Golden Dreams

Harry and Draco walked aimlessly around Diagon Alley. A month and they'd be back at school. Harry didn't want to go back, but Draco had threatened breaking up and that was one thing Harry wasn't about to do. He liked Draco a lot. It was almost unbelievable that they had been enemies for so long. But as they say, opposites attract.

"What do you want to do first?" Narcissa asked, looking at the list of school supplies. She, on the other hand, had stuff to do. Sure, the Malfoy's had servants to shop for them, but Narcissa thought it was something that she had to do for her son, "Cauldrons, books, robes?"

"How about cauldrons?" Draco suggested. She nodded and they headed off toward the shop. Draco had tried to convince her to get him a solid gold, diamond encrusted cauldron, but he failed.

"Darling, what if we don't have as much money later?" She said sadly, the times ahead weighing on her mind, "what if you just have a normal cauldron, like the rest of the children?" He pouted all the way out of the store.

"Really, Draco! What if Grinngots gets captured?" Harry put in. He had been going to the meetings. They talked about the possibilities of things happening in the future. They talked about the present and the past. But, they didn't do anything about it. They just talked. Even the people searching for Volemort before had given up. The new plan was to wait for Voldemort to challenge Harry. Until then, they tried to make those who still followed Voldemort to switched sides. They didn't go right up and tell them straight out that they were traitors. But cleverly added in little things into conversations, like the fact that the prophecy was still in play. Harry didn't think that it would work. These people believed in Voldemortand had no reason to betray the power that strengthened each day.

"Harry! You're beginning to sound like those idiots." Draco said, referring to the other people in 'The Project.' Draco had long ago dropped out. "A waste of time!" He'd comment when Harry went. Harry somewhat agreed with him. Though the thought that maybe he'd learn something else to help fight Volemort hung in the air.
Lucius hadn't forgiven him for his relationship with Draco. Harry didn't know what was so bad. He and Draco hardly had any time for each other. Draco always had some person to meet or someplace to go. Lucius more than likely had something to do with it.

They next went to Flourish and Blotts, the bookstore. A familiar group of red-heads were looking at a shelf and Harry immediately went over.

"Ron!" He exclaimed enthusiastically, "What's up?" he asked when his best friend showed no response.

"Nothing much," Ron answered, looking away, "Just that my best friend is dating one of our worst enemies."

"You don't have control over my relationships, Ron." Harry said angrily.

"I know." Ron said, "But I wish you would have wrote to me at least."

"Sorry, I guess I forgot."

"Yeah, it's easy to forget about your best friend."

"Ron!"

"Whatever." With that, Ron turned around and went to the other side of the store,soaked in self-pity. Hermione shook her head at Ron's ignorance and greeted Harry happily. She helped them find their books, without acknowledging Draco in the least, and said she'd meet Harry later at the Magical Menagerie, the pet shop. She wanted to get Crookshanks a new toy and she said she wanted to buy Harry a birthday present.

"Don't worry about Ron, I think we all knew it was coming." She said, looking at a book before putting it down.

"What?"

"Harry, you and Draco hated each other too much to actually hate each other." She said it as if every one knew that it was one of the rules of dating. Harry never really understood her logic, but she never seemed to be wrong.

"But Harry," Hermione said as they were about to depart, "If things with Draco don't go as planned, I want you to owl me immediately. Understand?"

Draco slipped an arm around Harry's waist, "Don't worry, Granger, he'll be fine with me."

Harry nodded, "Hermione, its okay. If things don't turn out, I'll owl you." He promised.

"Alright," Hermione said hesitating before leaving. Draco laughed when she was gone.

"What's up with her?"

"I think being enemies didn't help them to understand." Harry said, "Or the fact you still called her Granger."

"Sorry," Though he didn't look sorry in the least. Well, you can't change every thing about Draco.

Narcissa came back, "Books….cauldrons….we still need more supplies, come boys!" For the next hour they ran around Diagon alley, getting supplies. Then, Harry was off to the Magical Menagerie to meet with Hermione. Draco decided that he had enough and was going to go with his mother to the Leaky Cauldron to wait.

"Harry." Hermione whispered when he got there, "I'm confused."

"Why are you whispering?" Harry asked in a whisper.

