Year Two


The summer after Harry's first year at Hogwarts, Harry was buzzing with excitement. He was waiting by the front door, occasionally looking out the peep hole to see if his friend had arrived to pick him up. The Dursley's had been terrified at the prospect of more wizards arriving at their home, and had promptly left on holiday. They had learned their lesson about taking Harry away. The "Strange People" would simply follow.

So Harry had been left home alone that day, and it was a strange experience. He kept expecting someone to yell at him, scream for him to do chores he had already done. But instead, Harry was free to make breakfast for himself. He could sit on the couch and watch whatever he wanted on the telly. It was as if Harry's birthday was finally being celebrated, if a bit early.

That's not to say that Harry hadn't suffered consequences for allowing his strange friend and family visit the Dursley's house. He'd been screamed at for a whole day, slapped by Petunia as a warning if he allowed his friends to step in her clean home, and refused food for the day. Harry thought it was worth it, he would be away from the Dursley's for the rest of the summer, free from their abuse.

Harry nearly jumped out of his skin when the door bell was run, and flung the door open, a smile on his face. He was greeted by Draco's normally calm and collected features broadening into a smile when he saw Harry. Draco's parents were looking mildly disgusted and like they'd rather be anywhere else, but that didn't matter when Draco hugged Harry.

"Harry! I'm so glad to see you!"

Harry giggled and squeezed Draco. "I missed you!"

Lucius sneered at them. "Hey, stop that. You look like bloody fags hugging like that."

Draco quickly let go of Harry and stepped back, looking down. "Sorry father."

Narcissa was peering past Harry into the home. "Where are the muggles that raise you? Aren't they going to greet us, invite us inside?"

Lucius scoffs."I doubt they know what manners are, dear."

Harry shook his head. "They're not here, they went on holiday. A-and I'm not supposed to let you in, aunts rules, I'm sorry."

Narcissa simply made a small 'Hmph' sound. Harry picked up his bag and edged closer to the door.

"Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, for um, picking me up. I appreciate it."

Harry was carefully keeping his gaze down, but Draco caught his eye and smiled at him, and Harry felt just a little better.

III

The days Harry spent at Draco's manor were filled with fun. They rode the latest model of broomsticks in Draco's backyard, ate savory foods, and stayed up late into the night talking in whispers and covering giggles. The two didn't share a room, but Draco would always sneak into Harry's bedroom to spend more time with him. Draco's parents took every chance they got to call Harry by his birth name, but Harry was used to it from the Dursley's, and it was easy enough to avoid them.

Harry ventured to Diagon Alley with Draco and his parents, and for the very first time had his robes tailored for him alongside Draco. The two were admonished many times by Madame Malkins for giggling, she couldn't get the measurements right with them squirming around so much. Harry was having enough fun that he wasn't even bothered by Narcissa cooing over Draco and completely ignoring him. He wasn't bothered in the slightest that Draco received appraising looks from his father and all Harry got was a glance.

He didn't mind.

Really.

Except...maybe Harry wished he had parents that told him he looked good in his robes, and maybe he wished he had a mom to pinch his cheeks and a dad to look at him proudly.

But these were thoughts best saved for the night, where he could dry his tears on his blanket and muffle his sobs with a pillow. These thoughts were not meant for a shopping trip with his best friend. But Harry couldn't hold it, he just wasn't the strongest Slytherin, so he cried in a bathroom. In a stall. Alone. Harry cried until he was gasping for breath, and there were too many tears to wipe away, and he could only imagine what it'd be like to shop with his own parents.

Harry slapped a hand over his mouth when he heard the bathroom door open, muffling a sob.

"Harry? Are you okay? You've been in here a while, mum and father are getting impatient."

Harry wiped at his cheeks and cleared his throat. "Y-yeah I'll be out in a moment."

Harry saw Draco's shoes come to a stop outside of his stall.

"Harry, you sound like you've been crying."

Harry bit his trembling lip and unlocked the stall, then flung the door open and hugged Draco, he could no longer contain his sobs.

