AN/Warnings: Yes, decided to add another chapter to MBFEOT. Mbfeot. Teehee.
Still no slash, just prodding the idea of a Harry/Draco strained friendship. I suppose it could be implied if you're looking for it, but that tends to make people think it's strictly HP/DM. I have blasphemed, I actually consider both of them to be straight in this so…yay? ::dodges attacks from slashy fan girls:: I also somehow couldn't get the style I was writing in for My Best Friend back, so this'll have to do. Very sorry about that. Also, domo arigato to everyone who reviewed, it inspired me to continue this. cheesy smile
As for the ending, it's a little weird, but it does happen. You say you're going to stay friends forever with someone from school, and you fall out of touch. Sucks, doesn't it?
Now, onto the continuation of this ficcy, ne?
One Last Encore
Or
Harry Potter's Guide to Dealing with a 'Very Bad-Ass' Malfoy
Harry has always thought that his days at Hogwarts would last forever. How could they not? This place was his entire existence. However, when he realized this was his last year, all he could really do was look back on all of the wasted time and missed opportunities. There were the great, funny times, though, and those were a thousand times better.
Pulling his cloak on, Harry stood near the exit of the Gryffindor Common Room.
"Mione, I'm going to Diagon Alley with Malfoy. If I'm not back by ten, send out a search party, he probably killed me."
Hermione, who was sitting on the couch with a heavy book, looked up and nodded.
"Alright. See you later." She waved goodbye, and watched Harry slip out from behind the portrait. She smiled at where Harry used to be, and then continued reading.
Seventh Years were allowed to visit Diagon Alley on certain dates, along with the supervision of a Head of House (who was, ahem, 'randomly chosen'). The scarlet Hogwarts Express would enter the station wailing, and a handful of students would hop on.
Draco sat across from Harry, still not used to the boy's company enough to actually sit next to him. Harry's head was leaning against the window, as he dully watched the scenery flash by. His breath caused little patches of fog, that disappeared once he inhaled, but came back when he exhaled.
The blonde boy's arms stretched above him, and he yawned. However, he froze and looked to his side when Snape appeared at the train car's door, counting the number of students. Harry watched Snape with equal boredom, as if he was another cow grazing in one of the fields outside. Moo.
"Potter. Malfoy." Snape acknowledged both teenagers, and both nodded, but not together. Harry's nod was short and tired, but Draco's was a little deeper. Harry snorted when Draco realized his hands were still entwined above his head, and brought them quickly down. Snape only raised an eyebrow, and continued to the next car.
Harry carefully examined his bitten nails, while his companion kept on running his hands through his own hair, smoothing out every bump and untangling every knot.
When Harry reached to bite one nail that he had started to let grow, he received a kick in the knee from Draco. Scowling at the boy, he clenched his hand into a fist and let it fall to his side.
"Asshole."
"I try."
---
The train shuddered to a stop, and both boys stood up, almost falling when the train heaved a final time. Harry grabbed Draco's shoulder in order to stabilize both of them, and his hand was redrawn quickly once they were both fully on their feet.
Both stroll off of the train, with Snape somehow right behind them. When he curves off to guide a few first and second years around the busy streets of the Alley, Harry burst into a well-hidden grin and his companion rolled his eyes.
"We were good, Malfoy. Snape probably thought that if he wasn't in the car, we'd be at each other's throats."
"Yes, Potter, I believe you deserve an award." He clapped short and sarcastically, earning a punch in the shoulder.
They wandered around the Alley for a good hour or so, stopping to check out some books in Flourish and Blotts, and then poking some explodable mushrooms in the Apocathary.
Stopping at the ice-cream parlor, Harry entertained the idea of getting a huge banana split. Draco refused to share it with someone who would infect him with his 'happy-go-lucky, fucking annoying, turn-me-into-a-red-headed-fan girl-Gryffindor-ness.'
Harry bought it anyway.
Draco nearly killed him when he realized that Potter was coming out with the huge dish. Standing up and seething, as he curtly told Potter to go to hell, and and added a few more damnations for good measure. He finally realized he was only humoring Potter, and the spectators who had stayed around to watch.
Sitting down with a huff, Potter beamed at him from the other side of the table. Sticking two spoons into the huge ice cream, he stole some whipped cream with his finger, thinking for a minute.
"Eight-point-eight on the Malfoy Hissy-Fit-O-Meter." He grinned as Malfoy glared at him, eating another spoonful of ice cream. "I dare say, if I really piss you off next time, we might be able to make a nine."
"I hate you."
"I know."
They sat in silence for a few minutes, before Malfoy looked up. When in doubt, resort to small talk.
"How's that Ravenclaw you've been going out with?"
"She bitches. A lot. I can hardly stand it. Probably dump her soon."
"Fascinating. Chang?"
"Still head-over-heels in love with Cedric's ghost. She writes sometimes, but, you know, she talks to me like I'm her little brother. How about you? Heard you've been getting around." He raised his eyebrows as Malfoy smirked.
"I don't like to brag, but, actually, I'm single right now."
"Rawr."
"Shut up." Both of the boys laugh, though, and Draco twirled the spoon between his fingers thoughtfully.
That was when Potter kicked him under the table. Pretending not to notice the boy's suppressed grins, Malfoy stared out down the Alley, spoon in mouth. Revenge was too sweet to forget, and Malfoy delivered a swift kick to Potter's right shin.
