Chapter 12: Canned Consequences

Groaning Draco tried to stretch while he was slowly waking up. His head hurt and he bumped into something when he stretched, what exactly had happened the night before.

He cracked one eye open and saw a blurry figure sleeping beside him, what the fuck. He shoot up into a sitting position, without making a sound and still very graceful thank you very much.

It seemed like he had slept on the covers in the guest room all night, the only guest room that was occupied for the time being. On the covers of the same bed that was currently also occupied by a muggle boy.

He usually was both controlled and collected, how he had let himself get drunk like that with someone he didn´t even know he could trust was a mystery to him. He swallowed, he had a severe case of a dry throat.

He silently panicked, what had he told the other boy. He only remembered fragments from the night before, from experience he knew the more he tried to remember the more confused he would get. The only thing that would be able to clear his muddled brain was a hangover potion.

Stumbling out of the room with a last look at the sleeping boy still laying on the covers he made his way to the potions cabinet. The boy may not have magic running through his blood but there was something with him that made him able to get to Draco and that made Draco do unexpected things.

He took the potion out of the cabinet and made his way to his study, he always sat in his study when he wanted to think something over.

Corking up the bottle he drowned it and sighed at the felling of the alcohol residue leaving his body.

How could his plan have backfired so dramatically? The plan had been foolproof, he was nothing but a strategist and he had thought it through carefully. This didn´t happen to people like him, it happened to people like Potter, people that acted before thinking, people like Gryffindor's.

His head had started to clear and he could now remember their conversation. The plan had not failed entirely, he did get the boy talking, he smirked at that satisfied. But then he thought back to what he had said, he had shared things he had not told anyone before, he had even done so without any Veritaserum.

He had felt like he should give back a little but why had he told the muggle boy everything, why had he been so totally honest, he was a master at white lies. He had taken his masks down and showed the fragile human being underneath, to a muggle no less.

His ancestors was without a doubt rolling around in their graves right about now.

Draco frowned, not because he had opened up but because it had felt good doing so. He had felt comfortable talking to Dudley and he didn´t regret it, not really even if he logically probably should.

It had only been natural that they drank that much after talking about so serious topics. The banter that followed and the small talk had also been pleasant. It was strange but when he really looked at the night objectively without thinking about what he should have focused on and what he had planned, it had been a really pleasant evening.

He had even learned things about the other boy and had that not been his motive in the first place, then if they had happened to become closer than planned wasn´t that just a good thing?

The thing that made Draco the most confused was that he on some level felt that he could tell Dudley about his mistakes because he would not be judged, Dudley was someone that could easily put himself in his shoes and understand what he had been through. He had always felt misunderstood and judged by others, was it for being a Malfoy or just because no one really tried to get to know him enough to see through his masks.

He thought back to what Dudley had said under the night before, the really surprising thing was that he could put himself in Dudley´s shoes too. He understood why he had done what he had and would maybe have done the same if put in the same situation.

He and Dudley was really not all that different, they had the possibility to connect on a deeper level. Draco´s frown deepened at that, just because he had realized it didn´t made him like the fact.

It was hard to deny though, they had both been bullies to get a status and to appease their fathers. They had both been hard on Harry because of pride and self-preservation. They had both been hiding from reality behind masks, be it from a dark lord, family or yourself. They had both been taught to have prejudges against people that was different from themselves and not even give others a chance. They had both suppressed who they were to appease their families and cultural prejudges. In all these similarities the fact that he was a wizard and that Dudley was a muggle really didn´t matter all that much.

Draco was stunned by this realization, he had much more in common with Dudley then he had with most purebloods. Being a wizard was a part of his identity, it was an ability he couldn´t fathom living without, but in the end it didn´t make him who he was.

Feeling lost he decided to not ponder on the disturbing realizations and instead start the day.

Before going down for breakfast he went back to Dudley´s guestroom and put a bottle of hangover potion with a small note on the nightstand for the still sleeping boy. On the way down to the dining room he frowned again, why was he caring so much, this was so uncharacteristic for him. And all the frowning would leave permanent lines on his forehead, the last thought only made him frown even more.

LOTB∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞DD∞DM∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞LOTB

Almost rolling out of bed woke Dudley up, he was at first not sure of where he was and wondered why his head was pounding like someone was having a concert in there.

He sat up and took in his surroundings and couldn´t help but smile even if that also made his head hurt more. He had had a friendly night drinking with Draco like old mates.

He wondered where Draco where though, if he remembered correctly Draco had fallen asleep before him on the covers the night before. He would worry about that later though first he was going to think back on the previous night.

He had shared some things he had not thought he would with anyone without losing both respect and trust, telling Draco though had felt like it had brought them closer. He had not seem disgusted by how he had treated Harry, if anything he had seemed sympathetic and understanding.

