Usual Disclaimer: Not Mine. Wish it were. This world and its wonderful inhabitants belong to J.K. Rowling. Only the plot belongs to me.

A/N: Sorry for the wait but I'm superbusy with exams and stuff just now so posting will be a bit random for the foreseeable future - apologies. Anyway enjoy and plz plz plz R&R.

Chapter 5 - Letters and Formally Withdrawn Invitations.

Harry tossed and turned for a while before he could get to sleep that night. His thoughts kept him awake. He would usually go for a fly to clear his head but he doubted that he would get much flying done this summer seeing as he would have to forgo his usual visit to the Burrow. The things Draco had said tormented him. He regretted their former hatred of each other, especially now he knew they had more in common than either would have previously dreamed. Draco was not the person everyone thought he was. There was a human soul behind his cold exterior. His eyes were well trained, like Harry's, to hide all emotion. Both had had their innocence taken from them at a very early age and both had seen and experienced more than any seventeen-year-old should have had to deal with. Harry felt strange to be, he supposed, the first person that Draco shared his feelings with. They had been sworn enemies up until a few days ago and now, they were staying up all night to swap stories from their warped childhoods. If someone had told Harry this was going to happen a few months ago, he would have laughed in their face. Because of his family background Harry had always deemed Draco incapable of feeling anything but hatred and evil, but now, now Harry could see differently. He had seen Draco in a different light. There was emotion behind those eyes. It just didn't show very often. Harry eventually fell asleep thinking of those cold silver eyes that now seemed to draw and intrigue him.

Draco turned away from Harry to face the wall and pretended to sleep. He listened to the other boy wriggle about, obviously not sleeping. Draco's head was swimming. While they had been talking, it hadn't seemed weird. It had felt like two old friends catching up after time spent apart. Now, looking back on their conversation, Draco felt awkward. He had never told anyone those things. He had let his guard slip. Why had Harry opened up to him like that? They were supposed to be enemies. Enemies don't talk to each other about their troubled childhoods. Why did it feel so comfortable? These questions repeated themselves in his head. Maybe it was a sign, Draco thought, maybe they were meant to become friends in the first place and they had just wasted the last six years of their lives by being enemies. No! His head yelled. Don't be stupid. He sighed quietly, leaving his confused thoughts to sort themselves out while he slept.

It was mid-day before they woke the next day and they got dressed in silence. Neither of them mentioned what they had talked about the previous night. Harry tried to strike up conversation with Draco but gained no response. Draco was blanking him like he had been doing during their last weeks at school. It was as if every time Draco allowed his cold exterior mask to drop, he would compensate by ignoring Harry. Harry left him to brood, knowing that he would eventually get over it. They spent they day doing their homework, avoiding talking.

The next day was spent in much the same way. By the third day, they had finished most of their homework and it was a welcome distraction when a school owl brought a letter for Harry.

Dear Mr Potter,

I hope my last letter explained and confirmed the reasons for this summers arrangements. I am writing again in reply to a letter sent by Mr Weasley and Miss Granger. A letter you may or may not already know about. They expressed concern about the safety of your whereabouts and quite rightly so. I assumed you would also be interested in my response to this. The concern that the protection over you at Privet Drive is indeed wearing down and the attacks are indeed getting closer. I am at the present time looking into alternative accommodation for you and Mr Malfoy. I am sorry not have let you know sooner but my suspicions have only recently been tested and confirmed. If all else fails, we shall look into bringing you back to Hogwarts for the summer. If you have any suggestions, do not hesitate to contact me, your owl will find me. In addition, I regret to be the one to inform you but your usual holiday at the Burrow will not be able to take place this year. Molly sends her apologies. I expect you will hear anything else necessary from Miss Granger and Mr Weasley. I hope all is well between you and Mr Malfoy and I ask of you not to separate or stray too far from your aunt and uncles house. It is for your own safety that I ask this. I stress the point that I am here to help if you have any problems. Please get in contact.

