A.N.- Oh. My. Lord. Do ya'll realize that you totally ROCK!! *grins* I have 24 reviews. I think that's more than all my other stories combined!! I was thisclose to fainting, let me tell ya. And I was so glad no body hated Tori. Original characters in this fandom always seem to get bashed as Mary Sues, so I'm really happy none of you thought she was.
Thank You's- To my lovely, beautiful, near-god-status reviewers: shades of grey, Carolina Riddle, Lotr and H.P fan, Deity, Esaema, Kelly, hannya, Di-chan, Kitty, Keiyuki, Lego(Chibicarla), leia3000, Dala, schulyr, Fanny chan, Avalon Princess, Phoenix353, Slashybubble. Aspara, and AleciaFelton. And the couple of no-name reviews I got.
Worships- Andrea, of course. I don't know what I'd do without you! Thank you a billion times over(thus the worship status) for encouraging me all the way.
Onwards!
Chapter 2
The Dursleys left shortly after with more warning glares shot in Harry's general direction. Tori was about to offer help with his bags, when both her and Draco realized there was only a single duffle bag. Harry shifted uncomfortably at their expressions. "Is it possible for you to show me where I'll be staying? I'm kind of tired."
Tori shook herself from her shock and smiled. "Yeah, sure, Harry. It's just this way." She led the way to the room with Harry following her and Draco trailing behind. From his view point, he couldn't help but notice that Harry was walking with a slight limp, favoring his right leg. He carried himself in a way that just screamed absolute exhaustion.
Draco was so lost in his wonderings that he hardly noticed that Tori had shown Harry his room already. The emerald-eyed wizard was shutting the door behind him when Draco finally took attention. Tori was simply looking at him with amusement dancing in her eyes. Without a word, Draco walked into his own room. There was a slight silence then the sound of another door closing, presumably Tori's.
It seemed like mere seconds later, but was in actuality at least half an hour according to the clock, that Draco's door slowly inched open. The blonde teen looked up only to be shocked by the view. Harry was standing in the doorway, waiting for Draco to make the first verbal move. Draco was not one to disappoint. "Something I can help you with, Potter?"
Harry, for his part, seemed to become even more unsure of what exactly he was doing when he heard Draco actually speak. "Well I just, I mean, that…" Draco thought of a million evil comments he could make but kept his mouth shut for civility's sake. "Never mind. I don't even know why I came here. Just forget it." He turned to walk out, but Draco called out to him.
"Wait, Pot-- Harry." The dark-haired boy stopped, but didn't turn to face Draco again. "Listen, I know we've never been on the best of terms. And that could possibly be the understatement to bring down all understatements gone before it." This time Draco was rewarded not only with Harry looking at him but actually almost smiling. Almost. "But seeing as we're both friends of Tori's, we might as well try to get along now. So, for the rest of our time, at least here, I'm Draco and you're Harry. No families behind it."
Harry actually did smile at this, though the smile wasn't one Draco was familiar with. It was laced with sadness and bitterness and memories beyond what most people could stand. In short, it wasn't really Harry's smile. But at least it was a smile. "Well, I'm glad one of us is articulate here. Thank you… Draco." And then it was Draco's turn to smile, something Harry could honestly confess he'd never seen.
"So, you want to come in and play chess or something? I believe dear Victoria keeps a supply of both varieties. Whichever you prefer is fine with me." Harry looked absolute aghast that he had the opportunity to partake in such a game, let alone with Draco Malfoy of all people. And Draco took a pointed notice of this. "Dear Merlin, Harry. Are you really that deprived that you become absolutely shocked at any kind of real interaction?"
A furious sort of shame invaded Harry's emerald depths as he broke eye-contact to lock gazes with the floor. "My home life is not exactly something I like to think about. And since I'm away from them for the next few weeks, I'm hoping that's a topic we can avoid." He looked up again, and Draco was shaken at the absolute haunting in his eyes.
Despite this slight setback, Harry entered the room and closed the door. After all, he figured it wasn't every day that one got second chances at friendship from Draco Malfoy. And Draco was at least looking accepting to his terms barring conversation about his so-called family.
The two wizards were soon comfortably settled into a game of chess. Wizards' chess to Harry's choosing. Draco still couldn't help laughing when he found the reason behind that was Harry just did better "when those evil little things are yelling instructions at me." Even on those grounds, Draco soundly beat Harry the first three games. Harry might have been Voldemort's number one enemy, but he couldn't play chess for anything.
After the fourth defeat, Harry threw down his king- despite the piece's greatest protests- in disgust and refused yet another rematch. Instead of going their separate ways, the two found themselves just talking. It started out with just harmless chit-chat. Those issues were soon exhausted, (A.N.- So good ol' Draco sent them all for a nap. *laughs hysterically while everyone stares* ~ahem~ Yeah, sorry, couldn't resist. Onwards!) and Draco made a bold move towards more serious subjects. "I've got a question for you, Harry. Why do you let everyone believe you lead a golden, charmed life?"
Harry sighed then was silent for a long time. Just when Draco was positive he wasn't going to answer and that it would be a good idea to move on to other subjects, the boy began to talk. "Well, it's just what they all expect, isn't it? I wanted to tell someone in first year. I thought it was a chance to finally get out and away. Then I kept getting all this Boy-Who-Lived crap, and all anyone saw was how great I was. Or at least was supposed to be. How could I tell them and face all that disappointment?"
A surge of white-hot anger flooded through Draco at those who had forced such a label on Harry which faded as soon as he realized he was a part of the guilty party. "Damn, Harry, I'm sorry for--" Harry cut him off with a wave of his hand. The look in his eyes told Draco that he had never really blamed anyone, despite the fact that he had the perfect right to blame a whole hell of a lot of people.
"My turn for a question. Why have you been such a great prat these last few years when it's obvious by your actions today that you're really not?"
Draco thought back for a moment to what really started it. "At first it was because I was just angry. You know you were the first person I really offered friendship to? To have it so rejected was humiliating and frustrating and a million other things all at once. After the anger faded, I figured it was just too late to change the way things were. Plus I always had Lucius's expectations to live up to."
Harry accepted this explanation with a silent nod and gentle smile. It was almost exactly what he had figured, and he told Draco so. "I thought as much. Don't look so surprised that I actually thought about it! There's not much else to do besides think when you're locked in a cupboard for the better part of the summer." He then winced at the realization of what he'd just divulged. "Forget I just said that. Momentary stupidity and all that."
Thoughts of not letting the issue slip nearly so easily invaded Draco's head but a knock on the door interrupted any action he might have taken. "As absolutely thrilled I am that neither of you are dead or maimed yet, my mother insists that I break into your bonding for a wonderful, home-cooked dinner," Tori informed them almost gleefully.
"Tori Elston! I did not insist you break into anything," Tori's mother then scolded from behind the flame-headed young witch. To Tori's credit, she did look suitably reprimanded before she shot a devilish smirk at the boys. "Victoria Annelise! Stop that grinning and go set the table!"
A frustrated, how-does-she-do-that roll of the eyes then Tori disappeared out of the doorway again. The two left in the room shared a look then stood simultaneously, one with the hope that the issue had successfully been avoided and the other with the resolution that the concern wouldn't dissolve nearly so easily. It would be confronted again, sooner rather than later if Draco had his way. And when didn't Draco get his way?
A.N. 2- Okay, Andrea told me that the Harry-Draco friendship moved a bit too fast. But she also told me that's what made the story good! I'd really love to hear what ya'll thought, so just let me know, 'kay?
Thanx sososososo many times.