A.N: Just want everyone to know that the below views on Homosexuality are not my own, they belong to the characters.

Hermione was biting her lip, a worried frown on her face. "Harry, are you sure you don't want me to go with you?"

Harry shook his head. Hermione was really didn't need to be worried about him. Okay, he did just tell her that he wasn't feeling well but he needed to meet with Draco. They didn't need to know that, not yet.

"I'm sure Hermione; I'm just going to lie down. You should have fun here. I don't want to ruin your day."

Hermione opened her mouth to argue the point again when Ron placed a hand over her shoulder.

"Hermione, relax. The guy wants to go lie down, let him go lie down. He doesn't want you fussing over him."

Hermione scowled at the red head and slapped him on the chest. "Ronald," she practically growled out.

Ron raised his hands in submission. "Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean it," he said, sending a wink Harry's way.

Harry grinned at his friend's antics until he looked at the time. If he didn't leave now he was going to be late. "Hermione, I'm fine. Enjoy your day and I'll see you when you get back."

Hermione still looked unsure but nodded, giving him a smile. "Okay, just be careful."

Harry sent a grin her way and a wink. "I always am."

I'm late, I'm late, I'm late. That's all Harry could think as he rushed into abandoned alleyway. Draco is going to kill me.

Harry conjured a mirror and charmed it to hover in front of him. He then changed his hair to a light brown and his eyes to a dark blue. He cast a strong concealing glamour on his scar. It would only last six hours but that was plenty of time.

The changes down Harry pulled a bright green Slytherin scarf out and tucked it into the left pocket of his trousers. That's how Draco would spot him.

Harry finished up the final touches to his disguise, wiped his sweaty hands down his legs and walked out of the alley at 1:02 pm. Thank Merlin it's only a two-minute walk, I can be there in one.

Draco glanced at the clock by the wall, 1:02 pm. He was late. I told him not to be late. Draco glanced around the crowd again. It was packed in front of Honeydukes, then again, it always was. Maybe this wasn't the best meeting place.

A tap on his shoulder startled him though he didn't show it. Draco whipped around to see an attractive mousy brown haired boy smiling at him. His eyes were blue and there was a dusting of freckles over his nose, though not obvious. His clothes were dark colours, his shirt a dark blue and trousers a dull black. He looks familiar, which was when he noticed the Slytherin scarf hanging out of the left pocket. Draco glared at the man once he knew who it was.

"You're late, it's-" Draco glanced at the clock again, "three minutes past one. What took you so long?"

Harry's smiled dimmed slightly and he shuffled his feet. "I'm not that late, it's only three minutes. You look stunning, by the way." Maybe flattery will help.

"It's not a good way to start a date but I forgive you, almost."

Harry apologised, all jokes aside and smiled at Draco.

"Fine, I accept. Let's go." Draco strode away, leaving Harry to follow.

Harry just sighed and rolled his eyes, following the prissy blonde.

The Three Broomsticks was as busy as every but Harry and Draco managed to snag a table which was semi-private. They were both grateful for that fact. After ordering two Butterbeers, they sat in awkward silence. Neither knew what to say to the other. Harry opened his mouth at least twice, just to shut it again. It shouldn't be this hard, Harry thought, we always talk for hours.

Two glasses, full of the warm beer, being set down, interrupted the silence.

"Here you go boys, two Butterbeers. Anything else for you?"

"No, thank you Madam Rosmerta," Harry said. He watched as Draco picked up the glass and took a sip.

"How about you dear?" She asked, turned to Draco.

"No, thank you." Draco said.

Madam Rosmerta walked away with a smile and a nod. They were thrown back into silence, for all of two seconds.

"This is ridiculous," Draco said. "Nothing changed; we're still friends, just more. We can talk."

Harry smiled at the typical words until his hand was picked up. Draco started speaking but Harry wasn't listening, not really. He was more focused on the contact. It wasn't the touch, not really. Okay, maybe it was a little bit but more than that it was the fact that he was holding hands with another male. You're on a date Potter, it's what you do. That thought didn't make him feel any better.

"Freaks, the lot of them."

Little Harry peeked out from the cupboard. His uncle was calling someone else a freak and he wanted to know who they were. Maybe he was like these other freaks.

"How can they display just a disgraceful sight on the news? Dudley could watch this."

Harry crept close, being mindful to keep his footsteps light. His aunt was in the room after all and she could hear even the smallest of sounds. He crept up to the entrance to the living room and snuck his head around the corner.

Inside the living room, the Dursley adults were facing the TV, away from Harry so he couldn't see their faces. From the tone of their voice, he could guess they were frowning, or worse. Harry did have a clear view of the TV. On it, he could see two men smiling at each other and they were holding hands.

