Author Notes: I do not own Harry Potter and co., obviously. Just a fan practicing her writing. I'm so sorry for the MASSIVE delay for this chapter! Life took some turns with the arrival of my daughter and some other life stuff. Now, this chapter does end rather abruptly, and I'm sorry about that. I'm starting the next chapter, on my new computer ;) so enjoy this, and please let me know what you think, what you think could happen, what you want to happen, and so on.

# Chapter Two: Mending Bridges

The next morning, the two boys were woken by a furious pounding upon the door. They both stood prepared with their wands and were about to open the door when it blew open, revealing Dumbledore.

'Harry Potter!' he roared, his face red. 'What do you think you are doing? Why aren't you at the Dursleys' where you belong?'

Harry gaped at Dumbledore. He had never seen the man so mad before, and in his experience, angry men liked to take out their feelings on him. Seeing Harry frozen, Draco took hold of the situation.

'Excuse me, professor,' drawled Draco, his wand still raised in a defensive position. 'You cannot enter another wizard's residence without permission, it's rude.'

'You do not speak!' yelled Dumbledore, finally taking his murderous gaze from Harry and staring at Draco. 'You have no right to take Harry from his home and fill his head with fantasies!'

'No right?' says Harry softly. 'No right? Draco is my friend. You have no right to speak to him like that.'

'Harry, my boy, I am just worried about you,' said Dumbledore softly, turning his gaze to Harry. 'You must return home, where you are safe. Come, let me take you back.'

'No!' yelped Harry, taking a step back. He saw Draco step closer to him and took strength in the small act. 'No, I won't go back, and you can't make me. Snape made sure of that! He said so!'

'What has Professor Snape told you Harry?' asked Dumbledore desperately. 'Whatever it was, it wasn't true. Please, let me take you home to your family.'

'Those people are not his family!' Draco was moving closer to Harry, keeping himself between his friend and Dumbledore. 'And that place was no home for him. Do you know how they treat him? How every summer he is starved and beaten? How they lock his owl up in a small cage, so he can't communicate with his friends?' Draco would have said more but was interrupted by Dumbledore.

'I'm sure it's not as bad as you're making it out to be Mr. Malfoy. Now kindly stand aside so I can take Harry home.'

'Actually headmaster, you will not be forcing Mr. Potter to do anything he does not want to do.' Dumbledore spun around and saw Snape standing in the doorway.

'Severus, what have you done?'

'As a founding member of the MCPA, I have examined Mr. Potter's case personally and last night put forward his emancipation papers. I am here today to bring him a copy of the official passing documents. Congratulations Mr. Potter, you are now officially a fully emancipated wizard.'

Snape strode past Dumbledore and passed Harry the bundle of papers he was carrying.

'Draco,' he said, 'I believe a celebratory drink is in order. Would you mind?'

'Of course, sir,' grinned Draco, lowering his wand and winking at Harry. 'I'll be right back.' He went to the kitchen, knowing Harry would be safe with Snape there with him. He grabbed four bottles of butterbeer and headed back out. 'Here you are sir, Harry. Professor Dumbledore, would you like one?' he held a bottle out to Dumbledore, who's nostrils were flaring in what Harry thought was a very Vernon like manner.

'No thank you, Mr. Malfoy,' he said. 'Unlike the rest of you, I see no reason to celebrate. I shall see you all back at Hogwarts.' With a crack he was gone.

'Rude to disapparat from inside someone's home,' mused Draco. 'I guess he had somewhere to be. Anyway, to Harry!' He raised his bottle in the air.

'To Harry,' agreed Snape, clinking his bottle against Draco's. They both looked at Harry, who, still dazed, clinked his bottle to theirs. The three drank and grinned at each other.

'Well, I think I'll leave you boys to celebrate on our own, 'said Snape, passing his empty bottle to Draco. 'I'll see you both at Hogwarts in a couple of weeks. Do not embarrass me with delinquent behavior.' With a nod, he swept out of the room.

Draco and Harry looked at each other.

'What now?' asked Harry.

'Well, I suggest we get dressed and then go get a celebratory breakfast,' chuckled Draco. 'I know a great cafe just down the street, but they won't welcome us in our current attire.'

