Chapter Two

The blistering heat that pressed in against Harry's body restricting his breathing ever so slightly. It was a scorching afternoon, and one in which Harry really wished he did not have to be doing what he was doing at the very moment in time. His coal black hair was pulled back low in a ponytail. He was wearing a white ripped up t-shirt that was so large it touched his knees. He was covered in top soil and sweat. The trousers he was wearing were grey sweats, and did not help keep the heat out, and instead his legs felt sticky along with the rest of his body. For three straight days, he had been outside pulling at the burnt weeds and flowers in his aunt's garden. The sun was dandelion yellow, and Harry felt the sweat dripping off his body, as he moved his hands along the seems of the weeds, pulling them up with the roots and tossing them into a bin behind him. His back was killing and as he stood he groaned, his face flashed pain. He rubbed his back and moved around, before lowering himself back to the begonias.

There was hardly anyone outside, it was so hot and dreadful, they were supposed to conserve water, but no one ever listened, even if they were, in a depressing drought that made everything and anything dry up and shrivelled like a prune. He breathed in heavily, feeling the heat against him, and was about to fall to his knees to finish the weeds when someone placed a cold glass of lemonade in front of his face.

Harry blinked, and stared at the lemonade, he recognized those hands. He thought to himself, as he looked up, into the familiar face of Draco Malfoy. But, instead of the pureblood Draco Malfoy, Harry knew, this Draco you really, honestly, could not tell that he was a wizard at all, unless you stared at the Slytherin class ring. He was wearing crème khaki cargo pants and a blue short sleeved button up shirt. He had a light brown woven belt and his pale hair flicked into his blue eyes. "D- Draco?" He said, hoarsely; taking the offered glass, and standing up straight and looking around. "W- wha?" The teen was positively floored. How did Draco get here, and - how did he know?

"Everyone knows where you live Harry. Well, anyone with half a brain, that is." said Draco, in a calm voice. "Drink that, you can't talk." Harry looked at the yellow liquid and quickly placed it to his chapped lips, drinking in the tangy sweetness. It went down him and it hydrated his body quickly. He looked around him and then looked down at himself. Boy, he was a sight for sore eyes. He thought with disgust. Harry was then wondering if Draco was an illusion. Was he hallucinating from the sun? He looked up and around him again, well, it wouldn't be the first time. He thought, glancing back over at Draco who arched an eyebrow. "That better?"

"I - I don't understand?" whispered Harry. "H- how did you get here?"

"Took the Knight Bus." said Draco, "I took it to Cherry Street so no one suspected, and then walked here. "Your relatives aren't home. I saw you outside; you looked as if you were going to pass out. "

"No, they went out to eat."

"And you're left behind?" asked Draco, firmly. "Why?"

Harry looked at him, and then back at the house. "My relatives hate me." He told Draco, abruptly. "They can't stand my very presence."

Draco pursed his lips together, and he looked around him, "You look like shit. Why do you wear that?"

"I have nothing else." said Harry, handing him the lemonade. "What? Want me to walk around naked?"

Draco arched an eyebrow, "Really want me to answer that?"

Harry's faced flushed, and he looked down at himself, and then back up, to see a smirk on Draco's face. Getting a hold of himself, he sighed, "I have to finish this - if I don't - I'll not eat tonight." Draco's features changed immediately, and he watched as Harry went back to work, "So - I - I've never had anyone come to visit me." said Harry, softly. "You're the first."

"Not even your friends?" asked Draco, surprised.

"Well, except to rescue me, in my second year." said Harry, on his knees, his hands grabbing at the ends of the weeds and yanking.

"That's bull shit." Harry glanced up at him, to see his face contorted with anger. "How can they do that?"

"It's not their faults." said Harry.

"No, I mean them fucking muggles! How can they do that?"

Harry shrugged, "They always have. Comes naturally, where I'm concerned."