It was light coming in from between the curtains in the big window in the room. He groaned, the light was torture to his alcohol abused body, he was so not used to drinking and being hangover.

Turning and sliding his legs over the side of the bed with the intention of going to the window and drawing the curtains closed, he saw a bottle and a small scrap of paper on his bedside table.

He took up the paper and what he read made him smile and the worry from earlier disappeared, he cared and it made a warm feeling grow from the pit of his stomach spreading through his body. He was not going to read too much into the small gesture but it was hard not to.

Hangover potion

It will make you feel much better, trust me

DM

Draco had thought of him and that made him feel so much better even without taking the potion. He was not used to have someone care about him, just because, because he was him and he was worth caring for.

He was not sure about taking a potion, a magical liquid made of god knows what. The hangover was not pleasant though and Draco sad to trust him, he found himself feeling safe and doing just that.

He took up the bottle and carefully sniffed at the liquid before lifting it to his lips and swallowing the whole amount. It tasted awful and he had time to regret his decision before he blinked and looked at the bottle. It had only taken a few seconds from when he swallowed until the terrible weight laying over his head disappeared, his headache and nausea was like they had never been there. It was incredible, like magic.

He laughed, it was magic of course, he was surprised that he didn´t feel weird or worried at that aspect. He looked at his arm watch, half past ten, it was not strange that Draco was not there, he felt gratitude though that he had not woken him up.

He frowned remembering his dream, flying pizzas. Then he remembered and smirked, an expression he had taken after Draco he mused.

Looking out the window again he smiled, the sun was shining, it was a perfect day for some sightseeing in London. He would made Draco see that it was not so bad, just as he had realized that there was things about magic he could appreciate, things he had not even been able to imagine, things he had never even given a chance.

He was a man on a mission. He got out of bed and changed clothes before heading out to go and find Draco.

He found him in the dining room with a cup of tea reading the Daily Prophet. Draco lifted his head when Dudley entered and with a slight twitch of the corners of his mouth said "morning, or maybe I should say good day instead" an eyebrow rose and he looked amused.

Dudley wasn´t faced, that smirk was not going to last. It was Dudley´s day today his turn to call the shoots and Draco´s turn to see things in a new perspective. "Morning Draco, I´m so excited for today, the weather is perfect, I have so much to show you."

Seeing Draco´s confused expression made him smile, he was positive Draco had forgotten his agreement to go into the muggle world.

"Excuse me, I don´t think I know what you may be refereeing to?" this was going to be fun. Dudley took his time and took his seat at the table, buttered a bit of toast before looking at Draco. "You don´t remember? I suggested a friendly night out last night and you agreed just before going to bed. I think it will do you good, you have not been out for so long."

Draco frowned and looked at Dudley for a few seconds before it seemed like he remembered and his complexion lost some color, not that there was much to begin with. Dudley almost wanted to chuckle it seemed like Draco had seen a ghost, on second thought though a ghost would probably not face him as they were quite common in the wizarding world.

"London?" Draco asked subdued. Dudley nodded and tilted his head wondering what Draco was really afraid about.

"Yea, have you ever been?" Dudley hadn´t and he had so much he wanted to see. He would have to convince Draco to go there more times than just today.

Draco scrunched up his nose in disgust as if remembering an extremely unpleasant memory, Dudley just barely was able to hold in his laughter. "I have only been into the muggle world one other time, I was 8 and it was terrible" here he shuddered and put up his nose in the air "I got pooped on and it started to rain, I got soaking wet, my parents refused to use magic to relive me from the unpleasant circumstances."

This time Dudley could not help but laugh, the glare Draco sent his way only made him laugh harder. It would have been so amusing seeing the small boy after that had happened, Dudley could see it in front of him and his chuckles turned in to a soft smile. A dropping pouting Draco as a child most have been so cute.

Draco turned his head like if saying, I´m not going to talk to you, Dudley just shook his head. "Oh come on, that is not so bad you know, it has happened to us all, it´s called life."

Draco snorted "for you maybe, I am used to have some standards." Dudley smiled, the guy was unbelieving, but it was something that made him just seem adorable in his eyes none the less.

"Well it´s not raining today so no worries. First thing on the agenda is to get you dressed properly" the expression on Draco´s face was once again priceless, he looked so affronted to be accused of needing help to dress himself.

"I have impeccable taste" he said as if to challenge Dudley to argue. "In wizard circles no doubt, in muggle clothing however you need all the help you can get." Draco still looked buffed but did not seem to object.

After breakfast they went to Draco´s bedroom to see what magic he could do to get Draco presentable to go out in muggle London. This was going to be a long but surely a very fun and amusing day.