Hey guys! (hides in a corner) I'm sorry! Life gets away from us every now and again - especially now. I got injured and got stuck with a concussion, so I could hardly read, let alone write, and in between I had some serious family stuff going on - But the chapter is finished, and out! Sorry if you hate it, just ignore it :P And no one worry - I'm not going to stop writing anytime soon, especially with it so close to the end.
Enjoy!
Chapter 31 – Saturday, Part B
"Why didn't you remind me?" Harry asked for the hundredth time; no hyperbole. They had been there for an hour now, watching the trickle of students flood into the village. Snowballs fights, laughter, a stampede into Zonko's; everyone was happy. Harry felt as if his intestines were twisted into a knot.
"Because, Harry, just like I told you the last time you asked, approximately thirty seconds ago…it's more amusing this way." Harry threw a glare at the smug blonde, sipping his butterbeer despite the fact it was nine thirty in the morning. "I have a systematic approach in trying to humiliate you as much as humanely possible. It's bred into my genetics."
"Very funny." Harry slumped against his chair, sipping his own beer. What time was his cousin coming, anyway? Had they organised a meeting spot? How was he getting here in the first place? He didn't remember discussing any of this!
Merlin, he was meeting with Dudley, in Hogsmeade. How could this possibly go wrong?
"What if he brings Aunt Petunia?" He asked himself, slumping his head on the table. "She'll be a quiet, disapproving aura from the corner. Dear god, why didn't you remind me?"
"Because, Harry, just like I told you the last time you asked, approximately thirty seconds ago…it's more amusing this way." Harry lifted his head long enough to flip his finger at the blonde. It didn't perturb him. "I have a systematic approach in trying to humiliate you as much as humanely possible. It's bred into my genetics."
"Very amusing."
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel a slight sense of déjà vu." Draco smirked, "I feel as if we've had this conversation before…approximately every thirty seconds. It's on a loop. Merlin help us all; time is stuck on a loop."
"Call the Doctor."
"Isn't that a muggle healer? What the hell can one of them do?"
Harry shrugged, the reference lost on him. Instead, he glanced out the window again, scanning down the street for anything waddling. Merlin, why hadn't anyone reminded him?
"Because, Harry, just like I told you the last time you asked-"
"I didn't say a bloody thing!"
"You were thinking it." Draco smirked, shrugging. At least his mood had improved with the addition of alcohol, and Harry's distress. "I don't see what the fuss is about. He's a relative. Muggle, unfortunately. What is there to possibly be afraid of?"
"I'm not afraid of him." Harry ignored the not very whispered 'Could have fooled me' from his blonde. "He was actually alright last time we met; didn't stare at me petrified or anything. Even made me a cup of tea, twice." As if that was anything worth boasting about.
"It isn't a big matter."
"It's going to be a disaster. What the hell are we going to do? Here Dudley, try some wizarding alcohol to try to ignore the awkwardness?"
"I'm sure there'll be conversation." Draco drawled, eyebrows raised. He really didn't understand that the Dursley's weren't...uh, creative people. Nothing new, nothing strange, nothing fun. Ordinary ruled their lives; there was nothing remotely ordinary about Hogsmeade. It was the only fully wizarding village, for Christs sake. Invite the Dursley's here! Why had he been so stupid? "You're going to have to speak aloud, you know. As much as I have the power to, I dislike mind-reading."
"Sure, conversation." He opted to ignore the part of 'mind reading'; didn't want Malfoy to seem too omnipotent.
"You're relatives. Raised in the same home. You have some similarities."
Harry laughed humourlessly; similarities with Dudley? Their lives at Privet Drive involved slightly different experiences. Draco raised an eyebrow. "Just wait until you meet him…hold on, why the hell are you here?"
"Welcoming as usual."
"You're not meeting my cousin." Harry glanced out the window again, ignoring the scoff from the blonde. "Get back to the school." Draco Malfoy, pureblood extraordinaire, meeting muggle Dudley? Because that was going to turn out splendidly! Harry would be lucky Dudley didn't leave with all his limbs intact. There would be no chance of saving his sanity.
"No."
"No?"
"I'm meeting him." He spoke as if it wasn't absolutely strange for him to want to. "Do you have plans for next Saturday?"
Harry blinked at the abrupt change of topic. "What?"
"Next Saturday. Plans?"
Plans? Other than sitting quietly in Grimmuld place, staring at walls and contemplating if he had the effort or the time to attempt to sue his previous Headmistress? "Not particularly. You can't just change the-"
"I thought we could visit Simon Harvey's daughter. The nice Healer didn't break her oaths just for shits and giggles, after all. I'll meet you in London, and we'll go for a visit. You can't exactly leave it as is; no regrets, remember?" Draco blinked at him, face incredibly serious. He was making plans to ensure Harry didn't just…well, give up. They were going to be in different countries, and he still made plans for them? Malfoy wasn't letting him go in a hurry.
Harry swallowed tightly, sipping his beer again just so he wouldn't have to stare into those grey orbs; why would Draco go to such lengths, for him? He wasn't anyone special. They both knew it wasn't going to last. And yet here he was, making plans.
It was a promise that he needn't be alone.
"Alright." Harry replied quietly, ensuring he was glancing out the window again. There was no need to smile at Draco; it would inflate his already impossibly large ego.
"Alright." Draco agreed, smirk in his voice. Damn him, but he knew every thought running through Harry's mind. And he used it to his complete advantage, the bastard. "So, Potty, when are we going to complete item number one?"
Kudos to him for not batting an eye whilst Harry sprayed butterbeer across the table. He spluttered, mortified at the fact he had just spat butterbeer at Malfoy. The rapid change of conversations was alarming, and downright dangerous. "I am not answering that!"
