Hi! So here's chapter 2, I hope you guys love it so far. So enjoy reading and do not forget to review! And a special thanks to DrarryLover28 for the betaing!

Chapter 2

Declined card

They walked together as Harry smiled inside. He had looked everywhere yesterday to find the man, and now he had just walked straight into his arms. Well, he had kind of expected the Slytherin to go back to that station, so it wasn't such a coincidence.

Here they were, meeting in France, Malfoy sulking. "How far is it?"

"Just a half hour walk," Harry responded. He could hear in Malfoy's tone that he wasn't happy at all. For some reason, he found that really funny. Even though he didn't want to be with Malfoy on his holiday at all, his presence didn't annoy him. Yet.

"I've already walked all the way from my hotel. I'm tired. Can't we just apparate?" Malfoy whined, sounding like a petulant four year old.

"No! we're in the Muggle world now!" Harry barked, feeling offended because Malfoy had the nerve to ask.

They had been strolling in silence when Malfoy asked: "So how's life for you?" Harry looked at Malfoy. He hadn't expected him to make small talk. He had been thinking about apparating to his farm just to get rid of Malfoy faster, because it was kind of boring walking next to someone you hated.

It took a while for Harry to reply, the surprise of a friendly Malfoy slowly ebbing away. "Oh. It has its ups and downs. It's very busy at St. Mungo's, you know. But things have improved. I'm working shifts with 'Mione, so I'm having fun, and a lot more breaks than before."

"You're a Healer," Malfoy stated. "Why did you choose that? I thought you wanted to be an Auror?" The interest in Malfoy's voice struck Harry like lightning. Why did he act so different? It had been a long time, but still.

"Yeah, but I was sick of fighting all those wars. I'm living in peace now, healing people instead of killing them." That was something Harry was very proud of.

"I'm an Auror. Things are really quiet now. Sometimes we help out when there are problems with magical Creatures or Muggles. It's nothing like the war." That didn't surprise Harry. He had read the papers. He knew Malfoy was not just an Auror. He was head of the Department. And he did his job really well.

Harry also knew things were very different in the Auror Department. However, Harry didn't regret his decision to become a Healer.

"Probably. Maybe the name just reminds me of it. I'm glad I became a Healer though. And I'm happy you found what you were looking for too." That last thing sounded a bit artificial, but Harry meant it. It was weird having a civil conversation with Malfoy, but here they were, together in France.

They walked in silence again, both feeling a bit weird that they were actually talking to each other again, after all that time.

"I have forgiven you, you know," Harry said. He didn't know why he had to say it out loud, but it felt right. It was suddenly very important that Malfoy knew he didn't hate him for what he had done anymore. All that stuff from the past didn't seem to matter anymore.

"Thanks," Malfoy responded quietly. His tone was soft, and without wanting it, Harry felt he liked that tone. Liking Malfoy's company was something new to Harry.

Draco was overtaken by an emotion he couldn't quite place. Potter had surprised him. He never thought he would say something like that. And then again, it was exactly something the Gryffindor would say.

Draco was a bit jealous. He couldn't say those things so easily. Maybe that was just Potter. Draco ignored the growing feeling in his stomach as he thought about Potter's words again.

Draco remained silent again. He liked talking to the former Gryffindor. And admitting that kind of scared him. Why would he like Potter? He had hated him his whole life until now. But then again, Potter had rescued his bag without second thoughts. He wondered why he couldn't be more like the other boy.

After a long walk they arrived at the farmhouse. It was big. The buildings were build in a square, so that every building faced a courtyard. The stables were behind the garage and in the other corner, and Draco saw a couple of sheds. He was disgusted at first.

The smell of the manure penetrated his nose and almost made him vomit. There were too many chickens walking around freely, but to Draco's relief the dogs were locked up behind a fence.

He couldn't understand why Potter would stay there. The people here were probably poor, only ate what their own animals produced and had to work in those smelly stables all the time.

"You see why I want to stay here?" Potter asked, marching his way to the farmhouse. Draco rolled his eyes. Potter always saw the good side of things;

"I don't," Draco answered grumpily. Potter pulled a face, and Draco just followed. Draco looked at it from another point of view and saw the beauty of the place. The little chicks running behind their mother. The cat chasing a bird. Beautiful flowers on the window-sill.

They went inside. Draco couldn't believe his eyes. He had thought it would be very dirty inside, since they were farm people. But no, it was as clean as it could be. The kitchen looked a bit full, but wasn't dirty at all.

The people there addressed him politely and were very nice, Draco admitted to himself. They had asked him if they could show him around, but Draco had declined politely. He really needed to get out of that place and get to his own hotel. They entered the room Potter was staying in.

"Here's your bag, Malfoy," Potter said. Draco smiled. It was his bag, luckily.

"Thanks, Potter," Draco said, checking the content of his bag and preparing to leave. He nodded at Potter before leaving the room and the farm far behind him.

Having arrived at the hotel in cab, Draco couldn't be more relaxed. He would check into his room, take a long hot bath and start his well deserved holiday. The trip to the farm had been exhausting and Draco really wanted to get the best out of his free time, since it would be rather short.

He went to the man at the counter again. "I'm here for the reservation on Draco Malfoy," Draco said, presenting his identity card as he spoke.

"Draco Malfoy. Have you found your luggage?" the man asked politely.

"Yes sir. I've got it back." Draco smiled and watched as the man tapped on a screen. Draco didn't have the slightest idea what it was, or what it did, but just waited patiently.

"Lovely. That's a single room for five nights, am I right?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"Okay, that'll be seven hundred and eighty seven euro, sir." Draco rumbled in his bag and showed the assistant a green card.

"I'll pay with this card, sir."

"Okay. You can insert it here." Draco inserted the card. It beeped a few times and Draco took it back. Well then, hot tub here we come! Draco smiled and looked up at the man again.

"The card has been declined, sir. I'm very sorry. You'll have to pay with another one." His smile faded and a new wave of panic rushed through Draco's veins.

"What? Declined? How's that? I don't have another card." Draco felt really stupid.

"Let's try again, sir."Draco gave him the card again and waited for the man to do whatever he needed to do. "No. Declined again. Are you sure you don't have another card?" The man asked.

Draco started to hate the guy and shook his head. Why was this happening to him?

"Well, then you'll have to pay cash, sir."

"I don't have that much with me, sorry," Draco said. Draco was utterly lost. He hadn't foreseen that. All he knew was that he had to pay with the green card, present the white card and then would receive another card to enter the room.

"Then it'll be impossible to give you the room you reserved." Anger started to boil in Draco's stomach and he needed to suppress the thought of using the Imperio curse on the man. He couldn't do that, he was an Auror.

Draco sighed. He had only been able to change a small amount into Muggle money. They had given him this card, which would automatically transfer the money they needed, directly from Draco's vault.

But no such things. Something must've gone wrong. Draco left the hotel with all his luggage. The cabs were still there, but Draco didn't know where to go. He would have to go home. No holidays for Draco Malfoy. He could take one to the station and apparate back home.

The train station. That would be the only thing he had seen in France. And the farm of course. What a shame. What a pity. Draco walked past the cabs, and suddenly it hit him.

Potter. Maybe Potter could help! Draco smiled at his own intelligence and raised his hand to take a cab.

To be continued…

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