Narcissa was the first Malfoy through the fireplace. She looked around with surprise and stepped out cautiously. She approached the window and looked out at the street below with an unformed question on her lips.

Lucius stepped through next, and as he appeared he sneered haughtily at Harry as though he'd managed to forget that he was part of the trip. Draco stumbled through next like he had been shoved or chased.

"Crazy old bint," he smoothed his hair down with his hand. His mother smacked him in the back of the head, mussing it again. "Sorry," he mumbled. Harry couldn't help grinning at him. Draco clenched his jaw but said nothing.

Gliese stepped through last, holding up the hem of her robe as she entered the room. She looked around with the same bemused look as Narcissa.

"Is this Walburga's old place?" she asked.

"I believe you're right," Narcissa said wonderingly.

Oh hells, of course. Harry hadn't thought about the fact that the house had belonged to the Black family. Of which Narcissa, and apparently Gliese, were members.

"It was left to Sirius," Harry explained in a rush. "He left it to me when he passed. He was my godfather," he added quietly.

"Oh yes, that was your sister who murdered him, wasn't it, Cissy?" Gliese's expression was placid but her tone carried a sharp rebuke.

"Father was there," Draco said sullenly, regarding Lucius with a disapproval that Harry found odd for a fellow Death Eater.

Oh Merlin, there were Death Eaters in his house again.

"Excuse me, I'll put the kettle on," Harry slipped out and slid the parlor doors closed behind him.

He dashed down the stairs to the foyer, glancing furtively up at the ornate mirror where Walburga's portrait once hung. He passed the long dining room and descended the narrow stairs to the kitchen to put on the tea. He and Dean had gone to some expense to have the house wired for electricity but he skipped the electric kettle and put the traditional one on the gas stove. He needed the time afforded by boiling water to gather his composure.

The Malfoys were in his house. The flipping, fucking, bleeding, sodding, murdering Malfoys were in his house. He had invited them in. He was their host. What in Merlin's pants was he supposed to do with them? They hated muggles. Why would they let this crazy old lady drag them on a muggle excursion?

He flopped down at the enormous kitchen table and put his head in his hands. First the awful camping trip and now this. Maybe he really wasn't cut out for the leisure industry after all. He wondered if he could pop back to the shop and shove Dean through the Floo. Dean, who had generously offered to take five beautiful witches on a tour of London without asking his mate if he wanted a go. He owed Harry a break.

A shuffle from the doorway startled him out of his reverie. He sat up with a start and saw Draco slouching self-consciously in the doorway.

"Didn't know you were in here," he muttered. "They're fighting again so..." he let the end of his sentence dangle heavily.

"Have a seat," Harry waved at the bench on the other side of the table.

"You don't have to be nice to me," Draco said sullenly. "I'm not paying for this trip."

"Have a seat, arsehole," Harry waved in the same manner.

Draco eyed him suspiciously, then slunk to the table and plopped down across from Harry. They stared at each other, nemesis to nemesis, unable to think of anything to say. The tea kettle started to whistle, giving Harry a good excuse to get up and make himself busy. He poured the water into the teapot and arranged a tray of cups, sugar, milk and biscuits.

"So how long have you been doing this?" Draco asked finally.

"Not long," Harry kept his eyes focused on his work. "Took a while to come up with the idea, then we had to fix up the place and lease a shopfront."

"Where'd you get that kind of money?" Draco sounded dubious.

"My parents left me a comfortable savings," Harry didn't want to say more than that.

"I had no idea."

"The Death Eaters destroyed the house," Harry added, a little bolder now. "It took a lot of work to make it livable again."

"They destroyed a lot of things," Draco said with disgust in his voice.

"They?" Harry spoke without thinking. His stomach immediately tensed up and he glanced over his shoulder. He was aware that he may have just fucked the whole weekend.

"Yes, they," Draco looked up, his face pointedly neutral.

Harry chose not to pursue it. If they were going to be stuck together for five days, it would be best not to pick at war wounds. "So you're related to Gliese?" he asked politely.

"She's-" Draco frowned. "I know she was Walburga's cousin, whatever that makes her to my mother and me." He rolled his eyes, "She makes us call her Auntie Gliese."

"Why do your parents put up with her?" Harry hefted the laden tray and moved it to the dumbwaiter.

