Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and I never, ever will.

Chapter 7: Draco Malfoy: Fiend, or Friend?

Malfoy, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Harry were at a complete loss as to what to do at this point. Their supervising professor had just been in a serious accident involving a fire hydrant and seat belts, and was not expected to return from the hospital for ten days.

"What are we going to do now?" Ginny had asked in a horrified voice.

Harry knew the area fairly well, having lived there for ten years straight, and coming back every summer.

"We'll go back of course. I guess we'll have to make do until Snape comes back home. We have no choice."

"Do you know how to get back?"

"I should. Aunt Petunia used to make me run errands in this area of town, quite a bit. You know, food shopping, returning Dudley's films to the library, that kind of thing. It's not too difficult, just a little long."

Feeling that he had to yell at something, Malfoy chose Harry. "So you knew where the supermarket was, and you could have said something! Snape would never have had to stop to ask for directions and would never have crashed, had you not kept your stupid mouth shut!"

"Pardon me, dear Draco, but even if I opened my stupid mouth, as you so eloquently put it, Snape may have crashed anyway. I would have told him to go in the same direction, if he'd asked me. He just was a bad driver. You can't deny that one."

Malfoy opened his mouth angrily, but Hermione cut in. "We are never going to get home if you two keep sniping at each other. Just be quiet would you? Malfoy, it's not Harry's fault that Snape's been hospitalized. Harry, Malfoy's upset, can't you see that? And you've got to show us the way home, and we're walking, because the Mercedes is a wreck."

Yes, it was a wreck. A tire lay sadly on the sidewalk, the hydrant was leaking badly, and the body of the car was smashed and battered beyond recognition.

Harry glared at Malfoy, but the angry look in his eyes soon melted away and the willingness to give a nasty, sharp comment to Malfoy left him, when he considered Malfoy's circumstances. Snape was really the only friend that Malfoy had had in the group, and he was the only friend that Malfoy would have for the month that they were spending as Muggles. He, Harry, had his two best friends, Ron and Hermione, and his girlfriend, Ginny, but who did Malfoy have? Only Snape, the mainly hated Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. And now, Snape was gone for a while, at least. Harry sighed. This was not going to be easy. "Come on guys. Back to the house then. Just keep going straight until I tell you to stop."

Hermione, Ron, and Ginny walked ahead and talked among each other about the accident.

Harry walked next to Malfoy, who walked slightly hunched over, and was lagging behind. Malfoy was deliberately ignoring him, but he tried to engage him in conversation. "Hey—Malfoy…"

"Go away Potter. I don't want to talk to you."

"Look, Malfoy…"

"Didn't you hear me? Are you deaf, Potter? I don't want to talk to you! Leave me alone!"

"Malfoy, listen to me!"

"GO AWAY!"

"#$!"

"All right. What d'you want?"

"Look, Malfoy. I know that we hate each other. But Snape is in the hospital, now, and we need to work together, as corny as that sounds. I mean, we basically have no one at this point. Truce?" he held out his hand.

Malfoy regarded him dubiously. Then, he sighed and shook Harry's hand. "Truce. Friends for this month, okay? But once we get back to Hogwarts, I get to hate you again. If Crabbe, Goyle, or Pansy see me with you, I'll never be respected again by any Slytherin."

"Fine." He grinned, and they both sprinted ahead to catch up with the others. To preview what is to come… Malfoy, now Draco, would be a friend to Harry, the Weasleys, and even Hermione, as a Muggle, and at Hogwarts.

Harry led the group up to Number 5 easily enough. Dudley, his friends, Malcolm, Piers, Dennis, and Gordon were hanging out in Number 4's front yard. Upon seeing Harry with two fiery haired people, a pretty, but vicious-looking girl with a lot of brown hair, and a pale boy with (for some strange reason) pastel-pink hair, they fled into the Dursleys' home, with terrified shrieks.

"I'm hungry," Ron announced, as they entered the house. "What's for dinner?"

Hermione looked tired. "We don't have much. We'd better do the food shopping tomorrow, because there is, like, nothing in this house."

Ginny poked about the cupboards. She held out a cardboard box and smiled. "Well, there's pasta."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione said, in unison, "Malfoy is NOT making it!"

Ginny grinned again. "Fine, Malfoy, go set the table with Ron. Hermione and I will do the cooking."

"What about me!"

"You're still covered in blood, in case you haven't noticed. Go wash your face!"

And thus commenced a very peaceful and happy meal between the members of the group. Though their supervisor may have been severely damaged, they were happy, at least for that time. Little note however, Ron and Ginny thought Harry was just being somewhat nice to Malfoy, because Hermione forced him to. So they really didn't realize that all were supposed to be friends, clearly shown by Ginny's next prank.