"Your Dumbledore's favourite!" exclaimed Draco. "And I'm not saying that to insult you-" He said, holding his hand up, stopping Harry from protesting. "I can't believe this! Seriously, Harry, you are his favourite and I am not talking about student wise. But, he sends you back here? Does he even know?"

"I am sure he does." said Harry, remembering his letter from first year. "It took thousands of owls and Hagrid, before I could even read my letter."

Draco looked pissed off. "That's absurd! Why, I oughta…" he crossed his arms, "Here! Drink!" He ordered Harry, who looked up at him, and took the glass, without hesitation and took another drink before handing it back. "And stop that!" he said sharply. "Cherity!" He called aloud, and before Harry's eyes a little house elf in a light green coloured pillow appeared out of nowhere.

"Master Draco wanted to see, Cherity, sir!" she bowed twice, and looked up at him adoringly.

"Yeah, I did." said Draco, glancing at his elf. "I need you to clear this - muggle garden of all the weeds and dried flowers, and then bring some fresh fruit and ice water, please."

Cherity squeaked, "Yes, master Draco! Leave it to Cherity, sir!" She snapped her fingers and before Harry's eyes the garden was in perfect working condition. The weeds and dead flowers gone and now lying in the bucket he had been dumping them in. "Cherity goes now, to get fruit and ice water." she disappeared, leaving Harry to stare at Draco.

"Y- You didn't have to do that." said Harry, crouched, still.

"Sure I did. You're not a slave. At least I asked her nicely. Cherity is my personal house-elf. She answers to no one but me. Not my father and not my mother. She's mine, since her birth."

Harry then stood up, the teen before him looked him over. "Good Merlin! What size do you wear in muggle clothes?"

"No idea." said Harry.

"Whose are those?" asked Draco in disgust.

"My cousins."

"Arghhh!." Draco shook his head, "I - I can't fucking believe this. How can they bloody do that to you! I don't - Ulgh." he looked upset, he crossed his arms over his chest and pursed his lips together.

"Draco?" said Harry, he was unsure of all this. He was so confused.

"I had no idea; when I came over here, to see you and talk to you, that I would run into this! They treat you despicable and Dumbledore does nothing?"

"Not really. Oh, well, they don't treat me so bad - because of -" He stopped suddenly, and winced, thinking of Sirius. "Wizard threats. This is nothing - compared to what they used to have me do."

Draco's eyes narrowed, when there was a crack and Cherity reappeared with a brown basket. "Cherity has arrived Master Draco, with the fruit and water like you asks Cherity." she squeaked, bowing too him.

"Thank you Cherity. I'll you call you again in a little while." He dismissed her.

Cherity beamed and bowed, "Yes, Master!" She disappeared instantly after that.

Harry looked at the spot where the elf was, when Draco touched him on the shoulder. "You need you to eat." He led Harry back to the Dursley's house. They entered the cool kitchen to feel the fans going. The teen breathed in a deepened sigh, and headed to the kitchen sink and washed his hands and face with ice cold water. What Harry really needed was a shower, but that could wait. When he turned around, feeling 2/3's refreshed, he saw that Draco had been watching him. There was food laid out for the both of them.

Harry walked over and sank down, Draco sat beside him. "Thank you."

He arched an eyebrow, "No need." He said, picking up a grape, as Harry went for the strawberries.

"I'd have given you something 'more' however, I do not know what you like."

"Anything but eggs." He said, softly, as he took a long drink of ice cold water. "And spinach, peas, uhm, lima beans - yeah." He said, feeling his heart pound. He needed to stop rambling.

"I'm not particularly fond of onions or corned beef." Harry smiled at that. Thinking of Ron, briefly. Draco then bite down on an apple slice and then said, "I wanted to come over, and - talk to you properly, without school and other people involved."

"I'm glad you came over." said Harry, earnestly.

"Are you really?" asked Draco, arms resting against the kitchen table. "Just a couple weeks ago you wanted to ring my neck and vice versa."

Harry looked at him, "You're the first one whose seen me cry." His face flushed gently, at the recollection.

"You didn't know it was me."

