"Well, this is ... colorful." Draco shaded his eyes with one hand and gripped Harry's forearm with the other. "Where are we again?"
"Right now, I think we're in Adventureland," Harry peered down at a map that was every bit as colorful as their surroundings. "And, as you already know, Adventureland is part of the Magic Kingdom, and the Magic Kingdom is part of Walt Disney World."
"Isn't there a Disney World in California?"
"That's a Disneyland."
"What's the difference?"
"This one's better," said Harry. "At least, that's what Hermione and Dean and the Dursleys all said."
"Why on earth," Draco said, "would all of those people come all the way to America just to visit the two different Disney parks? And why on earth did they all feel the need to share their opinions on the issue with you?"
"No idea. Now, come on, it's a long walk to Fantasyland."
Draco scowled but complied, running his hand down Harry's arm to interlace their fingers. The two of them began their trek around the expansive and altogether overwhelming theme park. Fortunately, it was easy to navigate, especially given the ambiguous power of the Tracking Charm.
"What's in Fantasyland?" Draco asked.
"Dumbo the Flying Elephant," said Harry. "It's got a notoriously long queue, and Bagman's right in the middle of it. Sure, he doesn't care about the Statute of Secrecy when there's only six-odd people around. But in crowds like these, well, even he's not that reckless."
"How do you know so much about Disney World?"
"You're going to laugh at me."
"No, I won't."
"Fine. You will, but I'll tell you anyway. When I was 10, the Dursleys came here and they forgot one of the guidebooks they'd meant to bring along. So since I wasn't with them, I just read it. I read it cover to cover. And I've wanted to come here ever since." Harry looked over at Draco. "Wow, you're really not going to laugh, are you?"
"Why would I?" asked Draco. "That's not funny. That's just sad."
"You would've loved that story when we were 16," Harry pointed out.
"Might've pretended too, but remember, I was already mad for you then."
Harry smiled and squeezed Draco's hand. "You had an odd way of showing it. How old did you say you were when you started fancying me?"
"You already know the answer to that." Draco stopped in his tracks to stare at what looked to be an enormous astrolabe. "What is that thing?"
"I'll tell you if you tell me how old you were."
Draco sighed. "13. I was 13. It was the day Severus taught us about werewolves. The look on your face when he walked into the classroom to teach that day—can't put a price on a look like that. You looked like you wanted to do something horribly destructive. And that was pretty hot, Potter."
"It's Astro Orbiter," Harry said, trying unsuccessfully to keep his face free of dopey smiles. "It's a hub-and-spoke ride, like Dumbo. You get into those little fake rockets—"
"Rockets?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah, like astronauts use. Well, not really. They're not colored like that. Anyway, you can make your rocket go up and down as they all spin around the center hub."
"Can we do it?" Draco's eyes were alight, his excitement at the prospect of climbing into a too-small fake rocket with a sticking-prone joystick contagious. Harry knew how to answer Draco's question responsibly—and decided against doing so.
"Yeah. Course we can."
Draco grinned, still a rare sight but becoming less so, and dragged Harry toward the escalator that would take them to the ride. It was like that for several hours, Draco acting like a child for perhaps the first time in his life, Harry pretending to placate him but having just as much fun. They didn't run across Bagman as they traipsed about the park, eating chocolate dipped ice cream treats shaped like Mickey Mouse's head and giant soft pretzels, also shaped like Mickey Mouse's head. But the Tracking Charm was steady on, and by the time the sun began setting, Harry had a plan for how they could capture Ludo.
"So we just keep eating and eating, then?" Draco asked.
Harry swallowed a giant mouthful of macaroni and cheese before nodding and saying, "Yes."
Draco smirked. "That's your plan?"
"No, that's not what I meant, sorry, distracted by the food. It's so good. How did they make it so good? No, anyway, the plan is to stay here at this table where we can see the entrance but the people at the entrance can't see us."
"Right," said Draco. "So do both of us have to be here? Or can I go get more food?"
"How the hell do you eat so much and never gain any weight?" Harry looked at Draco's three empty plates pointedly.
"I'm a metabolic anomaly. It's a buffet, Harry. This is what we're supposed to do."
"What?"
"Keep eating and eating."
"Just go get more food."
