Sorry for the delay in posting, I've been a bit busy lately (I'm learning French!). I hope you enjoy this little AU featuring Harry Potter, Lily Potter(alive!) and Draco Malfoy! Merci beaucoup! ;)

A delicate, warm, breeze tousled little Harry Potter's dark raven hair, the warm afternoon sun bathing everything in a golden light. The boy watched as moving men carried box after box into the house across the street, eyes darting about in hopes of catching a glimpse of his new neighbors.

He wished desperately for another child to play with. How lonesome it got in Godric's Hollow, with no siblings nor children of his own age to play with. The house on the other side of the street had been vacant ever since he could remember; it was just the three Potters for miles and miles around.

Now, as he swung back and forth on his tire swing, his thoughts were broken by a familiar voice calling him.

"Harry? Come, dear, it's time for some lunch!"

Harry hopped off of the swing, the sturdy ropes creaking as the old rubber tire swayed behind him. He skipped up the pathway, stopping to pluck a tiny blue wildflower from the green lawn.

Twirling the short, thin stem between his fingers, he jumped up the steps and into the shade of a freshly painted white porch with two large wicker chairs and a little glass table. A silver wind-chime tinkled merrily in the corner, playing along with the birds chirping.

Harry opened the screen door and stepped into the kitchen, kept cool by the open window over the sink. His mother, Lily Potter, was cutting the crust off of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She placed it on a plate and set it down on the table in front of him with a tall glass of milk.

"You be sure and drink all of that milk, young man," She reminded him, "and you can have a cookie after lunch."

"'kay." He replied, and gave her the little blue flower, its fragile petals wilting a bit.

"Well, thank you, sweet heart!" she said, taking a sniff of its fragrance.

She placed it in a little shot glass of water, where there were already a few other plants; a small cattail, its stem cut short to fit into the glass, an orchid, and a golden yellow dandelion; all in which Harry had collected for her.

"I expect our neighbors should be here soon," She began, regarding the window which overlooked the yard. "It looks as if their running out of boxes to bring in."

Harry paused mid-chew and peeked out of the window excitedly. He swallowed. "Do you suppose there'll be someone my age to play with?" he asked hopefully.

"I would imagine so, seeing's how they've already brought in a toy box." She smiled at her son. "It'll be nice to finally have some company in Godric's Hollow, eh?"

Harry nodded, still baffled on how he might have missed the toy box, and continued to eat his sandwich.

oOo

"Thanks, mum!" Harry put his dishes into the sink and grabbed a chocolate chip cookie from the cookie jar. Lily bent down and he gave her a peck on the cheek before he rushed back outside again, jumping off of the porch.

Still no car. He thought disappointedly, as he walked towards the tire swing.

He sat there for a while, admiring the magnificent oak tree as he ate his cookie. It was always so majestic; in the winter its thick, bare branches became a home for the little squirrel family, and in the summer its brilliantly green leaves shook with the wind. However, Harry decided that his favorite time was in autumn, when its crisp leaves turned musky browns and reds and carpeted the lawn.

Harry's head jerked up quickly at the sound of a motor to see a shiny mahogany SUV pulling into the driveway of the house across the street. His heart pound hard and fast in his chest and he crossed his fingers as the doors opened.

From the driver's seat a woman stepped out. Her white and brown hair was pulled back into a tight bun and she wore a dark grey dress suit, the skirt ending just below the knees. Opposite her emerged a tall man, whom Harry suspected was her husband. His hair was a very light blonde and his suit was grey as well. His black shoes were polished and shiny and reflected the sun's rays like a mirror.

Finally, someone was stepping out from the back, and to Harry's delight it was a young boy with hair like his fathers. He wore a dark grey shirt with the sleeves rolled up neatly with jean trousers, and a pair of brown brogues shoes. The boy looked around shortly, an unsure expression on his face, until his grey eyes locked with Harry's.

Harry wasn't sure if he should wave at him or run into the house; he wasn't exactly accustom to meeting new people. He needn't decide, however, because just then the boy's mother spotted him and waved, flashing him a bright smile. He smiled back hesitantly and gave her a short, awkward wave.

The woman leaned down and whispered something into the boy's ear, making a slight gesture towards Harry. Once again, the boy looked a bit unsure, but his mother gave him a reassuring smile and a pat on the back. Finally, the boy shrugged and began to cross the street slowly, his mother turning and joining her husband inside the house.

Once the boy had made his way safely onto the sidewalk, he stopped, surveying the Potter's small home; the loose shingles on its half-repaired roof, the untidy lawn which was in need of mowing, the battered old tire and fraying rope attached to the magnificent oak tree.

And he smiled. The same, brilliant smile that Harry had just seen the boy's mother wearing not so long ago.

"Hello," He finally acknowledged Harry. "I'm Draco – Draco Malfoy."

oOo

Lily Potter was washing the dishes, a smile on her face as she watched the two little boys playing on the tire swing from the window.

She was relieved that Harry would finally have a friend his age to play with, someone to think like him and act like him, but felt a sudden pang of sadness at the prospect that he wouldn't need her to be the shark who attacks him while he takes cover on his bed, or the bad guy so that he could save the day anymore.

She heaved a sigh and continued to scrub away at a plate when the door swung open and Harry came into the kitchen, the other little boy standing at the doorway reluctantly.

"Mom, this is my friend Draco Malfoy." He said, beaming up at her.

"Nice to meet you, Draco." Lily dried off a soapy hand and offered it to the boy, who shook it and replied "Nice to meet you too, Mrs. Potter."

"Can I show Draco my dinosaurs, mom?"

"I suppose so. You'll need me to get them, I expect?" Lily replied, setting down the hand towel.

"Yes, please."

Lily retrieved a large bin from the top shelf of a closet and handed it to Harry. "Thanks, mom!" he rushed out onto the porch. "Thanks Mrs. Potter!" Draco followed.

Lily snatched a cookie from the cookie jar and watched as the boys dumped out the plastic dinosaurs and dragons on the porch floor, making them battle each other and arguing over which one of them should win.

Maybe it won't turn out so bad after all… Lily thought, taking a bite of her cookie and smiling.

Thank you so much for reading! Please review! :D