Albus Dumbledore.

Harry read the letter through then smiled. Hermione had indeed resorted to her answer to everything. He looked out of the window and waited. He knew Draco was sitting behind him, waiting to find out what the letter was about but he waited for Draco to break the silence and get over whatever it was that had prevented communication between them for two days.

"Dumbledore?" Draco enquired.

"Uh huh." Harry continued to look out the window for the second owl he was expecting soon. He could tell that Draco was on the verge of apologising but he knew that apologies didn't come easily to Draco.

"Harry... I... I'm sorry." The words sounded unnatural to his voice.

"You're forgiven." Harry turned round. Draco was obviously shocked by the lack of argument.

"What?"

"I said you're forgiven."

"What's the catch?"

"There isn't one. All you had to say was sorry." Harry smiled. "And just so you know. We're not staying here for much longer. It's not safe enough any more."

"That's great but where will we go?"

"Don't know yet. I usually go to the Burrow for the last part of summer." Harry watched Draco's face.

"The Weasels? You're kidding?"

"First of all, it's Ron or Weasley, pick one and stick to it. Second of all, my invitation to the Burrow has been withdrawn because of you so I don't know where we'll go. Back to Hogwarts is a possibility."

"Oh, okay." They lapsed back into silence while Harry waited on the imminent arrival of Pigwidgeon. Sure enough, half an hour later, Pig arrived with a letter from Ron and Hermione.

Harry,

We wrote to Dumbledore, which you probably already know because he said in his reply that he'd write to you. We're sorry we didn't tell you first but we didn't want to worry you, we wanted to ask Dumbledore first. Hope life with The Dursley's isn't too bad. Hope having to live with Malfoy isn't too horrid. Hope you haven't hexed each other into oblivion yet. (Hermione's handwriting ended here and Ron's began) Sorry about not being able to come here this summer. Mum says that she'll never welcome a Malfoy into her home. Sorry if this makes your summer even more hellish but I couldn't persuade her, not that I want to live with ferret boy anyway. Sorry about everything. Write and let us know how things are. Dumbledore's looking into getting somewhere else for you to live during the summer. Let us know what he comes up with.

Love Hermione and Ron.

"Invitation formally withdrawn." Harry sighed and let Draco read the letter.

"That's nice." Draco's voice dripped with sarcasm as he finished reading the letter. "Anyone would think I was an ill-mannered little shit from what they say about me."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Well I am a shit most of the time but I have manners." Draco defended himself weakly.

"I never said you didn't." Harry smiled.

"Hmmph." Draco huffed. 'Spoilt brat' Harry thought to himself and couldn't help laughing out loud.

"What?" Draco demanded.

"Nothing." He shook his head. "Nothing." Draco scowled. "I'm going to write the replies now. D'you think you can amuse yourself without breaking anything?"

"I'm not a child Potter."

"No of course you're not." Harry said patronisingly but not unkindly as he sat at his desk and paused to think what to write.

Dear Ron and Hermione,

This was as far as he got though, as he couldn't think of what to tell them. He couldn't exactly say that his sworn enemy for the past six years is suddenly his friend and they stayed up all night and shared everything with each other then stopped talking altogether for two days. It sounded strange to say the least and they wouldn't understand.

Things are fine. Malfoy's not too bad. Muggles ignoring us - scared to come into wand range. Dumbledore explained everything. Thanks for you're concern. I'll let you know when everything gets sorted. Don't worry about it Ron, I wouldn't expect your mum to put up with Malfoy. We'll find somewhere else. Will see you at some point no doubt.

Harry.

He kept it short and sweet. Not even trying to explain about Draco. Now for Dumbledore. He re-read the letter. 'If you have any suggestions' it said. Harry knew exactly where Dumbledore thought he would suggest, the question being, was he willing to suggest it.

'Yes', Harry decided. He was ready to go back.

Hope you like! And YET AGAIN apologies for delays and random posting. R&R R&R R&R! x