Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters within! It's all J.K. Rowling's! It is quite fun to mess around with their brains though.

Spoilers: SS/PS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OotP (does not contain spoilers from HBP)

Pairing: Draco/Harry

Warnings: Possible language, violence, a bit of a depressed Harry, OOC-ness, some romance, some fluff, some angst (just for fun), AU (nothing from book six)

A/N: I would just like to say a personal thanks to the HP Lexicon. It saved my life in this chapter. I also inadvertently typed 'shit' instead of 'this' at one point O_o…eh…weird. I also got a bit of an idea…for the actual plot of this story while writing this chapter. Up until now I had no idea how I was going to lead this somewhere…so I'm happy ^_^

Beautiful in the Moonlight – Chapter 02

The following day Narcissa Malfoy took her son into Diagon Alley for a little shopping spree. The schoolbook list had arrived early this year, and there was no point in putting the inevitable off any longer. Narcissa knew her son was getting older, and was probably feeling uncomfortable trailing along after his mother all day, so she sent him off to get his supplies, while she looked for other things for various Malfoy needs.

Draco, glad for the independence, walked with his head held high down the alleyway. Though confident and calm on the outside, his inner mind was a picture of chaos. He couldn't get that dratted Potter off his thoughts. Potter this and Potter that. So many questions were bouncing off the inside of his skull. How, in Merlin's name, was he going to gain Potter's trust?

So caught up in his thoughts he was, that he nearly strode right past Flourish & Blotts. Draco walked into the store listening to the bell chime on his way. He pulled out his list and made his way over to the counter. Leaning on it casually, naturally he waited for someone to notice his presence.

"Did you need anything?"

Startled, Draco whipped his head around and was met by the sight of the manager balancing on one foot on a step ladder, while stacking books.

"Uh…yes, actually. Could you possibly acquire me with the books on this list?" Draco asked. "Hogwarts, you see…"

"Just…just, give me a moment…a bit busy…eeegh…oh, oh no…NO, GAH!" The manager toppled over and all of the books he had been stacking fell on top of him. Draco made no move to help, but leaned over the desk and replied, "I'll just be browsing then."

Draco walked up and down the aisles glancing at a few of the titles. There was nothing really worthwhile in this shop anyway. If he had really wanted to purchase books for pleasure reading, he would have gone to Knockturn Alley. There were far more interesting stores there.

Just having finished walking down rows of Herbology books, Draco made to turn into the next aisle, but hit something midway. A small figure fell to the ground dropping about ten books, which scattered all over the ground. A particularly feisty one literally crawled away. It must have been for that oaf Hagrid's class.

"Oh…sorry," a timid voice mumbled.

Draco looked down at the ground and found himself viewing the top of a raven mop of hair. Draco's eyes widened, he'd recognize that rat nest anywhere! Potter!

SHIT!

Draco's mind raced. 'Oh my god. What do I say? Crap…I don't know what to do.' He glanced around nervously, then looked back down to meet two stunning emerald eyes. 'Okay Draco, calm down, just say hi.'

What came out was, "Potter, watch where you're going you idiot."

Potter looked down, mumbled a 'sorry', and went about picking up the books that were still lying around.

Draco winced. 'Shit! That wasn't what I meant to say! I have to fix this...what did Mother say? Something about being nice? Yes, that was it…nice, I need to…apologize!'

Draco turned to speak to Harry just as he rushed past him towards the counter. All Draco could do was stare longingly, as the boy that stole his heart purchased his books and walked out of Draco's life. Well…not out of his life exactly, that was a bit melodramatic. But it certainly felt that way.

Draco finally looked back at the aisle, to find that it was full of potions books. Too focused on his despair, Draco didn't realize how unusual that was. Instead he punched the nearest shelf.

"Goddamnit! That fucking hurt!"

"Hey, you there!" the manager yelled at him. "I have your books if you want them."

Draco walked up to the counter, holding his right hand close. He paid for his books, and left the store in a hurry, the little bell ringing behind him.

"A right arse, that one…," the manager mumbled.

Harry didn't stay in Diagon Alley for long after his encounter with Draco Malfoy. Malfoy had gotten taller, a lot taller, and there was no way he'd win a physical fight with his rival this year. Having purchased everything he needed for his classes, he boarded the Knight Bus once again, and arrived back at the Dursley's.

