Chapter Four

Mr. Ordinary

Harry jumped out of bed. Today he was going to see his friends. He was a little apprehensive about meeting Draco, but if he was friends with him then he couldn't such a git now…could he?

Harry hoped not. He really didn't relish the thought of spending an entire day with someone he couldn't stand, and had to pretend to like.

Harry shrugged. It didn't really matter. Truthfully, he was curious. Draco gave him an interesting birthday gift and he wanted to know what that was all about. A book with a fake cover is very secretive. Why would Draco need to put on a show infront of members of the Order? Maybe he didn't know they would never tell Voldemort. From what Harry gathered there were spies everywhere, and Harry shouldn't even know about the existence of the Order.

Never mind the fact that he was actually allowed to be friends with him. Harry wondered if his parents had ever trully tried to stop the friendship. He really couldn't see his father letting him befriend Draco. Well, not without a fight.

Harry also wondered if the Draco that he hated so much really liked the Dark Arts like he put on, or if it was just an act. Harry vowed to himself then and there, that if he ever got that chance, he would ask him.

Draco and Ron came to his birthday party but he didn't have much time to meet with them. In fact, they didn't say more then 'hi' to each other that day. Harry was to busy talking with his parents. Though you really couldn't blame him…

Despite his conflicting thoughts, Harry couldn't have been happier. So far, this outing has been very different from what he was used to. There was little planning, just an owl asking to meet him. That's it. No Order members following him, no entourage or bodyguards. Just him, his friends and, Diagon Alley. Just the was it should be.

Harry hurried downstairs where breakfast was waiting. His parents were seated and had started eating. After mowing through his food, to his fathers amusement and mothers disgust, he was ready to go.

Harry was never really hungry at the Dursely's. He had always thought that was because he didn't have an appetite. The few days spent here had proven that theory wrong. Harry was loath to admit it, but he came to the conclusion that he wasn't hungry because he didn't feel welcome. It was that simple. He didn't feel that he was really, truly allowed to eat the Dursley's food. Well, that and all the pressure to kill Voldemort.

He was already at the fireplace, a handful of floo powder in his hands, preparing to throw it in when James called from the kitchen.

"Just a moment Harry!" He rushed in the room, something in his hands.

When James had started Hogwarts around 30 years ago, his parents had given him his own vault. Equipped with piles and mounds of galleons, sickles and, knuts. Enough money to get him through 7 years of schooling and then some. He never went without and always had spending money whenever he went to Diagon Alley or Hogsmead. So, James and Lily had decided to show the same curtsey to Harry when he first started school.

"This is yours." he handed the small gold key to Harry. "It's your allowance. The vault is to get you through 7 years of school." a wise smile covered his face as he continued, "Spend whatever you want. Just remember, what you don't spend you never get back!"

With a huge grin Harry took the key and gave his dad a hug. He really wanted to say 'I love you dad' but he couldn't. All those years in the emotional deprived house made him unable to utter those words. So he did the next best thing. Harry said, "I'll miss you."

James broke the hug and ruffled Harry's hair, "No you won't." he quipped, and with a laugh he pushed him towards the fireplace, "have fun Harry. Don't be too late." and with another lopsided grin he added, "But don't be too soon either!" Then he turned and left the living room.

With a thud the fireplace spit him out. He was thrown, skidding across the floor. To the obvious amusement of several of the pub's patrons.

Harry stood up. He could hear several people behind him snickering. Massaging his sore butt he turned to face them, a look of defiance on his face.

No one makes fun of Harry James Potter and gets away with it! Harry's bouts with Draco throughout the years was proof enough. Also, who else was stupid enough to mock Voldemort? Not many people could even say his name, let alone make fun of him!

So Harry was surprised by what he saw behind him, and his bravado changed to embarrassment when he saw who it was.

"Not to graceful Harry?" came the mocking drawl of Draco. He was snickering. "What?" he asked, concerned. Harry was staring directly at him. Several different emotions passed though his eyes. Several of them Draco couldn't identify.

