I was just as surprised as you were when the glass disappeared. I wasn't able to control my magic back then." They walked in silence back to the common room as the castle was beginning to wake. They reached the portrait hole when Harry put a hand on Dudleys arm.

"Why were you up so early? I woke up and you were gone." Dudley made eye contact with Harry and blushed a little.

"You were having a bad dream I think, you were moaning and mumbling in your sleep. I just felt bad. I have treated you terribly through the years and when I saw how much pain you seemed to be in, I had to get away to clear my head. I just- I am sorry Harry. I hope you can forgive me, eventually." Harry nodded.

"Yeah well, I think you have made up for some of that when you decided to come here." Dudley smiled at him. It was the first time Harry had mentioned his coming to see him as somewhat positive.

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

Harry, Dudley, Ginny, Ron and Hermione had walked around the castle reminiscing about the past and telling funny stories from their time at the school. Dudley had enjoyed that immensely and hadn't noticed Ron and Harry whispering behind him. Harry went to put a hand on Dudleys shoulder and nudged his side.

"Ron and I have been talking and we want to give you a little surprise." Dudley looked at them both and nodded excitedly. His smiled faltered when Harry conjured a black piece of cloth and blindfolded him.

"Harry, what-"

"Don't worry! I am not going to trick you or anything, just relax." He breathed heavily as the two boys led him outside. He was still not sure that this was a good idea.

Ron and Harry stopped him suddenly and Harry leaned down and whispered in Dudleys ear, making him jump a little.

"Have you ever imagined what it would be like to fly?" Dudley shook his head vigorously.

"Well-" Harry said and removed the cloth slowly. Dudley had to get used to the sunlight and shut his eyes tight before opening them slowly. In front of him were two broomsticks.

"Oh hell no!"