"No, I didn't at first. I thought you were going to - use my crying as fuel."

"No." said Draco. "That never came to my mind. Before, the maze happened, my thoughts had been growing so to say. A lot of things I was saying or doing, I wasn't getting anything out of it in return. I knew, I needed a change. I had to have a change, then HE came back. My father wrote me, it was almost a good-bye letter. He told me to choose my own path. That he would not force me to do what I did not wish to do. Since then, my mother has not been the same. It's not doing very good for my family. We restored our name and now its going to be demolished again. I am realizing, that there's something not right going on. The world doesn't believe you or Dumbledore, which is probably the most stupid act I have ever seen or heard of the Ministry performing." stated Draco, with disgust. "Dumbledore would not lie about that. I'm a bit pissed off at him right now." He admitted freely. "But, he's not a fucking liar and neither are you."

Harry had been nibbling against a half a peach, staring unblinkingly at Draco. What was he supposed to say?

"God, don't stare at me like that!" exclaimed Draco, looking away and then he laughed out loud, "Stop, Harry! Please! You don't know what that does."

Harry furrowed his eyebrows, "Huh? Me looking at you?"

"Staring at me - unblinking with - those eyes!" insisted Draco, shaking his head. "You're eyes are far too intense."

"I don't understand?" asked Harry, puzzled. "Your eyes have so much passion in them."

Harry blushed, and looked down, that had not been expected. "I never knew-" He said, breathing in through his nose gently.

"Of course not. How could you in a place like this." stated Draco, darkly. "Anyway, that's why I came over. I wanted to talk to you, without your friends, my friends, portraits moving and listening to every word we have to say and then gossiping back to one another."

"Yeah, really." said Harry. "Thank you, for telling Pansy to shut up." He said sincerely, as he took another glass of ice water.

Draco scowled, "I can't stand her. I never could. Blaise is my best friend. Crabbe and Goyle aren't as stupid as they let on. They're just silent."

"Where do they stand?"

Draco looked at him, "So far, Blaise's whole family is neutral. I don't think, they really want anything to do with either side, unless it comes down to life and death. Crabbe and Goyle aren't stupid. They will follow me, unless I decided to become a Deatheater, and then I would lose their friendship, simply because he took their fathers away, and now - he's taking mine."

Harry sat back in his seat, done with the fruit in front of him. He placed the glass of water to his lips and took a drink. "I'm sorry, he has to be back." said Harry, "I'm sorry about your father too. I may not like him- but I do not like anyone losing a family member. Especially, to him. However, your father might not be as lost as you might think. He could always turn to the light…" He thought about Severus while saying this.

Draco shrugged, "I would like that, but I doubt it."

"Even if his son was on the light?"

Draco sighed, "His priority is to the Dark Lord. I can't say his name-" said Draco, "Or - rather - I don't want to say his name."

"Call him Tom then." suggested Harry, "That is his birth name."

"Tom?" asked Draco, confused.

"Mhmm, Tom Marvolo Riddle." Draco's eyes widen, "His father was a muggle."

"What?!"

"Yep, he told me so himself. In my second year. His father was a muggle, his mother was a pureblood, apparently from Slytherin's side of the family."

"Bloody hell." breathed Draco. "You're serious."

"Hmm, personally Draco, I believe too much purity of blood is a very bad thing."

He furrowed his eyebrows, "How you come up with that?" asked Draco, not in an accusing way but in a startled and surprised way.

"Doubt you understand, coming from wizards and magic - but in the muggle world, when a closely blood related cousin breeds with another cousin its usually desperately frowned upon and 'science' studies have shown that a lot of the time, when you mix with another and produce a child - they come out with something entirely wrong with their being. I think, that's what happened to Voldemort." Draco flinched at the name. "I think, his mother's side was probably so thick in the family - that they inter related with brothers and sisters and when it finally came to his mother - she probably had it so thickly - that he turned into a sociopath. Science, muggle science has actually proved that, being that close can produce a lot of mental and health problems."