"She owns them," Draco said bluntly. His expression forbid any more questions on the topic.

Harry pressed the button for the drawing room and gestured for Draco to follow him up the stairs. Draco paused and listened to the rumble in the wall. "Mechanical?" he asked.

"Non-magical," Harry nodded and smiled.

Draco followed Harry up the two flights of stairs. They paused outside of the drawing room. It was quiet, and Harry hoped he wouldn't open the door to a massacre. Draco sighed heavily and cast his eyes heavenward, then waved his hand for Harry to enter as the dumbwaiter ground its way up the wall shaft. Harry slid the doors open and braced himself with a brave smile.

"Tea is coming up," he said brightly. Narcissa was perched on a chair near the window, looking frail and distant. Lucius was standing near the fireplace, glowering into its embers. Gliese was sitting comfortably on the sofa, looking pleased with herself.

"Here we are," Harry retrieved the tray from the lift and moved it to the coffee table. He poured four cups and asked around for everyone's sugar and milk preference. They all took their tea very sweet with lots of milk. Harry tried not to grimace at the amount of sugar he was asked to add. It was more like sweetened milk with a splash of tea in it.

"Now," he said as they each nibbled at their biscuits. "Because this is a muggle adventure we ask that you give up your wands for the duration of your stay."

"I will do no such thing!" Lucius spluttered. "Gliese, don't say a word."

"You will do it," Gliese said sharply without looking up from her tea.

Harry walked around with a velvet-lined carved wooden box and collected their wands. Draco peered at Harry resentfully as he dropped his in.

"If you would feel safer with me carrying a wand, I will," Harry added. "Although I usually don't when I'm in the city."

"If we can't, you can't," Draco said quickly.

"All right," Harry smirked and dropped his wand into the box, too. "Now, it's nearly lunch time, is anyone interested in visiting your first muggle restaurant?"

"Marvelous!" Gliese pushed herself to her feet.

"Let's get your clothing sorted out," Harry waved for his guests to follow him. They crossed the hall to the bedroom Hermione and Ginny had shared years ago. It had been cleared of furniture and was now lined with racks of muggle clothing. Near the window they had installed a round dais in front of three full-length dressing mirrors.

"In this room we have our one magical feature," Harry said as they entered behind them. "We invested in a tailoring stand, to ensure no one goes out in ill-fitting garments. Have a look, see if there's anything you like."

Gliese was thrilled, and she pawed through the rack of dresses with enthusiasm. Lucius and Narcissa were lost and Draco didn't seem to know the difference between menswear and ladies' activewear.

Harry helped guide their choices, picking out an age-appropriate floral dress for Gliese, a casual trouser suit in vibrant blue for Narcissa, and a collared shirt and tan trousers for Lucius. They each changed privately and stood on the tailor's dais for fitting, then returned to the drawing room to wait for the others. When it was Draco's turn he hovered over a rack of graphic t-shirts and finally picked a black one with the slogan "Just Do It" across the front.

"Is this a sigil?" he pointed to the swoosh symbol beneath the words.

"No, just a logo," Harry tried not to smirk. Know-it-all Malfoy was in over his head, and Harry greatly enjoyed his befuddlement. "Er, a picture that tells you who made it. Non-magical. Just a shape."

"Whatever," Draco didn't ask for privacy, he unbuttoned his blouse and stripped it off. Harry turned away belatedly, but not before he got a look at strong, pale shoulders and well-defined abdominal muscles. "What are those trousers you're wearing?" Draco asked as he pulled the shirt over his head.

"Blue jeans," Harry was still looking the other way. He could hear him slip out of his black trousers. He kept his eyes fixed elsewhere.

"Where are those?"

"Over on the far wall," Harry pointed over his shoulder.

"What is wrong with you?" Draco sneered. "Afraid to see a man in his underpants?"

"No," Harry turned. Draco stood sternly before him in his black t-shirt, boxer-style underpants and black socks. His pale legs practically glowed by contrast. Harry couldn't help it, he burst out laughing.

"Get a good look, Potter," Draco strutted to the rack where the blue jeans hung. "Purebloods have the finest arses." He stepped into a pair of jeans and stood on the dais for fitting. He turned and held his arms out with an arched, arrogant face. "Acceptable?" he asked.