Harry looked down at himself and shuddered. He hadn't realized he was wearing his pajamas, the old, worn out tracksuit that Dudley had outgrown years ago but still hung off Harry. Draco noticed his look.

'Don't worry Harry,' he said softly. 'You don't ever need to see them again. Come on, let's get dressed and go enjoy ourselves. After breakfast we'll go shopping and exploring.'

'Come on Draco, how long does it take you to get ready?' groaned Harry. Draco had been in the bathroom for nearly fifteen minutes.

'Nearly done,' called Draco. 'You can have the bathroom in a minute.'

'I don't need the bathroom, I need food!' replied Harry, dropping onto the couch. 'What are you even doing in there?'

The bathroom door opened, and Draco came out. 'I was doing my hair, obviously. And what do you mean you don't need the bathroom? Aren't you going to do your hair?'

'Do what to it?' asked Harry. 'It's fine, it's as it always is.'

'I can see that,' drawled Draco. 'Don't you ever style it?'

'No, I don't know how and right now I don't care. Can we please go get some breakfast?'

'Fine, but afterwards I'm taking you to a barbershop,' muttered Draco as they left the apartment.

'Oh wait,' said Harry, as they walked out of the building and onto the street. 'I need to go to Gringotts, I don't have any money!'

'Don't worry, breakfast is on me today,' replied Draco. 'You can shout us next time if you like.'

'I guess. Where shall we go? The Leaky Cauldron?'

'Don't be silly,' said Draco. 'The Leaky is nice and all, but they're a pub. They don't have a breakfast menu. Come on, I'll take you to my favourite cafe. They have the most amazing coffee.'

'Coffee always tastes bitter,' sighed Harry. 'I don't see what the big deal is.'

'You've obviously never had real coffee from beans,' sniffed Draco. 'Probably only that instant stuff that muggles like. Let's go already.'

Draco led Harry to a small cafe tucked away between two flowering cherry trees. It was a bright cheery place, with fresh flowers resting in crystal vases on pristine white tablecloths. It was just the sort of place Harry expected Draco to frequent.

'Mr. Draco, welcome back! You is wanting your usual table sir?' A cheery house elf rushed up to them, bowing and smiling widely. Harry noticed she was dressed in a sweet little checkered dress that matched the curtains.

'Yes, thank you Missy. This is my friend, Harry.'

'Mr. Harry, you is very welcome here. Excuse me for asking sir,' Missy bowed to Harry as he sat opposite Draco, 'but might you be Mr. Harry Potter sir? The Harry Potter that Dobby speaks of so often?'

'You know Dobby?' Harry asked incredulously.

'Oh yes, Mr. Harry. Missy is knowing Dobby. Dobby helped Missy escape from her abusive wizard family and helped Missy to get a job here at the Cherry Cafe. Mrs. Jacobson pays Missy two galleons a week for her services and lets Missy live in an elf home out the back for free. Mrs. Jacobson is very kind and sympathetic to the houselves, her and Miss Hermione. She helps all of us that Dobby finds to get jobs, and to get paid if that's what we wants sir. Missy thanks you and Dobby and Miss Hermione on behalf of all house elves.'

Harry stared, hardly believing the difference he had made by freeing Dobby. He knew that Hermione had been trying to take S.P.E.W. further but hadn't realized just how far she had gone. He listened as Draco ordered coffee for the both of them, and as Missy hurried off to make said coffee, he remembered that Dobby had once belonged to the Malfoys.

'Draco, about Dobby-'

'Yes, I've been meaning to thank you for releasing him,' Draco interrupted. Harry gaped at him. 'I always wanted to, but technically he was father's, and no matter how many clothes I gave him, he could not leave. So, thank you. Now, on to breakfast. What do you feel like?'

Harry looked down at the menu.

'I'll get the bacon on toast,' he said.

'That's it?' asked Draco. 'Just because I'm buying doesn't mean you have to go cheap, Harry. Come on, what do you really want?'

'No, it's fine, really.' mumbled Harry, his face starting to turn red as it always did when he ate out and ordered the cheapest item on the menu.

'Harry,' Draco said seriously, leaning across the table and looking deep into Harry's eyes. 'You are no longer with the muggles. You are your own man now; you can get whatever you like.'