"I never thought of that. It's weird to me, but, in a way it makes sense. It would give a reason for all the purebloods ending up with squib kids."

"Hmm, yeah or someone like Voldemort with too much power."

"I've learned a lot more about you by sitting and talking in this muggle kitchen than I have in the last four years."

Harry smiled, "Well, Draco, I learned more about you as well. I like this you."

"This is the real me." said Draco, truthfully. "Well, mostly." He smirked. "I'm still an arrogant bastard, and don't forget it."

Harry laughed, "Kind of hard too."

"You need a shower." said Draco, looking him over. "You need new clothes, you need new everything." He said, standing and piling everything into the basket unceremoniously.

Harry checked the clock, "My relatives will be home in about an hour." He said, glumly.

Draco smirked, "Think, that'll run me off?" Challenged the teen.

Harry looked up at him, "Wouldn't it?"

"Hell no. Cherity?" He called, and she appeared out of nowhere.

"Master Draco." she squeaked bowing professionally.

"Take this Cherity and do me a favour and bring me my trunk full of muggle clothes?"

Cherity squeaked, and bowed, "Yes, Master, right away!" she disappeared, and before Harry could move she reappeared with a grand brown oak trunk at her side. There were intricate designs along the top and the sides, and the clasps were silver.

"Thank you, Cherity. Where's your room Harry?"

Harry almost cringed, "Well, my rooms not particularly much." "Why doesn't that surprise me?" murmured Draco, as he had Cherity follow them with the trunk floating behind her.

Harry led the way out of the kitchen and into the hallway. He wearily glanced at the cupboard under the stairs, and then turned to the left and scaled up the case, as Draco found himself poking into the normal muggle living room. "Hmm." Was his only comment, as he followed Harry up the steps. There were four doors. Harry lead him down to the end, where Draco spotted a door with about five locks on the outside and a cat flap at the bottom, that had not been taken out.

"Harry-" said Draco slowly.

Harry didn't answer him, and pushed his door open to the pathetically small bedroom. It was boxed shape a small bed shoved in the corner, a broke down stand with a clock on top along with a couple books on Defence and Transfiguration. A cage sitting on top with, Harry's white owl sleeping under her wing. There was a small desk at the end of the bed and a wardrobe at the end. Harry's trunk lay flat open, still packed. The shelves in the room were lined with broken toys.

"S'not so bad." said Harry, as Cherity came up behind Draco and squeaked in surprise of the bedroom. It was dusty and in disarray.

"Not so bad? Are you kidding me?" asked Draco. "You have - a bloody cat flap at your door!"

"Oye, at least they took the bars out." declared Harry. Draco looked almost faint, as he leaned his head back and gazed around the room. Small and derelict. "Heh, make yourself comfortable." Harry shrugged, and checked his clock. "I better get a shower, before they come back." Harry pulled the first thing out of his trunk; Draco watched him with his eyes, leave the room.

Harry breathed in a sigh of relief, when splashing cold water burst from the shower head and drenched his exhausted body. He hissed sharply, and turned around twice, his whole being was so engrossed in the cold water, that he could not get a decent thought in about the teenager that was in his bedroom right now. What was going on? He thought to himself. Why was this happening? How did this happen? Was what he wanted to know. For some reason the fighting Draco and Harry had done in the last four almost five years didn't seem to really matter any longer. All the quarrels they had seemed so - distant so - done with. He knew, that his first instinct should be, is to be paranoid, but for some reason, he could not be.

He decided, that he would just go with this. His instinct was telling him, that this was a good thing. Sighing, he switched the water to hot and quickly showered, before turning off the taps and stepping out onto the tiled floor. He dried himself, and then he quickly dressed into a pair of oversized jeans with rips in the knees and a white blank t-shirt that was humongous. After making sure his hair was brushed and flat, he brushed his teeth and walked out of the bathroom back toward his room.