"Have I got something on me?" He looked down his front.

Harry was standing gape-mouthed. Here was one person he never imagined to be talking civilly too! He was fighting an internal struggle. One voice kept saying Malfly! You can't be friends with a Death Eater's son!, when another one would but in and add, Give him a chance. Remember the present. Maybe he doesn't want to be a Death Eater? then , when Harry was starting to get very confused a third voice intruded,

Give him a chance. Do you trust your own judgment?

Here Harry nodded in silent confirmation, to the bewilderment of the two boys in front of him.

Good! Your friends with him now. So he can't be that bad right?

With a sigh Harry conceded. It wasn't just that that particular voice made the most sense, It was just that two beats one any day.

A hand slapped his back, taking him out of his thoughts.

"C'mon Harry! We have to go to Gringrotts." Ron was smiling. Obviously happy to be out and about.

The three friends were traveling at break-neck speeds. They were all piled into a magical cart that was wobbling on the thin rails. The dank cool air was whistling across Harry's ears and messing his hair even more. He peered over the edge. All he could see was pure inky blackness hugging the crevices of the underground cave. Somewhere water dripped with it's soothing, melodious sound.

Despite what Hagrid had said about the dragons, he doubted it, and he knew he always would. At least until he saw one. So far, all his trips ever yielded was more proof that disputed that fact.

All of a sudden the cart stopped, sending Harry crashing into Ron who just so happened to be in front of him. "Sorry mate" He apologized.

Ron wasn't looking too great. He was the colour of puce and looked like his only thought at the moment was trying not to puke. So it didn't surprise Harry when Ron barley nodded in acknowledgement.

They stepped over the brim of the cart. Ron stumbled but Harry caught him and helped him regain his footing.

"Mr. Potter, your vault" came the sneering voice of the goblin with them.

Harry, caught unaware rummaged through several pockets until he found his key. He held it to the light for a moment in thought, a bright smile on his lips. He never thought he would know the feeling of having an allowance, but, apparently, his parents gave him one. Earlier this morning his dad had given this to him, saying it was his vault to get him through school. His smile turned into a large lopsided grin as he handed over the key. When he halted. This was the exact same number for his vault before he change time!

He looked around. He thought the cart ride seemed familiar. He stepped closer to the cart and looked down. Yep, he thought, peering around the corner, looking deep into the depths of the cave. There's the same ridge I almost fell on during my first ride here with Hagrid.

Then the full meaning of it all struck him. He thought this was his family vault before he changed time! It wasn't! It was just an allowance vault. There was another vault somewhere in this huge cave that no one had known about before he changed time. Well, that, or they didn't tell him. He groaned. Great, he thought, now I have even more money.

Someone clearing their throat brought him back to reality and he walked back to the goblin. The goblin all but snatched the key out of his hands. The goblin then put the key in the lock and turned it.

With a large, echoing clang the door opened, revealing mounds of galleons, sickles and, knuts. Almost as much as his own vault before. Harry jumped up and filled a bagful then turned back to his friends with a lopsided grin. "Where too next?"

"Wow!" Ron moaned, both hands splayed on the window, his mouth almost touching the glass. "A Firebolt."

"I wish I had one." Malfoy added, the same dreamy expression on his face that was on Ron's "Father said I could get one if Slytherine wins the Quidditch Cup," he shot Harry a mock glare, "Unfortunately, we both know that'll never happen. Harry here is the best seeker Hogwarts had in years"

Harry was busy tracing circles with his finger on the glass. He didn't think he had one now. Though he did know what a dream it was to ride. Wisely, he said nothing about this.

He kept his face towards the window but looked sideways to Draco, "Ya. The better man always wins."

There was a slap. "Draco!" Ron admonished, slightly amused. "You can't hurt him. He's needed."

Draco smirked, "Needed by who? Unlike you I already have a moneybag."

"I'm hurt!" Ron accused, feigning hurt, "That you would even suggest that!" He turned and leaned against the window, "Harry likes being my moneybag. Right Harry?"

