Chapter 2: We Can't Be The Same, Right

Draco decided to go out and locate food. Before he left, he put his glamours back up – no one needs to see me like this. Plus, it would look incredibly suspicious. It was around 2am when he checked the watch he'd stolen from a passing muggle. He noticed a camera crew nearby—shit did they see me? Not like anyone would recognize me anyway, he thought as he approached a 24 hour convenience store. Muggle places are so weird, why do they close? Shaking his head, he walked into the store and walked down the first aisle to which he came. Draco walked down other aisles, displeased with what he found. Cookies, chips… What the hell is a Twinkie? He shook his head in frustration at the candy – Not even one chocolate frog! He wouldn't admit it, but he had a major sweet tooth.

Harry put up his glamours before he walked down to the only place in town he knew to be open in the middle of the night. He entered the convenience store and scanned the place, looking for Draco, or anyone who resembled him. Would he come here? Was there a Death Eater gathering? He pondered this as he trudged down the aisles.

Draco came to some fruit, he inspected an apple closely and decided it was good enough to eat. Looking around to see if anyone was watching him, he slipped it into his pocket.

"What do you think you're doing?" Draco spun around terrified until he saw Harry.

"Potter!" He nearly cried, relieved to have another wizard in the vicinity. Harry involuntarily flinched at the sound of his name but recovered before Draco could ask questions.

"What are you doing?" He asked again more venom in his voice.

"What does it look like? I'm getting some dinner," Draco said in his typical sarcastic way. The reality of the other wizard being Potter crept into his mind.

"You have to pay for that," Harry said lamely.

"Do I?" He spat.

"Here," he replied, offering Draco a bit of muggle cash he'd swiped from his uncle.

"I don't need your charity!"

"I guess we'll see how you do in jail," Harry remarked with a smirk, hand with the money still outstretched.

"I could just call my father—" Draco cut himself off with a choked swallow. Harry was getting tired of Malfoy's antics, he was about to pocket the money when he heard the slight change in the blonde's voice.

"What? Can't call your father?" He said, his voice a mixture of sarcasm and concern.

"I can do whatever the hell I want," he replied snarkily, taking the money from Harry.

"Alright then," he said plainly, turning to leave.

"Wait!" Draco wasn't sure what he wanted, but he knew he didn't want Potter to leave him.

"What?" Harry asked, the damn concern slipping into his voice again.

"Don't you want to make sure I pay for this?" He'd said the first thing that came to mind.

"While you might not believe it, I have a fair bit of faith in you," Harry said slowly, again turning as though he was leaving. Draco growled in irritation, he hated it when he had to swallow his pride.

"Potter, would you… stay with me tonight? I'm in this bloody muggle town…" he trailed off, not knowing where he was going. He regretted opening his mouth.

"I would if I could," he said softly. What am I saying? This is Malfoy. DRACO MALFOY, Harry's mind grumbled at him. But a small part of it spoke up, he looks so pathetic. Draco stood before him wearing a long sleeve, dark green button-down shirt and black jeans. He had a cloak-like jacket draped over his shoulders and his cold gray eyes had lost their hardness. He looks sad, really. Harry reasoned that he needed to make sure that Draco didn't stir up any trouble in his town. "I can walk you back to wherever you're staying, if you want," he offered.

"Thanks, you're not too bad," he replied confidently. Draco desperately tried to keep the relief from his voice, but Harry heard it and gave him a small smile. He smirked in return as Harry picked up a few more bits of food. He gave them to Draco, who studied each individually.

"I'm not going to poison you," Harry said, trying to stifle a laugh as Draco poked at a box of strawberries.

"Shut up," he replied playfully. Why am I being nice to Potter? Draco asked himself as Harry put yet another thing in his arms. "Twinkies? What the hell are these?!"

"They just came in from America and I like them," Harry said. "Just try it," he groaned when Draco started poking the box.

"Let's go it's already," he paused to check his watch, "four thirty." Harry looked up at him with fear in his eyes.

"We need to hurry," he said. They hurried to the check out and paid for the food. Harry was practically running out of the store. He was halfway to the hotel before Draco caught up with him.

"How do you know where I'm staying?" He inquired between breaths.

"Saw you on the news," Harry replied. He was starting to get light headed from the blood loss, running, and lack of food. Did I last eat on last Sunday or Monday? Oh, it might have been two weeks ago for all I know. "Shit," he breathed, but Draco caught it.

"What?"

"It's nothing, come on," he said, pushing himself faster. The only thing that kept him from fainting was the adrenaline from fear. If he was late returning home, there would be hell to pay. Draco followed Harry, picking up seed as he did, but he was curious as to why he saw the fear in his emerald eyes.

When they reached the hotel, both nearly fainted but neither spoke of it. Harry went up to Draco's room with him so that he didn't have to carry all the bags. There were only eight, but Harry was curious as to what Draco's living situation was. Both of their noses wrinkled as they entered. "Did you take up smoking?" Harry asked sincerely, wondering if he was going to be able to stay standing in a room with so little clean air.

"No, this is all they would let me have," Draco replied as he unpacked the various bags.

"Sorry. I have to go," Harry said, walking out the door.

"Thank you," came the quiet reply. Harry turned to see Draco looking down at the bed with tears in his eyes before the door shut. He sighed and turned around, wondering what made Draco: 1. Cry and 2. Stay in a place like this when he could have afforded far better in the wizarding world. He glanced at a wall clock. 5:02. Merlin, no… He took off in a mad sprint for his home, sweat poured off of him in buckets. The dizziness came back, full force, but he pushed it aside as he slipped back in through the front door. He looked around, it appeared as though his absence hadn't been noticed. Harry ran upstairs and changed into his oversized, ripped up hand-me-downs from Dudley. Once he was dressed, he walked shakily to the kitchen and started cooking breakfast. He'd just finished the eggs when Vernon tromped down the steps.

"I don't hear bacon, boy!" He boomed, his voice echoed through the silent house. Harry hastily threw on the bacon, grease splattered across the top of his wrist and he hissed. It had nearly finished cooking when Vernon sat at the table and read the paper. Harry set the plate of eggs, bacon, and toast before the rotund man. "Finally," he grumbled and took a bit. "DAMN YOU!" he screamed, spitting a mouthful of eggs at Harry. "I DAMN WELL BURNT MY TONGUE!" he shouted at him. Harry clamped his mouth shut, knowing there was no way out of this save for a beating. Vernon slid off his belt and kicked Harry to the floor. "Stupid boy! Stupid boy!" he chided between whips. The leather dug into his back, drawing blood. It stained the back of his ripped up shirt. "Keep those damn glamours up, boy," he growled when he'd finished. Harry stood and cleaned up the blood on the floor and awaited further instruction. Silence is the only way to survive summer, he thought to himself. He missed Hogwarts, his friends, the magic, even Snape and Draco.

Draco continued unpacking when Harry left, grateful for the food. He knew he would have to ration it. He couldn't risk going out again and hardly had any money anyway. Why was Harry so worried about getting home? Kept echoing though his head, he tried to push it back, but it kept coming forth. A thought occurred to him, but he quickly dismissed it. Potter can't possibly suffer the same thing I do at home.