Harry lied and said he looked fine. He didn't look fine. He looked marvelous. But Harry couldn't say that for a number of reasons, namely because he was talking about Draco fucking Malfoy, and he would be damned before he would admire that prat.

Now that they were all appropriately clothed, it was time to leave. Harry led the group outside and they walked up to the next main intersection to hail a taxi. Lucius and Narcissa squeezed in next to Gliese and Harry and Draco took the two rear-facing jump seats. Harry spoke quickly with the driver and they were off.

Gliese was thrilled with the ride, her face alive with the excitement of speed. Narcissa and Lucius sat stiffly in terrified silence as the taxi made its way through the city, navigating heavy traffic and roundabouts with ease. Draco clutched his seatbelt and looked a bit green, as though he might be sick.

"First time?" Harry asked politely, to try to ease their tension. All four guests nodded. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it. The drivers are very well trained and they know these streets well. It's a very safe way to travel."

Draco's eyes were as wide as saucers as the city grew around them, flying by at speeds that clearly exceeded his tolerance. He glanced at Harry in fleeting instants as he tried not to gawk at the buildings outside. They passed old stone and brick structures that would have been quite at home in Diagon Alley, as well as modern glass and steel monstrosities that dominated the skyline.

The driver finally pulled up at the curb in front of a lovely pub with ivy vines covering the walls and a picturesque outdoor seating area with a view of a public garden across the street. Dean had scoped out a number of dining establishments that he felt suited their clientele, and this was one of Harry's favorites. They were seated beneath a sprawling umbrella as the waiter passed around menus. Harry placed a drink order and then explained the diverse food choices they were unfamiliar with.

The Malfoys didn't fit in quite as well as they could have, although they were oblivious to that fact. Lucius' hair flowed in long platinum blond locks down his back, a bit incongruous with the business-casual attire he had chosen. Narcissa's hair was still piled up on her head in an elaborate series of knots. Gliese looked normal enough, but Draco's short, perfectly smoothed hairstyle looked far more uptight than his Nike shirt and blue jeans suggested. Still, it was passable enough that no one would comment and make them feel self conscious.

"What is that?" Draco eyed Harry's plate warily when their food arrived.

"Pizza," Harry tipped the plate so everyone could see the small round portion.

"It looks disgusting," Draco reached over and poked at it with his fork.

"Hey, watch it," Out of habit Harry reverted to his Hogwarts days and defended his plate from invasion with a quick fork-parry. "It's not disgusting, it has cheese and sausage and vegetables on it."

Draco shook his head and swirled his spoon around in his stew. "It looks unpleasant," he insisted.

"Have some," Harry lifted a wedge from his plate and offered it to the other boy. Draco reeled back as though it were poisonous. "Try it, it's good," Harry insisted.

"Get away," Draco pushed his hand up between his mouth and the pizza.

"Malfoy, just try it. One bite," Harry was a little annoyed at his resistance. Their history made him momentarily forget his customer service skills.

"Try it!" Gliese's eyes sparkled as she picked up on Draco's resistance. "We're here to try new things, darling."

Draco sagged at the sound of the endearing pet name. He sighed and snatched the triangle of pizza out of Harry's hand. Lucius and Narcissa watched him warily as he eyeballed the toppings closely. "I swear to Salazar Slytherin, Potter," he muttered.

"It's good, I promise," Harry insisted.

Draco opened his mouth a mere fraction of a centimeter, then shaved off a sliver with his front teeth.

"Big boy bite, darling," Gliese said firmly.

"Auntie Gliese," Draco whined.

"Like your shirt says," Harry grinned, enjoying his imminent victory, "just do it."

"Brilliant!" Gliese clapped her hands in delight.

Draco squeezed his eyes shut and took a large bite. He chewed furiously, then paused and chewed a little more thoughtfully. He opened his eyes and grunted in surprise. "It's not bad," he said. "Not worth the build up, perhaps, but tolerable."

"See? I told you," Harry couldn't help but gloat. He reached out to take the slice back but Draco moved it beyond his reach.

"I think I'll keep this," he said pompously. "I'll need a few more bites to really assess it properly."

"Right," Harry snorted. He wasn't fooled.