Harry looked back at Draco and thought about this for a minute.

Draco is right, he thought to himself. I'm no longer under the Dursleys' thumbs. I can do what I like, eat what I want to eat, finally have a chance to be myself.

'You know, I'd really like to try the French toast. I love strawberries.'

'That's the stuff.' Draco smiled at Harry and when Missy came back with their coffees he placed their orders with her.

'Straight away Mr. Draco and Mr. Harry, sirs.' Missy bobbed away through the tables and Harry marveled at what a happy little elf she was.

'Hey Draco,' he said, just realizing something. 'Now that you're legally emancipated and all that, does that mean that your parents cut you off?'

'It sure does,' replied Draco, stirring a half teaspoon of sugar into his coffee and taking a sip. 'I'm my own man, through and through.'

'Then how are you paying for that apartment? And for breakfast come to think of it? We should have gone to Gringotts first, so I could get some money.'

'Don't worry about it Harry. Listen, when I finally escaped my parents, I stayed with Blaise for a while. Zabini,' Draco explained, for Harry's face had scrunched in confusion as he lifted his coffee to his mouth. Harry nodded and took a sip, marveling silently at how lovely the coffee tasted. 'Anyway, while I was staying there, wondering what I was going to do with no money, I got an owl from Gringotts, asking me to come in to discuss my financial assets. When I arrived, Father and Mother were there, arguing with a goblin. They didn't see me, so I hid behind a pillar and listened in. They were trying to gain access to a vault, but the goblins wouldn't let them. They left in a big huff. Once I had composed myself, I introduced myself to the goblins and they took me into a private room. I must admit, at this time I was feeling a bit apprehensive. Have you ever been alone with a goblin? It's kind of scary. Anyway, this goblin, Griphook I think he said his name was, he informed me that since I was legally emancipated, I had full access to my vault. I asked him what vault? He looked at me in shock, he thought I knew.'

'Knew what?' asked Harry.

'That I had my own vault. One that my parents had apparently been trying to get access to for years. Apparently, when my father's father passed away, everything he owned went to my grandmother. She was supposed to leave everything to my father, as is pureblood tradition, but after she died my parents found out she had split her and my grandfather's combined vault, leaving only one quarter of the total assets to my parents, and most of that was just old, broken furniture. I was only seven when she passed away, so I wasn't allowed at the reading of the will, which means I didn't know that she had left the other three quarters to me.'

'So, what you're saying,' said Harry, putting his coffee down. 'Is that you're still as filthy rich as before, but now it's your own wealth and not your father's?'

'That's pretty much it, yeah. Oh look, here comes breakfast.'

Harry looked up. Missy was winding her way to their table, laden down with two huge plates of food. Harry stood to help her, only to be reprimanded by the little elf.

'No Mr. Harry Potter, please be sitting back down! Missy is fine.' Harry sat as Missy used her elf magic to levitate the plates onto their table. 'Missy thanks you for your concern Mr. Harry sir, but Missy is fine. Enjoy your breakfasts sirs!' Missy bobbed away, a huge smile on her face. Everything Dobby had told her about Harry Potter had been correct, and she couldn't wait to tell Dobby what a lovely boy his Harry was.

'Don't laugh,' Harry said to Draco, settling himself back at the table.

'Now why would I laugh Harry?' smirked Draco, as he unwrapped his cutlery from his napkin. 'You're just the sort of person to help an elf, I think it's admirable. Now, eat your breakfast so we can get you into a barber shop.'

'A what?' choked Harry, who had just taken a big mouthful of French toast laden with strawberries and dripping with maple syrup. Draco slid his coffee across the table to Harry, having noticed that Harry had finished his already. He discreetly signaled to Missy for more coffees.

'Thanks,' said Harry, after he had drunk some of the coffee and stopped choking. 'Now, what do you mean a barber?'

'A barber is a hairdresser for men,' started Draco, smirking at Harry.

'I know what a barber is Draco,' growled Harry. 'But why do I need to go see one? My hair is fine.'

'It's not, it needs a trim to get rid of those dead ends, and you need to learn some basic styling skills.'

'Fine, I guess I could use a trim at least,' mumbled Harry in agreement as he tucked into his breakfast and thanked Missy for the extra coffees.