"Yes, sir."
Harry shook his head and smiled. He watched as Draco nearly ran into a costumed character. The character (Winnie the Pooh, Harry quickly realized) pulled Draco, who looked as terrified as Harry had ever seen him, into a hug. Though it was hard to drag his attention away from Draco and the bear, Harry did so. Bagman's reservation time was fast approaching, and he should be there any—
"Expelliarmus," Harry muttered, pointing his wand under the table toward Bagman. Harry didn't know why Bagman had his wand drawn, but he assumed it wasn't for a particularly good reason, and since it was Disney World, surely a wand flying through a dining room wouldn't draw too much attention, would it? Fortunately, the only person (other than Bagman) who even seemed to notice the wand's flight was a young girl. Harry caught Bagman's wand and grinned at the girl, who smiled back before turning toward another costumed character. This one looked to be a bipedal cat. Harry shook his head. Disney World was a strange and wonderful place.
"Potter, was that really called for?" Bagman approached Harry and Draco's table just as Draco returned with two heaping dessert plates. He put one in front of Harry and kept one for himself, then sat down without acknowledging Bagman's presence.
"Evading a Ministry official, even if it brings them somewhere as utterly brilliant as Disney World, does warrant certain action, Ludo," said Harry. Draco rolled his eyes. Harry nudged his knee against Draco's under the table. "Action like this." Harry held up Bagman's wand. "So, tell you what. You sit down and you eat with us, and then the three of us return to where we're supposed to be."
Bagman sighed and sat down between Harry and Draco. "If you insist on doing this, then can we at least do something more thorough with my appearance? Polyjuice, maybe?"
"Polyjuice takes quite a while to brew, Bagman, and it's not a readily available potion," said Draco.
"Oh, so you did see me here." Bagman laughed loudly. The bipedal cat looked away from the children at the next table over and stared, dead-eyed, at Bagman, who laughed ever louder. "Is the Ministry giving me amnesty or something, then? Is that how you're guaranteeing my safety?"
Draco snorted. "Is the Savior of the Wizarding World not enough guarantee for you, Bagman? Think about what he's offering you. Then think about what you have here. I'm guessing it's next to nothing, that you're living on ill-gotten winnings and those pity pay stubs former Ministry officials get three times a year, just because the Ministry wants to feel like it's doing something good, and that really, you'd love nothing more than returning to England and doing the only thing you're good at—talking loudly and enthusiastically about what is, at basest levels, a very silly game—for a handsome salary and at least three Prophet stories dedicated to how good it is to have someone like Ludo Bagman back. And to have Harry Potter there with you, well, it's a dream come true. You know it is. You're just too much of a coward to take it."
Harry's, Bagman's, and the waiter's mouths dropped open.
"Maybe I do love you," said Harry.
"You make a lot of very good points, young Malfoy," said Bagman.
"I can come back in a few minutes if this isn't a good time," said the waiter.
"No, actually, we'll take our check." Draco gave the waiter a winning smile. The waiter nodded and handed Draco the check. "And don't leave. Just take this and keep the change." Draco gave back the check, along with far more money than was required. "That was on the Ministry, right, Harry?"
Harry nodded.
"What ministry are you talking about?" asked the waiter.
"Never you mind," said Draco. "You just got what will doubtless be the biggest tip you receive this year, and that should be more than enough for you, should it not?" Draco stood and pulled Harry to his feet. "Come on, Bagman. We've got a plane to catch."
"We do?" Harry asked as Draco led him and Bagman out of the restaurant.
"Well, I'm guessing we will eventually," Draco said. "But I heard that somewhere once and I've always wanted to say it. I don't know where, and I don't know why."
"You're amazing," said Harry.
"It's been said before. Sounds better coming from you, though."
"I'm still here, you know," said Bagman.
Draco looked around the park wistfully. "I'm going to miss this place."
"Next time we'll come just for fun. I promise."
"And you'll invite me along, then, too?" Bagman laughed and Draco gave him a withering look.
"How good are you at wandless magic?"
Harry shrugged. "Alright."
"You know what to do, then."
"Good thinking." Harry looked at Bagman, grinned, and cast perhaps the single most satisfying nonverbal Silencing Charm to ever be cast.