Holed up in Dudley's second bedroom, Harry sat on top of the bed and looked over his new books. He'd bought everything on his school list, naturally, except for that copy of The Monster Book of Monsters Vol. 2, which had crawled away. He'd have to pick a copy up the first Hogsmeade weekend. After getting the books on his school list, Harry decided to look around Flourish & Blotts a bit more. He ended up buying a copy of Magical Potions – Life Altering Serums, Advanced Potion Making, and The Dark Arts Outsmarted, the last of which he remembered being in the Room of Requirement once.

Harry had not, despite Professor McGonagall's desires, achieved an Outstanding on his Potions Owl, but he felt the books might be helpful to him. He had been thinking quite a bit lately about how he would defeat Voldemort, without endangering his friends. He decided the only way that would be possible was if he did some research himself. This was his burden to carry, and his alone.

Harry ran his hands over the cover of Advanced Potion Making. Maybe without Professor Snape breathing down his neck he would be able to brew something useful. It was worth a shot…right?

Lucius Malfoy sat twiddling his thumbs in a corner of his very dark, and very dank cell. His hair was matted, as he just couldn't get it to look the same without his trusty Malfoy sized epic mirror.

"Drat," He muttered. This was not how he had planned out his life. Not to mention the awful example he was setting for his son, who had not so much as visited him once. Perhaps…that was for the best.

Lucius decided right then and there that he would have to get his act together. Because really, that damnable Dark Lord was hideous to look at, and really, life had been much better with his mirror.

"Mother, I'm a bastard."

"Well yes dear, you'll just have to come to terms with that. In due time I'm sure you'll be able to control that particular trait."

"Do I look humoured? Really? Because I'm not." He was struggling not to break down and scream in public. He'd just screwed up royally, and his hand still bloody well hurt.

"Oh, settle down dear."

"He hates me...," Draco rested his head down on the table in The Leaky Cauldron.

The waiter approached their table, "What'll you have?"

"Firewhisky," Draco spat out.

"Draco! He'll have a butterbeer, and I'd like a glass of pumpkin juice please," Narcissa responded and the waiter nodded and walked away.

"Motheeeeerrrrr…let me drown in my sorrows," Draco lifted his head and pouted.

"Stop your whining. Now, what idiotic deed have you gone and done now, young man?"

"I…might hve..acdntly insltd m…"

Narcissa's eyes narrowed, "What…?"

"I said, I…might have accidentally insulted him."

There was a break in the conversation as Narcissa bowed her head. When she finally lifted it up it was to yell, "YOU DAFT FOOL!" Draco fell off his chair backwards in shock, and several customers at surrounding tables looked in their direction. The old woman in the corner appeared as though she'd had a small heart attack.

"I cannot believe I'm hearing this! What did I tell you? What was the first thing I told you?"

"Um…be..nice?" Draco hid behind the chair he'd just fallen off of.

"Yes!" Narcissa put her hands in her hair and pulled, "How is it even possible…I was hoping, you might be slightly better at this than your father, but honestly you're worse! Unbelievable…unbelievable…unbelievable."

As Narcissa seemingly became overcome with disbelief, Draco sat back in his now upright chair and immediately slouched.

"Hun, really, don't slouch, it's unbecoming of you," It seemed that Narcissa had recovered, and she looked up deep in thought.

"Mother…do you understand now? Am I doomed?"

Narcissa sighed and replied, "Yes, I understand, and you may not be doomed. We'll just have to enlist more help, since you are hopeless on your own."

"…Help?"

"Hmm…yes, perhaps, your friend Pansy can aid us. She's a nice girl," Narcissa explained and Draco winced. "I also think you should talk to Harry's friends. Since he hates you even more now, you'll have to gain their trust first."

"You have got to be joking. Me? Be friends with…that…mm…that girl, and ugh! There's no way they'll go for it!"

"No, darling. I am not joking."

Draco groaned and slammed his head down on the tabletop while proceeding to hit his head repeatedly. The waiter approached their table cautiously, "Here're your drinks – one butterbeer, and one pumpkin juice." Wary to set them down on the shaking table, he handed them directly to Narcissa.

"Thank you, and actually, could you bring us some firewhisky as well?" The waiter took one last look at Draco, nodded, and scurried away.

A/N: I got really into writing this at one in the morning last night, well…this morning really… Sadly the next chappie will probably take longer than a few days, but I do still have almost a week off of school, so it might get out faster than I think. Review please! Comments + Constructive Criticism are welcome ^_^