Later that week found Harry, Ron, and Hermione speeding away from the castle on the Hogwarts express. Harry, who had been in a sour mood all morning, was stonily staring out the window at the scenery flashing by, clumps of thick trees and winding rivers giving way to tame countryside fields.
"Er-Harry?" said Hermione softly, after several failed attempts to coax Harry into casual conversation.
"What?" said Harry, his tone rough and loud compared to the gentle voice Hermione had been using.
"It's just- Ron and I want you to know we're here for you. We'll write you everyday if you want," she answered, softening Harry's hard expression.
"Thanks. Sorry for being such a jerk. This whole Malfoy thing has just got me freaked out," Harry said, looking down at his hands, which were clenched tightly in his lap.
"It's alright. I'm sure anyone would be a little tense in your situation," said Hermione sympathetically.
They spent the remainder of the ride laughing and talking together, but there was still the tension in the air that none of them talked about. Finally, the train jerked to a slow stop after what seemed to Harry like an impossibly short journey. He was struck, as he had been before, by the idea to just refuse to leave the train. Instead of doing so, Harry reluctantly stood up. They got their trunks down, apprehension rising in Harry by the second. As they exited the train, Hermione turned to give a Harry a kiss on the cheek and the repeated promise to write to him before she dashed off to see her parents, who welcomed her with beaming smiles and big hugs. Harry couldn't help the pang of jealousy that shot through him at the sight.
"See you, mate," said Ron, clapping him on the shoulder as Mrs. Weasley came over and gave him her usual hug and kiss. The whole Weasley family gave Harry cheery goodbyes, and he couldn't help but think that they were all going off to a very different summer than he was.
Dumbledore had agreed that Harry and Draco would have to wait until everyone had left the platform before meeting up with the Dursleys, in case any Slytherins saw them leaving together and reported it to their possibly Death Eater parents.
"Your little lovefest was quite cute, Potter," said Malfoy with a smirk, who had appeared out of nowhere and was leaning against one of the pillars that dotted the platform. Harry didn't have the energy right now to come up with a smart reply, so he merely turned his back on Malfoy and took a seat on a nearby bench, waving goodbye to the students as they trickled out into the muggle world.
After they were sure that everyone was gone, Harry and Draco cautiously made their way through the barrier separating them from King's Cross. Harry's stomach sank as he immediately spotted his aunt, uncle, and cousin far enough away from platforms nine and ten that you wouldn't think they were waiting for anyone there.
"Well, that's them over there. Let's go," said Harry, walking away and not bothering to check if Malfoy was following him.
Uncle Vernon glared down at them as they approached. "Took you long enough, boy," he snarled, checking the wristwatch that was around his fat wrist. "Do you think I have all day to wait for you?"
Draco was rather taken aback by this, but didn't show his surprise. He was even more surprised when Harry ignored his uncle, since Potter didn't usually back down from arguments. Malfoy also knew that Dumbledore had written to Harry's relatives explaining the time difference, so it puzzled him why Vernon was acting like this was news to him.
"This is Draco Malfoy," Harry said. "Malfoy, this is my Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and cousin Dudley," he said, with an odd tone to his voice that Draco couldn't quite place.
"Pleasure to meet you," Draco said smoothly, pulling out his best pureblood manners that he always used at his father's dinner parties.
"Yes,yes," said Uncle Vernon dismissively. "That other freak that we have to take in. Now let's get going." With that, Vernon turned and started walking back to the parking lot, Draco standing in his spot. How dare that muggle call him a freak?
"C'mon," said Harry, grabbing Draco's arm and pulling him off after the muggles, who hadn't even waited for them to catch up and were several feet ahead of them.
Once they had reached the neat little company car, Harry took Draco's things without a word and put them into the trunk of the car. Draco was yet again surprised. Since when did Harry Potter ever do anything nice for him? He climbed into the car, Harry sitting in between Draco and Dudley. Draco couldn't help but notice how odd the silent car ride was. Surely Potter's relatives were dying to know how he was after the long school year? But no. There were only the odd glaring looks every so often, which Harry returned in equal measure, his green eyes snapping with anger.
Once they had reached the house, a tidy suburban muggle house, the Dursleys got out of the car without a word to the boys. Harry was retrieving their things out of the trunk when Draco came up to Harry.
"What's going on here, Potter?" he asked, honestly confused about what was happening between Potter and his relatives.
Harry just shook his head and began dragging his trunk up the walk, holding out the handle of Draco's so he could do the same.
When they entered, Uncle Vernon was there waiting. "You two go upstairs. Not a sound, or you won't get any dinner," he growled, before stomping off to do whatever it was that he had to do. Harry watched him go with that glare back in place, but didn't say anything to being spoken to so roughly. After a few moments, Harry gestured for Draco to follow him back up the stairs and into his room.
Once they reached Harry's room, Draco glanced around, eyebrows raised. The room was small, shabby, and sparsely furnished.
"Nice room," he said with a smirk, noticing the cat flap and various locks on the door. This room was the opposite of his own at home, which included a king sized bed, beautiful furnishings picked out by his mother, and a house elf ready whenever he needed anything.
"Well you have to stay here too, so get used to it," Harry snapped back.
"Planning to tell me why your relatives are glaring at you like you killed their cat? Did you?" asked Draco, the smirk still in place on his face.
"No, I didn't. They just-" Harry seemed to struggle with what to tell him. "Forget it," he finally muttered, turning his back to Draco as pulled his trunk into a corner of the room.
"Where am I supposed to sleep?" asked Draco, noticing for the first time that there was only one bed. There was no way that he was sleeping on the floor, or even worse, sharing that cramped space with Potter.
Harry noticed their dilemma too, a furrow forming between his brows.
"You can sleep on the bed," he answered.
"And where will you sleep?" asked Draco, arching his eyebrow. He hoped Potter wasn't getting any ideas.
"Why do you care, Malfoy? I'll just get some sheets and things and sleep on the floor. But the bed won't be much better than that, either," he answered, rough tone back in place.
Malfoy shrugged. If Potter wanted to sleep on the floor, it didn't bother him.
They spent the hour before dinner not talking to each other. Draco was reading a book to pass the time and Harry was writing a letter to Ron and Hermione. When they heard the loud "Boys! Dinner!" they got up and went downstairs, Draco noting the reluctance in Harry's step. They came downstairs to a dinner of roast beef and mashed potatoes. Harry sat next to his cousin, Draco opposite them. Draco noted how much less Harry got than the rest of his relatives, and that even Draco was given more than him. That was odd. He also watched his cousin look at Harry's food after he had finished off his own, piggy eyes looking at it greedily. Harry looked at him with disgust but offered it to him. Even odder. While Aunt Petunia pulled an apple pie out of the oven, she gestured at Harry, who stood without comment and began to take away the dinner dishes and pull down new ones. Draco couldn't believe his eyes when Potter wasn't offered any dessert, but instead began to do the dishes.
When dinner was finished, the Dursleys went off to watch TV while Harry finished cleaning up, wiping down the table and starting on the dessert dishes.
"You can go upstairs," Harry said quietly, without turning his back, seeming to know that Draco was unsure of what to do. Draco hesitated, hearing the dangerous tone to Potter's voice and seeing the tightness of his muscles. Draco left after a few moments.
Draco knew he could have helped. But he didn't. He was still to shocked to think properly. As he lay on his bed, he gazed out at the dusk starting to fall, wondering what the rest of the summer would hold.