"It's a good seven mile walk from here." Kevin added as Harry started to leave his shop after getting directions to the village that Ron lived near. "Perhaps you'd like to borrow a bicycle."
"Would you let me?" Harry asked, with a tone of disbelief in his voice.
"Of course I would. I trust you."
Harry grinned, pleased that someone trusted him. "Thanks. How long do you think that it would take to get there?"
"On a bicycle?" Kevin asked. Harry nodded in response. "I'd say half an hour."
"Thanks."
"Harry?"
"Yes?"
"Have fun visiting. Would you like a bottle of water to take along? It gets pretty hot these days."
Harry thought for a moment and replied, "Yes. Thank's very kind of you. I think that I'll stay at the Weasley's until ten. Unless they kick me out before then."
"That's good. Does Draco know where you're going?"
Harry had told Kevin about Draco because he thought it would be important for someone to know about his presence in the woods. "He doesn't. I didn't tell him because I didn't know how far Ottery St. Catchpole is from here."
"Are you going to go and tell him?"
"Of course! He should know where I went in case something happens to me and I come home late."
Kevin smiled and thought at least Harry has some sense of responsibility. "That's good."
"I'd better go and tell Draco then, I want to be able to spend plenty of time at the Weasley's."
"Come on then, lets go 'round back and get the bicycle."
Harry nodded a response and followed Kevin out to the back of the shop.
"Harry, it used to be my daughter's bike, so it has a basket on the front. I hope you don't mind."
"No not at all. I could enchant the basket and put my broom in it, 'cause we almost always play quidditch when I'm over there."
"That's a good idea. Why didn't I think of that a long time ago?"
Harry grinned and said "It might have something to do with the fact the that young accept change more readily than the old."
"It just might." Kevin said slowly, processing the idea.
"Kevin? I recently found out that I own most of the woods, and me and Draco were thinking of building a house to live in. I found a spell that will build it magically, but it is a group spell. Would you and cat like to help?"
"Is the book called Magical Decorating For Dummies?"
"Yes. How'd you know?" "Same book me and Cat used to build our shop. In fact, I believe that Hogwarts was built using the same type of spell, just using more people."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Wow." Harry thought that he'd have to tell Hermione that. Of course she probably already knew that.
"Is that mentioned in Hogwarts: A History?"
"I don't think it is." Maybe Hermione didn't know then.
"I'd better get going."
"Yeah you should. It was nice talking though."
"It was." Harry agreed and began to ride the bicycle to his tent.
Draco sighed as he watched Harry leave to go to Ron's house. It would be nice to have friends he thought wistfully. Maybe I could owl someone, he thought excitedly. But who? There were potter's friends, but they all despised him. Well Harry didn't despise me once he gave me a chance. Draco decided to owl Granger. Especially as she was more open minded than Ron.
Draco moved over to the small writing desk in the corner of the sitting room. Now what shall I write, the blonde haired boy mused. Reaching for a sheet of parchment. I'll start out with Hello. Draco spent the next half hour or so writing the letter. Twice he started over. By the third time he had finally gotten it right. He read the letter over.
Hello-
I'd like to make amends for how I've treated you for the past five years. My father tried to initiate me into the Death Eaters and I refused. I realized what it must be like to torture a person. Hermione, you don't mind if I call you Hermione do you? To become a Death Eater, you must prove your self by torturing a muggle. I was going to go through with it, but watching the others do it, I realized that I couldn't. I told my father and it looked like he was going to kill me right then and there. I was so scared that I passed out. When I came to I was in my father's study. He and my mother were arguing about what to do with me. He wanted to kick me out, and my mother wanted to keep me at home. My father won, he always wins when they fight. At least this time he didn't resort to physical force. He kicked me out and I met up with Harry.
Harry and I have become friends. I'd like it if we could become friends also. I am sorry for how I treated you. I have seen the error of my ways, would you be able to forgive me? Harry has spoken of you, how you are such a good friend. I don't have anything to offer you in return, except for friendship. I don't even have a home. The person who I am staying with is letting me stay with him only out of the goodness of his heart.
-Draco
A/N: He didn't tell Harry this at first, but he told Harry a few days ago, I couldn't get it to fit with the plot.
Draco smiled. I hope she believes it. It is after all, the truth. I wonder if Harry will mind if borrow his owl as mine is out delivering a message to my neighbor to give to my mother. I don't think that he will mind. After all, it's only one letter. He did use my owl when his was out sending a letter to Ron. He shouldn't mind.
