Draco stood at the bottom of the steps a moment. He watched as Vernon quietly nodded to him and left, closing the door silently behind him. He watched as Harry, apparently in his own world, sat on the floor and chewed his lip. He watched as Harry's eyes steeled in preparation for tears. He could not watch his beloved Harry cry on his own. He could not watch his beloved Harry curl into himself, and hug himself.

Draco stirred and, walking around him, sat behind Harry, and pulled him into a comforting hug. Harry leaned into the embrace, and the tears, which had threatened to fall, melted before the reached his eyes. Harry smiled.

"It doesn't matter what other people think of us," Draco murmured, stroking Harry's back. "We've both lived with disappointing the world's preconceptions of us before; we can now."

Harry nodded against Draco's chest. "And world be damned if they don't like it." Harry stood and pulled Draco up after him.

"That's the spirit."

 "How about a little sleep before our meeting with Mrs. Figg?"

Draco chuckled. "I don't know if you've noticed, but it's 5:30. We should shower and dress. And then we can go shopping for this dinner or whatever after we talk to her."

"Okay." A devilish glint shone from Harry's eyes as he sprinted down the hall, calling, "I dibs first shower!"

"Cheater!" Draco tore after him.

Draco easily caught up to Harry, and just as they got to the bathroom doorway, Harry murmured a few words, and Draco felt ice-cold water pouring onto him, he stopped cold as Harry ran inside the bathroom, and locked the door. "You will pay for that, Harry James Potter!" Draco could hear Harry laugh at that. "What?"

"My middle name isn't James," Harry chuckled before he turned on the shower, drowning out Draco's growl of annoyance.

When Harry finished his shower, he unlocked the door and apparated to the bedroom, quickly changing into a pair of black leather slacks and a blue button-down shirt, which he left unbuttoned. He crept down the stairs to find Draco still standing in front of the bathroom door. "Come on, Harry, how long does it take to get dressed?" Draco said to the door.

Harry grinned and whispered "Scourgefy." Draco turned around, red faced. Harry's face was also red, but from trying to contain a giggle. "That was not nice, Harry," Draco cooed.

"Hmph, I was only trying to save time. You could change clothes now, you know."

A glint appeared in Draco's eyes. "Could I, now?" he asked as he stalked toward Harry.

Seeing the look on Draco's face, Harry turned tail and ran to the steps, but Draco caught up to him and slung him over his shoulder. "Put me down!" Harry yelped just before he was thrown onto the bed. Draco picked up a pillow and began beating Harry with it, laughing. Harry quickly summoned the pillow Draco had used the night before, and began defending himself with it. Soon, they had an all-out pillow fight going. The jumped on and off the bed, chasing each other through the room until Draco stopped suddenly, and Harry barely missed running into him. "Whoa," Draco said, still looking at the clock, for that was what had made him stop. "We need to go in about five minutes. I'll get dressed."

Harry smiled and walked down the stairs and waited for Draco. He didn't have to wait long. The Slytherin had never been one for primping, though it was a common misconception that he did, simply because he always looked good. Harry opened the door. "Oh….shit…"

Heehee. Cliffie. I'm sorry it's so short, but the next one should be longer.