When he entered he blinked twice, at his surroundings. He would have walked back out, thinking he had entered the wrong room if it hadn't been for a certain blond sitting on a bed that was definitely not his own. The room had been literally transformed. It looked larger, but then it could just be the arrangement of furniture. His bed was in the middle of the room just underneath the window, there was about twenty four inches of space on each side. The shelves that had once been in his room had been removed and in its place was one armchair of scarlet with a footrest to match. Then on the side of Harry's bed - or was it Harrys? Was a dark oak nightstand. Hedwig had her very own stand, and Harry's trunk was at the foot of his bed. The floor was not hardwood floor any longer. It was carpet. There were two wardrobes at the end of the room; the old rickety desk that had been there was now replaced by a better desk.

"I thought this place could use something different." said Draco. He shrugged, "Not a big fan of scarlet, but I figure it's not my room, it is yours."

"Whoa. Wow, uh - how did you do this?"

Draco smirked, "Cherity. It's nice having an elf around when one can't do magic."

"I'll say." said Harry, "I - I almost thought I walked into the wrong room."

"Nope, this is yours. However, we're not done yet."

"Wha-?" asked Harry, as Draco stood up and rubbed his hands together,

"Strip." Harry blinked, and stared at Draco like he had gone mad. "Go on! Take off your clothes, I need to know what size you wear."

"Er -" He blushed, and stared down at himself.

"I can't let you walk around like a street tramp." said Draco, walking over to the door and closing it firmly. He turned and leaned against the door. "I'm waiting."

Harry's cheeks flushed as he stared down at himself.

"Come on, nothing I haven't seen before. Well… felt more like…" teased Draco; Harry was becoming more and more flushed, his cheeks resembled cherries, Draco found it amusing and - well - attractive. "Are you really that shy, Harry?"

Harry cleared his throat, and looked down at himself, "Well - I - er - guess not."

Draco smirked, and crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't bite."

Harry arched an eyebrow, "Yeah, you do." contradicted Harry, with a playful smile. "You could rival a vampire." He touched his neck.

Draco smirked, "Unless you want me too." He raised his eyebrows, as Harry fingered the bottom of his shirt, and then he glanced up at Draco with a shy look. "Unless you really, really want me too."

Harry felt his cheeks burn slightly as he braced himself and took his shirt off with a swift movement.

Draco's eyes raked over him, a very pleased look crossed the sixteen-year-olds face, as he watched Harry stand there in a shy position. Harry's chest wasn't concave like the shirts he wore made him look. At one time he had been before Quidditch had taken over his body, and now he had lean muscles along his small arms and a shape in his stomach, which was smooth and flat. There were a few scars on his arms, one particularly just above his wrist, as Draco walked over and reached out and grabbed his wrist and brought it up to him. "What happened?" There were also very faint traces of bite marks on Harry's neck. Draco didn't have to ask where those came from.

"Graveyard." said Harry, staring down at it. "Voldemort stole my blood."

Draco suppressed his flinch, as he touched it lightly, with his finger, and then he dropped the teen's wrist. The blond then circled Harry, and as he moved behind the boy, his fingers brushed against Harry's hand and then grazed them along his sensitive skin, along his wrist, and arm, in gentle swipes, causing Harry's skin to prickle and goose bumps formed, all the way up to his shoulder, Draco's finger delicately moving the entire time. "You have scars." whispered Draco, taking in the boy's back. His finger glided over the scar that went downward from his shoulder blade.

Harry shivered, and glanced over his shoulder, "That's about two years old." He said, barely above a whisper. He swallowed, as he felt the tips glide along his exposed back.

Draco's hand moved caressingly Harry's back, up and down. Harry's eyes flickered closed, as he felt Draco move closer, until both hands were against his back and then they spread out, up and down the boy's back before going up and sliding down the his arms. Harry shuddered again, but in a good way; Draco pressed his hands against each side of Harry's shoulder, and pressed a kiss along Harry's shoulder, making his eyes open instinctively. "I would say-" whispered Draco, into Harry's ear.