"Malfoy! God, that killed!" Harry nearly shrieked, pushing back his chair to examine his leg. Pouting, Harry pulled his chair back in and continued eating.
"Then don't play footsie with me." Harry laughed, stealing what was left of the whipped cream.
"Oh, I only play footsie with you, Malfoy." Both grinned dangerous grins, dared-you-first grins. These grins meant business.
"Mm. Never knew you swung that way, Potter."
"Only for you, Malfoy. Otherwise, I'm as straight as they come. Besides, rather a Gryffindor boy than a Slytherin girl, eh?" Malfoy eyed the other with his 'we-are-not-amused' look. Something lifted his lips into a grin, as he skillfully knocked Potter's spoon out of the way, and stole the last spoonful of ice-cream. Popping the spoon out of his mouth with defiance, he threw the utensil back into the bowl.
"They're both about the same, really. Except maybe you're just a little prettier than Pansy." Flashing the raven-haired boy another grin, Malfoy lazily stood up and meandered down the Alley.
"Bastard." Harry muttered, but noticed the continuous metallic nose coming from the ice cream bowl. He found not only the spoon there, but more than enough money to pay for the food. Sighing at the blonde's antics, Harry stood up and walked away from the table, finding Malfoy at the corner of the street.
"Potter. Long time, no see."
"Oh, Malfoy. Fancy meeting you here."
---
It was the last day of school. Where had all of the days gone?
Harry had, as discussed that summer break, spent every other Tuesday of his last year with Malfoy. Seventh Years were allowed to choose one day where they were allowed 'free study', but were allowed to wander the school, as long as they had an excuse. Whether both went along with it because:
a: Out of spite.
b: Their inherent Gryffindor/Slytherin 'duties' to get in as many shots as they could. Malfoy was ahead on the insult tally simply because of that first night at Hogwarts when he had offered a handshake. That, Harry claimed, was an insult in itself. You don't touch things if you've don't know where they've been.
Or, finally;
c: To humor the other, neither really knew..
They usually went to Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley if they were allowed. If it was raining, they went to the Great Hall and played Exploding Snap, chess, or something like that. If they couldn't do anything else, they went outside and wandered around, talking about nothing and everything. Their conversations were usually short and not-too-deep, you couldn't really safely reveal anything to someone who could be against you for the rest of their life.
The last day was spent signing yearbooks, hugging people whose names he'd forgotten, and laughing at good memories and shaking his head at the bad. Voldemort was still out there, somewhere, but this wasn't the time to be thinking about that.
He'd be in touch with Ron and Hermione, who were going off to do one thing or another…but not together. Neville was, as expected, going to train to be an Auror, with Seamus and Dean tagging along.
Wandering onto the platform, Harry stared up at the Hogwarts Express.
Spotting Malfoy leaning against the railing that kept 'suicidal' Hogwarts students from jumping onto the track, Harry started to walk over to the blonde, but stopped to chat with Hagrid.
"Harry! Gods, I can't believe it's yer last day already." Hagrid slapped him on the back, causing Harry to take a few steps forward.
"Yeah. Time flies when you're having fun, eh?" Hagrid laughed in response, sniffed, and then patted Harry on the head before walked off to talk with some other students.
Malfoy had been eavesdropping, and raised his eyebrows as Potter stood in front of him.
"Time flies when you're having fun, Potter?" The boy in question laughed.
"The way you talk, it makes everything sound so goddamn suggestive." The blonde smirked, shrugging.
"It's a skill." Harry nodded, before noticing Malfoy had something in his hand.
It was a Wizarding Card.
"Whazzat?" Harry reached out to snap the card between his fingers, but Malfoy pulled it away, scowling.
"None of your goddamn business." He attempted to pocket it, but Harry plucked it from his fingers, studying it with what started out as feigned interest. Realization dawned on his face, and he laughed.
"Of all the people Malfoy…" Said boy's scowl deepened as Potter laughed silently, holding his side with one hand. "But I'm much better looking than this." He waved the photo in front of Malfoy's face, as the Harry on the card stuck out his tongue at the insult.
"Last call for seventh years!" Came Hagrid's booming voice. Both boys turned around, before looking back at each other.
"This is it, isn't it?" Harry looked down at his bags, Hedwig ruffling her feathers as she sat in her cage. "The end of another road." Harry smiled, and got a smirk in response. He handed the blonde back the card, batting his eyelashes and clasping his hands over his heart.
"Remember me always, Draco Malfoy." The blonde snorted, rolling his eyes.
"You really are a pain in the ass, you know that?"
Picking up his bags, Harry turned around and grinned. Shifting all of his luggage to one hand, he saluted Malfoy, his hand sharply falling from his forehead to his side.
"See you around, Malfoy."
Harry boarded what had become the Gryffindor side of the Express. Following suit and lifting his bag off the platform, Malfoy walked a few cars down, where the majority of the Slytherins resided. The train lurched forwards, and Hogwarts soon disappeared from view.
When Harry, Ron and Hermione jumped down from the scarlet train at Platform Nine and Three Quarters, Harry silently kept a lookout for a blonde, but he never did see a head of ridiculously gelled blonde hair.
They never did see each other again after that, too many excuses and complications were involved. However, that Limited Edition Harry Potter trading card is now worth more than a small country, and Draco Malfoy still has it around.
Somewhere.