Draco got up and went out to find Harry's owl. He whistled a particular tune and Hedwig came swooping out of a tree. "Hello. Could you take this to Hermione for me?" The owl stuck out her foot and Draco tied the letter to her leg. "Thanks." Draco said to the owl as she flew off in the same direction that Harry had gone.
A/N: Now I could stop here. It does seem like a good stopping point doesn't it? I did say that this would be a longer chapter than the last one. See this is such a good stopping point. I mean it isn't a cliffy. The paragraph has a good ending to it. I'll be nice and continue.
Harry was panting by the time he got to the Burrow. He looked at the Weasley's home and smiled. He was glad to be there. He looked around and didn't see anyone outside. He hoped that they were home. It hadn't occurred to him that they might not be home. Out of the nine Weasleys someone should be home. That thought brightened his disposition. Harry went up and knocked on the door.
"Ginny could you go and get that? I'm up to my elbows in soapsuds." Harry heard from the other side of the door.
"Yes, mom. Who do you think it is?"
"I have no idea. Why don't you go and see?"
"I'm going!" Then Harry heard someone, probably Ginny walking towards the door. The door opened and suddenly Harry heard a shriek and was being hugged very tightly.
"Hello, Ginny. I take it you're happy to see me?" Ginny let go.
"Yes."
"Ginny is it Harry who's here?" Molly asked and Harry could hear her washing the dishes faster. She had learned to never assume when it came to her children.
"Yes. Mom." Ginny said, dragging Harry in to the kitchen. Harry grinned when he saw Molly Weasley.
"Hi." He was immediately smothered in another hug. "Harry, what are you doing here?" She asked as she let Harry go. "You didn't run away from the muggles? Then I'd be required to haul you to the Order and someone would take you back."
"No I didn't run. They went camping in Godric's Hollow."
"So you thought that you'd stop by?"
"You're right." Mrs. Weasley smiled. "Good then. Do you have to be back by a certain time?"
"Yeah. I've got to be back by eleven, 'cause it gets dark around then. So is it okay for me to stay until ten?"
"Of course. Ron's in his room. Why don't you go up and surprise him?"
"Okay. Is Hermione here?"
"Yes in fact, her parents are at a seminar for dentists for the week and she just got here. I think she's in Ginny's room getting settled. Ron doesn't know that she's here yet. So why don't you go and tell Hermione first?"
"That sounds good." Harry grinned and set to sneaking up the stairs. When he reached the floor that Ginny's room was on he silently opened the door. Hermione was sitting on the spare bed with her back to the door. Harry smiled and snuck up on her until he was about a foot away from the lavender bed and jumped on it. Hermione's shriek was most pleasing. For the third time that day Harry got smothered in a hug.
"Harry! What are you doing here?"
"I thought that I'd drop by as I am camping in Godric's Hollow."
"Godric's Hollow? Isn't that where your..." Hermione's voice died down, not finishing the sentence.
"Where my parents got done in by Lord Voldemort?"
Hermione, unable to answer, nodded.
"Yeah. It's really fun though. I got a job and the woods are the best place to live and we're going to build a house there." Harry said quickly trying to cheer Hermione up as she seemed sort of down. "I really like it." he finished lamely.
"Oh Harry. I just realized how it must feel for you, not having parent's and all."
"It's okay. Don't be sad. I've lived without them for nearly fifteen years. (A/N: I'm not sure how old he was when Voldemort did his parent's in. For this story he was one.) It's not that bad."
"Okay then. Does Ron know that you are here?"
"Nope." Harry said happily, envisioning how high he could make Ron jump.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Hermoine asked.
"If you're thinking of sneaking up on Ron, then yes I am thinking what you are Hermione."
"Well let's go and sneak up on him then!" Harry then grinned evilly.
That grin resembled a certain potion master's smirk so much that it made Hermione stop. She also noticed that Harry seemed a bit paler and taller.
"What is it Hermione?" Harry asked, noticing that she had stopped.
"Oh. It's nothing." Hermione replied, telling herself that she would think about it later and the we're going to build a house part. Then they went upstairs and snuck up on Ron. After that they went outside with Ginny to teach Hermione how to play quidditch.
Sorry the endings a bit rushed. I'm sorry that this one is short too. I've had writer's block and there was more, but it wasn't that good, so I took it off. The next chapter is going to have Draco's owl in it, and Harry telling Hermione and Ron about living with Draco. I'm not sure how mad Ron is going to get. Any idea's how mad he should get? Please review, I like knowing what you guys think!