The teen being talked too breathed deeply and leaned into Draco's hard chest. "You are my same waist size. However, your height, is about a head under me." His breath was against Harry's skin, making goose bumps slide along his exposed skin. It was the blazing summer and he was shivering, but not from being cold. He shivered - from a touch - a breath - a swipe. All of the above; something his body and mind was not used too. Harry looked down when he saw Draco's hands move between his arms and around his waist, his fingers gliding serenely against Harry's flat stomach. "I believe - shopping is in order."

Harry almost whimpered in protest, when Draco kissed his neck and moved away from him, and stood in front, and assessed him, a glitter in his eyes, and his own face was flushed slightly, but his was not with embarrassment or of sheepish nature. Harry stared at him, rubbing his arm subconsciously. "I - I can't leave Privet, I do not think."

"I know that." said Draco, with a sly grin, as he flipped the tabs on his trunk and opened it. There were several compartments. One compartment full of shirts from tanks to dress shirts, all in a specially folded fashion so that they did not wrinkle. The next compartment was all trousers of some sort. Then his shoes, socks, etcetera. He however shifted the compartments to one where there was nothing but catalogs. He picked them up. "They're brand new." He flashed them to Harry, who blinked and took them.

"I'm surprised, Draco." said Harry, looking over them. "I mean - I always pegged you to be - a bit squeamish over muggle clothes."

Draco smirked, "Looks aren't at all what they seem, my dear Harry…" His eyes traced Harry up and down. "Even, I know that."

Blushing, Harry backed up and sank down onto the bed, and realized just how comfortable it was. Still grinning Draco sat next to him. Harry instinctively pulled his legs up under him in Indian style, and placed a couple of the catalogs down, and began to thumb through them when he heard a car pull up outside. His head shot up, and he groaned aloud.

"Relatives?" asked Draco, leaning up and peering out the window, straight down where the driveway was.

"I hope they forget about me." Mumbled Harry, as he stared down at the carpet paying no attention to the colour as he listened to the door being unlocked and then murmurs downstairs. Harry could hear stomping, and began to chew his bottom lip.

He heard the steps, and he leaned up, his body stiffening. Draco shifted, and placed his hand against Harry's knee, gripping it, trying very hard to relax the green-eyed teen. He could hear laughter from the bedroom, and made a face, "Dudley and his friends. Argh, I hate them." said Harry, shaking his head, and then thumbing through the catalogs. Loud music began to blare from the bedroom. The music was crude and so fast that he was sure no one could make out the words, except fuck every ten seconds.

"Muggles." Was the remark, Draco gave.

Harry leaned over and grabbed his shirt, sliding it back on in fear of someone trying to come into his room. "Is my door locked?"

"Yes, it is." said Draco.

Harry relaxed a bit, and went through the catalogs, quite a bit of clothes was catching his eye. "If I do get these clothes, Draco, the Dursleys would have a fit, and ask how I got them."

Draco arched an eyebrow, "Would you like me to take care of them? I'll have them scared of you - in no time."

Harry laughed lightly, "I don't know if that will work, Draco. Y'see, Uncle Vernon even stood up against Hagrid for a while. However, stupid that was, he still did it."

"Well, then, looks like I'm going to have to be just a little more persuasive." The teen grinned slyly.

The Gryffindor stared at him, "W- what are you going to say?" The teen was finding it hard not to be attracted to the sly smile the opposite was giving him. Draco was very good looking and confident in his looks. Thought Harry, there was nothing else too it.

"Nothing much. Cherity?!" he then called, a moment later the cute little elf, appeared in all her glory.

She bowed lowly and said at the same time, "Yes, Master Draco? You is calling Cherity?"

"Yes, I am going to need your help, since I can't do magic, you're going to have to do some for me."

Cherity squeaked and nodded furiously, "Yes, Master Draco, what do you need Cherity to do, sir?"

"We have some muggles to deal with-" Was what he said, first and foremost, leaving Harry almost scared for the Dursleys.

Almost, being the keyword.

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