"Oh yes Ron!" Harry affirmed, rolling his eyes, "I love it" he finished, letting his words ooze sarcasm.

"C'mon!" Ron grabbed both Draco and Harry's sleeves and pulled them into the store.

Draco, finding himself in an undignified position by being dragged un ceremonially into a store he already loved whined, "We're coming Ron! It's not like you have to force us!"

Two hours later the three friends shoved their way out of the store, fighting each other, each wanting to be the first out the door. All three were burdened with several very heavy bags.

Ron was grumbling. If only they could use magic, then they could shrink their bags. Harry was distinctly reminded of his entourage then. If he hadn't changed time they would have had qualified wizards with them who could have shrunk their parcels. Then he shrugged. It was a small price to pay for freedom.

They were walking down Diagon Alley in a row. No one was giving them space. They were being shoved and pushed. Harry was in heaven . Just once he had wanted to be normal. Now instead of the Boy-Who-Lived he was Mr. Ordinary. And he loved it.

"I'm hungry! Let's find somewhere for lunch!" Ron cried out of nowhere.

Harry was going to ask why when he got his answer. "Ron." He begin, not amused, "Was that your stomach?" At Ron's embarrassed look he chuckled.

Draco punched Ron in the arm and declared "To Florean Fortescue's it is!" then he decked Harry one. At Harry's questioning glare he elaborated, "That was for chuckling."

"Erm…" Harry began. "Am I the only smart one here?" Both Ron and Draco looked at Harry like he had grown two heads. "Well, they only sell ice cream…" he explained.

Harry decided, then and there, that they really needed Hermione. She was the only smart one. Both Ron and Draco were acting like idiots! He was trying to bring his train of thoughts back to food, but some nagging voice kept adding that it wasn't just them, but all boys that are dense, and that was why Harry was out here, in full view. Alone.

He tried to stop that train of thought by thinking that he wasn't a target anymore. Voldemort wasn't after him, Death Eaters weren't after him. No one was after him. So, he wasn't in danger. He, Harry, could just walk in plain view. Despite this, the nagging wouldn't stop. Harry finally put it down as habit and let it be.

Meanwhile, beside him, Draco and Ron wore the exact same look as each other. One that clearly said Harry was the dense one.

"Harry, haven't you ever heard of ice cream for lunch?" With that Ron grabbed hold of Harry and started to drag him to a table. Ron pushed him into a seat and they each ordered a bowl of ice cream with copious amounts of chocolate.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen inside a hidden location sat a trusted Order.

A long table was set out, surrounded by many odd people. From the tender age of 17, to the old crisp year of 176. At it's head sat a tired old man. The twinkle that was usually present in his sparkling blue eyes was missing, and his once proud back was hunched under years of strain.

There used to be no hope. The prophesy hadn't been fulfilled. Though they now know, thanks to an adventurous young man, that it could be. Could have been, more likely. He knew this, and was loath to admit it to the group he had organized.

To admit that one small minute detail changed the future so drastically was embarrassing, but, thankfully, it wasn't unfixable.

To his right sat the Potter's, to his left, the Longbottom's. No one but him and the immediate family members of those mentioned in the prophesy knew what it entailed. Everyone knew of it, but not what it said. No one questioned their right to sit there, and the never asked. They knew they wouldn't be told.

No one knew about this meeting, it was unplanned. The way he preferred them. The less who know ahead of time, the less likely for a spy. So, as everyone sat pondering this meeting, he sat thinking about that best way to go about it all.

Like most things that could have been, all you have to do is take things into your own hands…

Harry's side hurt. He couldn't remember laughing this hard in ages. Ever since he found out about the prophesy. It was a good feeling.

All of a sudden something wet and cold splattered across his cheek. Originally it was aimed for his nose, but the projectile missed. In all rights it was a miracle it actually hit Harry's face! When a person is laughing so hard they can't keep their hands steady, aiming is merely a matter of luck.

"HEY!" Harry cried, reaching up to wipe the ice cream away. "What was that?" Unfortunately for Harry all his ministrations did was spread the chocolate syrup covered ice cream even further.