When they were finished Harry settled the tab and led them out of the restaurant and across the street to the garden. One of the reasons they had chosen this area for a dining option was the adjacent shopping. It was moderately tourist-friendly, so strange customs would hopefully be less noticeable, and for a first foray into the city the crowds would be less overwhelming. He encouraged his guests to follow along as they strolled beneath the shade trees towards the row of boutiques on the other side.

Draco hung back behind his family and as far from Harry as he could manage without being left behind. He had his hands shoved in his pockets and he squinted in the midday sun at the garden's other visitors. Harry wondered if he'd thought the word "mudblood" yet. They crossed the road and he opened the door to an eclectic gift shop so everyone could proceed inside. Draco tried to avoid his eyes as he entered, which just made Harry feel more bold.

"Alright, mate?" he asked as Draco slouched past.

"What?" Draco looked up in surprise. "Yeah, fine." He looked at Harry suspiciously, as though convinced there was an insult to be found. Harry held his gaze with an open, friendly expression until the other boy finally harrumphed and moved on into the shop.

Gliese was oohing and aahing over every bauble and trinket. Narcissa found a small tray of costume jewelry and seemed particularly attracted to the plastic items. Harry remembered the previous weekend's group that had returned with Dean and several arm-loads of plastic bangles. He had never thought of it as a rare, coveted material before.

"Look, Father," Draco knelt before a rack of nylon kites. "Romanian Kittingers."

"Don't touch them," Lucius pushed his hand aside. "They might not be tamed."

"They're kites," Harry said, checking over his shoulder to make sure the shopkeeper hadn't overheard. "They're not alive."

"What do they do?" Draco nudged one with his finger.

"You take them outside and fly them."

"You said they're not alive."

"You toss them up in the air and the wind catches them. You hold a string and sort of hold on while the wind carries them up," Harry was at a bit of a loss. He'd never tried to explain kites before.

"What's the point?" Lucius looked scornful.

"It's not easy," Harry said. "So getting the kite to stay up and keeping it from falling is the point."

"That's not a point," Draco stood and eyed the rack of colorful cloth skeptically. "It goes up and you hold a string and that's fun?"

"It is for some people," Harry said weakly.

"Some people need better hobbies," Draco said firmly.

"We have to buy these!" Gliese called from the counter.

She had discovered a rack of colorful Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses. She selected a pink pair for herself, then handed Narcissa a blue pair. "These will look lovely with your suit, dear." She handed Lucius a purple pair and before she could select for Draco he reached over her head and plucked a green pair off of the rack. The four donned their glasses and solemnly looked at Harry in unison. He struggled so hard to maintain his composure that he worried his suppressed laughter might crack a rib. They were so serious, and the colors so garish, that he almost needed to excuse himself.

"How much are they, Harry?" Gliese asked. "In real money, not pounds or shillings or whatever."

Harry did a quick calculation and converted to Galleons. Gliese nodded for him to make the purchase and the four bespectacled guests filed outside into the sun. If Harry hadn't needed his glasses to see, he would have been tempted to buy a pair of sunglasses himself, just for the hilarity.

Narcissa seemed more engaged now, and she insisted that they visit several more shops before leaving. Lucius came along obediently but Draco started waiting outside rather than join the group. He found a bench outside of a jewelry store and sat stubbornly while his family piled inside. Harry hung back, feeling obligated to ensure he was having a good time.

"Alright, mate?" he asked.

"Stop saying that," Draco said sharply, his tone at odds with his brilliant green sunglasses. Although Harry admitted to himself that there was something a bit roguishly appealing about the Wayfarers with the t-shirt and jeans. Oh egads no, no there wasn't.

"Just making sure you're having fun," he shrugged.

"I'm not your mate," Draco said. "And what do you care whether I'm having fun?"

"It's my job to make sure you have a good time," Harry pointed out.

"I'm not the one paying you. It doesn't matter if I have a good time."

"Well maybe I want you to have a good time because that's what I care about," Harry said.

"When has Harry bloody Potter ever cared about my well-being?" Draco snapped.

"Come on," Harry sighed. "Don't be like that. It's been more than a year since the war, since school."

"You can just put it behind you like that?" Draco looked up, his tone a little less harsh.

"I've never thought about it before," Harry said honestly. "But it's probably the right idea, anyway."