"I want a real family Dray, I want a mum and dad!" Harry managed to get the sentence out only through sobs, and the rest of what he said was muffled in Draco's robes as he buried his face in them, soaking it in tears.

Draco rubbed his friends back, completely caught off guard. "That's what this is about? What about the muggles you stay with?"

Harry's grip on Draco's robes tightened. "They hate me, they call me a freak."

Draco was furious. He couldn't believe Harry was staying with muggles that treated him so poorly! Harry was The Boy Who Lived, he deserved to be treated with respect!

"It's okay Harry, you can come shopping with me every summer, I promise. I'll do anything to convince parents each summer. It'll be okay." Draco rubbed Harry's back and eventually the other boy pulled away and wiped the tears from his cheeks.

"I'm sorry, I got your robes all wet, I didn't mean to..."

Draco gave Harry a smile and handed him tissues. "It's alright, we're getting new ones anyways."

Draco helped clean Harry up and cover any traces that he was crying, then took his hand and stepped out of the bathroom with him. Harry was quieter the rest of the shopping trip, not that Draco's parents cared. As expected, Draco's parents ran into a few friends, and when questioned about the boy Draco was with, they introduced Harry as Harriette. Harry kept his eyes trained on the ground, and the two boys were dismissed to go buy themselves ice cream while the adults talked.

"I'm sorry Harry, they just forget your name sometimes."

Harry hoped he didn't look too hurt. "It's alright, I'm used to it. Let's just get some ice cream, yeah?"

By the end of the trip, Harry and Draco arrived back at the manor with sweets galore. Harry was distracted by the Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, and the boys laughed all night at the outrageous faces they would pull when they got a disgusting flavor. Harry completely forgot about how lonely he was when he was with Draco. It was easy to forget with Draco. It was easy to be happy with Draco.

III

On the train ride to Hogwarts, Draco and Harry splurged on sweets, which was quickly becoming a back to school ritual. Draco and Harry had decided that this year was to be a year of exploration. Last year, they had just spent time getting used to school and getting to know each other. Now they were ready to see what kind of magic the school had in store. This, of course, resulted in many detentions and house points deducted. Their fellow house mates never held it against them for too long, seeing as Harry and Draco dominated the Quidditch field together.

Harry always felt the most free while he was on the field. All of his thoughts trained on one thing: The Snitch. Quidditch was his outlet, his escape from reality. His heart soared whenever he won the game and his teammates would hoist him in the air, chanting his name. Draco was always the first to rush towards Harry and embrace him in a hug.

Winning Quidditch wasn't nearly Harry's favorite thing that year. It was the days he spent with Malfoy. Exploring, studying, mouthing off to Snape when he was being a prick. Harry's favorite thing about his second year with Draco was the overwhelming feeling of friendship. The feeling of being close to someone, and trusting them completely. It was new to Harry and he hoped it never stopped.

Harry and Draco would the unbreakable duo. Everyone in the school knew the two were inseparable. No one could mess with the two without coming back with their tail between their legs. You couldn't so much as glare at one of them without getting snarled at. With a simple flick of their robes, everyone would know Harry and Draco were in the room. Despite being only second years, everyone respected them. Or else.

Harry loved the feeling of power he got at Hogwarts, he loved the safety he felt with Draco nearby. He was untouchable. Often, Harry and Draco would snicker at how first years groveled around them.

"As if we'd ever harm a first year, eh Drake?"

Draco chuckled, leaning against Harry. "Course not! Unless they deserve it."

Harry and Draco were always harmless unless provoked. Even when they did hex someone, it wasn't a harmful spell. No where near a forbidden curse. Alas, Harry knew his feelings of protection and power would not last over the summer. He would return to fear and hiding, spending all his willpower on not pissing his family off and avoiding any pain.

The summer after Harry's second year at Hogwarts was not an easy one. All he wanted was to be back with his best friend. Instead he was cooking and cleaning every day, getting slapped round the head often. But Harry vowed to hold on and stay strong, just for Draco. Draco was his beacon of hope. Not that he'd ever admit it to his friend, that sounded much too gay. But in private, when he was feeling his worst, he would think of Draco.

Draco helped Harry through his second summer.


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