"You looked like you were overheating" Came the breathless wheezing of Draco.

Ron was leaning onto the table, "SO…so…so…" he couldn't get anything else out.

Harry glared. It kept all his willpower to keep the corners of his mouth down. Harry never imagined Draco could be so much fun! Harry knew he could hurl insults, but who would have guessed he could be such a comedian?

"You…ICE CREAM!" Obviously Ron kept attempting to get hit thoughts out. So far it was a loss cause.

Now it was Harry's turn to wish that could use magic outside of school. He knew he could beat Draco in a duel any day, but now, if they were dueling for fun, it could actually be interesting. Draco usually cheated and used lots of Dark Curses, but otherwise he wasn't half bad. If Draco played fair and didn't use such powerful curses, and deplete his magical power so fast, he might actually be fairly good.

With these thoughts in mind Harry picked up his spoon and dunked it in some ice cream. With a malicious smile he took his other hand, and with one finger placed on the tip of the spoon, he started to ease it backwards.

So far Draco was bent over laughing, one hand on the table, and the other on Ron's knee. Ron was hunched over him, one hand on his lap, the other on Draco's shoulder. Harry smirked. What a pair they made.

Despite that sentiment Harry would show no mercy. He braced himself. Then let go.

SPLAT!

"HARRY YOU BLOODY IDIOT!"

Harry snickered and ducked the incoming projectiles.

"THAT WAS MY SHIRT!" Draco was laughing. He tried, he really did, to keep the smile from his face. He just couldn't do it. He knew he was going to get into trouble with his parents, but he really didn't care at the moment. His friends did that to him. When he was with them he was able to do and act in ways he never would have done around his father or his father's 'friends'.

Ron had tears streaming down his face and all he could get past his wheezing was incomprehensible.

Harry, who's head was hidden under the table at that moment heard complaining from behind him. Craning his neck he saw four old women, obviously out for a day of socializing, covered in chocolate stains!

That was Harry's breaking point.

Later that night, after supper, Harry was laying in bed. It had been a good day. There were no crowds, no one asked for a photo or an autograph. Surprisingly Draco had been lots of fun! Harry was afraid that Draco would be just as smug and big-headed as he had been before he changed time. He found that he liked this Draco a lot better.

It was also interesting to see that when you mix Ron and Draco you get a combination close to the twins. Especially considering that loathed each other before. Maybe that was because Draco kept insulting Harry and Ron is a very loyal friend…

Harry chuckled to himself, then started laughing all out. His chuckling brought back thoughts of Draco that day. The food fight had been something else! With a heavy heart he though of his other best friend. Hermione would have never allowed the food fight to happen. Or, at the very least, she would have made them all apologies to the old ladies.

For one of the first times in his life outside of Hogwarts, Harry fell asleep with a large grin on his face.

A/N:Please read and review.

Thanks to all my trusty reviewers;

Xenia Marvallo, GoddessMoonLady, where-my-heart-resides, Virginia Riddle-Malfoy, sari5156, intoxicated by eriks music, Marguerida, Queenlover, BabyDragon848

Marguerida: I dunno, I didn't have 'The Talk' either. I just thought it would be an amusing
sari5156: Hermione will come into the story in a few chapters. Thought not how you might think.
Virginia Riddle-Malfoy: grins evilly of course!
GoddessMoonLady: Harry is still a Gryffindor. IT mentions it in the first chapter. Hermione will come into the story soon. I know it seems doubtful that Slytherines and Gryffindors are friends, but I'll explain in a later chapter.

Hope you liked this chapter. It took me a long time to right. There was another scene that I wanted to add, but I thought that maybe it would be too soon, and it might go against the whole chapter. So I left it as this.

Though this chapter was a little hard to write. I hope it isn't to tedious and boring to read. I basically needed to show that Draco was like anyother teen with his friends. I hope Harry didn't just act to close to Draco too early. I figured that he was also with Ron, so it loosened him up a bit.

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