"I don't want them to hear."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know what to say!" Her voice got quieter, making him lean closer to hear her, "Ron asked me out! On a date!"

Harry felt relieved, "Hermione! I thought something bad had happened! You say yes. You and Ron have liked each other for a long time."

"But, people will think we're dating!"

"That's the point!" Harry smiled and looked around the store. Hermione bought him owl treats for Hedwig and had already bought him a book about his old Nimbus 2000. She then left to give Ron her answer. Harry suddenly realized something. Hermione and Ron didn't like Draco. Goyle and Crabbe didn't like him. How would Draco and him be together at Hogwarts? Would they even come out about their relationship? What would happen?

Harry walked back to the Leaky Cauldron with these thoughts. When Draco asked what was on his mind, he didn't say a thing.

These thoughts plagued him over the week. Draco noticed and kept asking repeatedly what was wrong. Harry didn't want to say. He didn't want to worry Draco over something that was this stupid.

"Harry!" Draco finally yelled, "I want to know what is wrong with you!"

Harry looked away, "I'm worried about what other people will say about us. Whether I stay with you or your friends or you stay with me and mine. I know it's stupid."

Draco smiled, "Whatever worries you can't be stupid. Listen, I know that our friends don't get along. They don't want us to be together. I have two words for them: Tough luck. I really like you, Harry, I really do."

"I really like you too, Draco." Harry said, smiling.

"Okay, how about I arrange a meeting? My friends and your friends in one place. What'd you say?"

"Alright, if you can." Harry answered. Draco smiled and started to plan it out.

It was at a new building made for business meetings, weddings, and other various things. He rented the place out for space and privacy. He had written his friends and Harry's friends, desperately hoping they'd show up. Harry was going to arrive soon and he wanted everything perfect.

"Hey," Goyle grunted when he arrived. Crabbe let out a short laugh, though nothing was funny. Draco sighed; these were his friends, two blubbering idiots.

"Oh, well," He muttered under his breath. He saw Harry's friends and a few adults come in. They didn't look pleased to be here, but at least they were here. Then, much to his dismay, Elizabeth came through the door.

"What are you doing here?" He asked. After the scene at the Leaky Cauldron he thought she'd never speak to them again.

"Narcissa thought that it'd be fun for me to come to your get-together," She looked at the company, "As I said, she thought it'd be fun." She went to one of the tables and got out her make-up case. She then started putting on some lip-gloss.

Draco ignored her and looked out into the group. The Weasley family was here. All the brothers and the younger girl. He invited Hermione and had to restrain himself from calling her a Mudblood in the letter. Along with them was the werewolf, the guy with the weird eye, and a lady that was trying to make people laugh by changing her hair different colors.

"Um, hi." Draco said, putting his wand to his throat, making his voice sound louder, "I know you don't want me and Harry together, but we like each other." That was about the only thing he could think of saying.

"Leave him alone!" One of the Weasley twins yelled.

"Yeah!" His twin agreed.

"Okay, okay, okay! Listen!" Draco yelled, trying to calm the now wild group. When they settled down he continued. "There's going to be a war. Some of us may not get out alive. So, why are we fighting now? Let's just get along, for Harry's sake. He already has to worry about fighting the Dark Lord. Give him a break! I'm pretty sure that I'm not what he's going to have for dating for long. He'll get scared and run off in an attempt to save me. But I'm trying to make him see that I'll help him. I'd defeat the dark Lord for him if I could. But I can't, he has to." Draco's thoughts poured out one byone,"I want to give him peace, but I know as long as Voldemort is still alive he's not going to get any. I know he tries hard to make you all proud. He does whatever you want. Says what you want him to say, goes where you want him to go. I'm not stupid; you all agreed that he could stay at my house. I didn't see any of you fighting too hard to get him to yours. So, lighten up and get over it!"

The group stared, open-mouthed. Draco Malfoy had just told them what to do and he actually made sense. They quickly snapped out of it and started whispering among themselves.

"So do you understand?" Draco asked nervously. He wanted to make Harry happy so much that he could hardly stand still.

"Do you?" But Draco didn't say it. Harry stood in the doorway, waiting for an answer.

A/N: I didn't want the chapter to get to long so I separated it into two parts. I'll post the second part in a few days. Or tomorrow. Whatever works out for me.