"Well maybe I'm not over it," Draco said.

"Over what?"

Draco was silent for a long moment. Finally he gazed off towards the garden and shrugged vaguely. "I don't know."

"Harry," Narcissa popped her head out of the shop door with the first real smile Harry had seen all day. "We need money."

"My mother, ladies and gentlemen," Draco muttered in a sarcastic voice.

Harry smirked and followed her inside. She had found more plastic jewelry, to the shopkeeper's dismay. He had beautiful pieces of gold, silver and platinum on display, but the three wizards couldn't take their eyes off of the plastic beads and bangles in the cheap bin by the register. Harry laid out a few pound notes for a selection of gaudy cheap jewels and they headed back out to the street. Draco nodded approvingly at his mother's purchase, as fascinated by the synthetic material as she was.

They crossed through the garden to the main street again, and this time Draco walked near Harry at the front of the group.

"What would everyone like to do now?" Harry walked backwards to address his guests. "There's plenty of shopping to do, and there are lots of popular sights for tourists like yourself to see. There's the palace, Big Ben, the London Eye-"

"What's that?" Narcissa asked. "Is that a seer?"

"No, it's a ferris wheel," Harry knew instantly his explanation was insufficient. "You get into a little car that's mounted on a giant wheel and it lifts you up slowly so you can see the whole city. You get on, go around once, and get back off. Thirty minutes for a spin."

"That sounds daft," Draco snorted.

"I want to do it," Gliese said. And so it was decided.

Harry hailed another taxi and they set off again. Harry warned them about the crowds and reminded them to stay near him. He described the ferris wheel so they wouldn't be overwhelmed by its size, although he expected some shock anyway. He plucked his mobile out of his pocket and made a quick online ticket purchase, making sure to opt for priority boarding so they wouldn't have to keep Gliese waiting in the August sun.

"What is that?" Draco leaned over from his jump seat and peered at Harry's phone. He still wore his sunglasses, even though it was shaded enough inside the taxi.

"Mobile phone," Harry said, then realized he hadn't prepared an explanation for it. "It..."

"You don't know?" Lucius frowned disapprovingly.

"It's hard to explain," Harry said. "It's like making a firecall through the Floo, except you can reach anyone from anywhere by talking into it. And you can get information though it, too." He wondered if the driver was listening.

His guests all stared at him blankly. It was probably too complicated to sum up simply, he decided, so he turned their attention to the city outside. Draco reached over and plucked the phone out of Harry's hand and poked at it curiously. Harry considered protesting, as he most definitely would have at school. But he had said it was probably best to put the past behind them, and if he said it he needed to stick by it, and that meant not automatically assuming Draco would do something terrible like chuck it out of the window or smash it with his foot.

"I don't get it," Draco shrugged and dropped it back into Harry's hand.

He instantly felt guilty for assuming the worst. Then he chastised himself for feeling guilty because if anyone deserved it, it was Draco fucking Malfoy. Then he chided himself for not getting over the past like he said he would.

Enough already, he told himself.

They climbed out of the cab and he gave his guests a moment to gawk inelegantly at the giant wheel. They picked up their tickets and with just a bit of cajoling he managed to convinced all four of them to enter a capsule with him and a handful of other tourists. He had forgotten that the capsules were so large, and he hoped they wouldn't say anything over the thirty minute ride that would require a lot of convoluted explanation.

Fortunately they rode in dumbfounded silence, a reaction that pleased him greatly. He took it as a sign of awe, that they were having a good experience, and it meant he could enjoy the sight of the city himself without having to make conversation.

As they crested the top of the arc Harry felt someone move up next to him. He tore his eyes away from the skyline and realized Draco had joined him at the front of the capsule, standing a mere inch away. His gray eyes were wide, distant and amazed. He had removed his sunglasses and now they dangled, forgotten, from his fingertips. He was enraptured. Harry couldn't help it, he felt proud. He was seeing something on Draco Malfoy's face that he doubted many people in this world had seen, and he had put that expression there. Draco was glorious in this moment, reverent and awestruck, and Harry found it as beautiful to behold as the city outside.

"Alright, mate?" Harry asked softly. Draco blinked and looked at him for just a moment before redirecting his focus back to the spectacular view.

"Yeah," he said breathlessly. "Alright."