"Harry! Are you even listening?"

Harry snapped back to reality to see an enraged blonde in front of him who was no longer holding his hand. Harry couldn't understand why he felt better about that but winced when he registered the anger. This was really not the time to be getting lost in memories.

"I'm sorry, I'm a little..." Harry wasn't sure what to say, what was going on with him today?

"Whatever, let's go for a walk."

Harry winced again but followed Draco outside.

"Let's go." Draco grabbed Harry's hand again and pulled him along.

Harry tensed at the contact. He didn't want to hold Draco's hand but he didn't want Draco to be more enraged. That didn't mean he wasn't tense the whole walk, something that didn't pass Draco's notice.

What is wrong with him? It's like he's afraid to hold my hand. Draco was starting to worry about Harry. He was not enjoying himself. He was distracted and couldn't relax, not to mention that instance in the Three Broomsticks. Draco called Harry's name a ridiculous amount of times but the boy was not there. He looked to be having a flashback. At that point, Draco was still angry about Harry being late, so didn't take any notice. Now, though, he couldn't help but worry. Harry was his friend and he might become something more. If something was troubling Harry, it was troubling him too.

"Queer."

Draco whipped his head around at the mumbled insult but, in the crowd, couldn't find the idiot. He must be a muggleborn. Draco felt the hand in his tense until it was practically stone. Looking back at Harry, Draco should see that he was a white as a ghost and was standing rigid, a faraway look in his eye.

Draco quickly steered them out of the crowd and towards the Shrieking Shack. He scared off a few third years and then they were alone. Harry was trembling now. I have to pull him out of this.

"Disgusting queers."

Little Harry wasn't sure what made them freaks or what a queer was. Was that another name for a freak? Either way, the two men looked happy, so why were they freaks?

Unfortunately, for Harry, he accidently asked his question out loud. Two enraged faced turned his way. Harry stumbled back in shock; there was so much anger in their eyes.

"Why are they freaks? You want to know why they're freaks. Can't you see the disgusting display?" His uncle pushed himself off the couch and stalked towards him. "They are holding hands, boy. You only hold hands with the person you love like me and your aunt, never another."

Uncle Vernon was right in front of him now but Harry was confused. "Maybe they do love each other. Maybe they are like you"

Harry knew the moment the words left his mouth that he was going to be in trouble. His uncles face turned red, then purple, then white.

"Don't you dare," he whispered, fists clenched at his side, "ever compare those freaks to us. Do you understand boy?"

Harry nodded rapidly but he didn't understand, not really. He should have kept his mouth shut. He should have just bowed his head and waited to be dismissed. He didn't

"But, why?"

Harry snapped back to reality again when something cold was slipped down his shirt.

"What the hell, Draco!" Harry glared at the smug boy; he didn't need this right now. "Why, in Merlin's name, did you do that?"

At the question, Draco's smile faded. "You were having a flash back, I think. I wanted to pull you out of it."

Harry's eyes lost focused as he thought on that day, it wasn't a fond memory, even worse than most of his other childhood memories.

"Harry?" Draco's voice was soft, concerned. Harry glanced up though his eyelashes. He didn't want to tell him but Draco deserved to know. Harry basically destroyed their first date with this.

"Why don't you like to hold my hand?"

Harry started to speak and once he started, he couldn't stop.

"I saw the news... they were so mad... I should have snuck away but I didn't realise... I was so scared." Harry stumbled to a stop some time later. He didn't want to tell the rest. He didn't want anyone to know.

"What happened, Harry?"

Harry closed his eyes.

"But, why?"

The words were barely out of his mouth before his uncle's hand raised and slapped Little Harry so hard that he flew into the nearby wall. Harry's eyes watered and he brought a hand to his cheek. It was stinging and, most likely, bright red. His whole left side felt like a bruise from hitting the wall. Harry was too shocked for words. His uncle wasn't.

"Any man that holds hands with another man deserves to die. If you turn into a queer, I'll make sure you die painfully. Do. You. Hear. Me. Boy?"

Harry nodded; it was all he could do.

"Good, get out of my sight."

Harry refused to open his eyes once he finished retelling the events of that day. It seemed Draco couldn't find words as he was silent as well. It was a long time before the silence and it wasn't a word that broke it.

Harry felt the tears slipping down his cheek but after a while he couldn't hold in the sob. After that, his control was broken. He felt arms wrap around him, just like at the funeral, and Harry leant into the warmth. It was all he could do.

"It's okay Harry. You're okay."

For some reason, those words made Harry feel just that little bit better.

"I'll make you okay."

(w.c 1,946)

WolfWinks