"It's just a question." Draco smirked, making a show of wiping the single droplet that hit him from his face. Harry awkwardly mopped up the spilt drink with a napkin, cursing as it just smeared about. His face burnt. "My, are you blushing?"
"Bugger off."
"I'm sure buggering will be involved." The arse snickered as Harry fumbled with his drink again.
Harry quickly glanced around, looking the picture of mortified, to ensure no one was within earshot. Thank merlin only a few decided to trickle into the pub this early. "We are out, having a nice breakfast drink," It was an effort to keep his voice normal. "and you can't be halfway decent for longer than thirty seconds!"
"You wouldn't like me if I was decent." Draco laughed, rolling his eyes. Prick. "That's the attraction. So, I'll ask again-"
"You'll do no such thing!"
"When are we completing item. Number. One?" Harry was sorely tempted to use his wand. A small charm wouldn't hurt; it wasn't as if he was going to be around for much longer, anyway. And it might get him out of the meeting with Dudley. A triple whammy. "I must say, I'm particularly looking forward to this item. I have countless ideas ready."
"Keep your perverted thoughts to yourself."
"You're the one that put it on your list." Draco laughed again, almost melting Harry. Merlin, he should laugh more often. "It's your perverted thought. Labelling it number one; tut tut. One would almost think you were desperate." He leaned forwards, enjoying Harry's mortification. "I am willing to help with that."
"Is there a way to turn off your flirt button?"
"You love it." He smiled. A genuine, Draco smile. "Besides, it's a permanent feature."
"You're such a git." Harry managed to laugh without sounding utterly desperate. Miracle.
"You didn't answer my question."
"Is that the time? I'd better be-"
"It's nine thirty. You'll be staying here, drinking copious amounts of alcohol disgracefully all morning." Harry laughed again, clinking his bottle with Draco's before taking another gulp. How could the blonde possibly drag him from his wretchedness, into happiness? All within a few minutes. He didn't know what he was going to do without him. "Now, the small aspect of utterly dominating-"
"Draco!"
"I meant completing, of course." Harry just shook his head. "Completing your …list. We'll have to do it eventually; I would rather sooner than later. Or where you saving it for last? If that's the case, we'll have to put more effort into the few left."
"You seem to be under the impression you're invited to that one."
"Aw, he thinks he's funny." Draco cocked his head to the side. "I suppose I could just start, and you'd have to follow."
"Good luck with that-"
"Like with the 'two places at once' idea. And the utter silence. And the tattoo. And the piercing. And the vow of silence-"
"And what are you possibly going to do this time?" Harry laughed, "Climb into my bed?"
"I don't see why not." Draco smirked, sipping his beer again. "After all, I do own the bed."
He acted as if it was going to be a planned out moment, some fantastically timed event. Who honestly plotted these things out?
"If you're nervous, I can easily give you my qualifications." Draco dropped his tone, raising one eyebrow. "A demonstration?"
Well, shit just got real, didn't it?
Harry had never been happier for a distraction, as a loud crack echoed through the village. He thankfully glanced out the window, ignoring the chuckling blonde; he could tell his face was beet red. That would have been an awkward conversation to change from; Merlin, talking about it right in the open! Malfoy had no shame whatsoever.
He blinked in half-hearted surprise.
Dudley had arrived.
Or, more precisely, fell.
His escort, Madam Hooch of all people, stood proudly in the remnants of the winter snow, tutting away and reaching for her wand. Dudley had ripped his hand from her elbow, falling to the ground to retch up the remains of his breakfast.
…
Apparation. They couldn't have chosen a mode of transport that wouldn't terrify his cousin?
"Oh my…" Harry blinked again as Draco turned to stare out the window, eyebrows disappearing into his hairline. He seemed shocked, genuinely shocked.
"You alright?"
"That has to be your cousin." Draco replied confidently; he turned to face Harry, a smirk inching into his features. "The family resemblance is uncanny."
"Oh, shut up." Harry pushed himself from the table, ignoring the yell from his blonde.
"Did you use him as a decoy last year?"
His stomach was twisting nervously, but he still ventured from the warmth of the pub. Dudley had entered a wizarding village; he was kneeling a few hundred metres from a wizarding school. It took effort, and courage to make it this far; if he survived the nausea, he could accomplish anything.
Madam Hooch's keen eyes found Harry's, smiling in relief. "Be thankful you get your flying genes from your father's side." She appeared stern, but her eyes were glittering with amusement. "I am. Poor boy almost had a heart attack when I tried to take him by floo travel, and I'm not allowed to transport muggles by broomstick. He couldn't see the Knights Bus. Couldn't see it." She shook her head, tutting as Dudley panted, unsteadily pushing himself to his feet again.
He offered a tentative smile at Harry, easily towering above everyone in the vicinity. A few second years shuffled back hastily, glancing at him with wide eyes.
"The courage must come from your mother's side." She continued, fondly. "Didn't hesitate when I offered him my arm."
Dudley stared at her as if she was insane; Harry almost pitied him. He wouldn't know what the gesture was. Amongst the pity, crawled amusement. He could just picture his horrified face as he was tugged off the ground.
"You alright then, Harry?" She asked, nodding when he attempted a smile at her. Job done, she clasped Dudley on the shoulder in farewell; Dudley jumped, ripping his arm away from her.
Harry snorted. "She's not going to do it again, until you leave."
Strangely enough, he didn't seem relieved. Instead, he glanced around the street, frowning at the sheer amount of students that were quite blatantly staring at him.
He wasn't used to being the oddity.
"I…was in London, a few seconds ago…" He said weakly, swaying. "And now, I'm here. Where…is here?"
"Confidential." Harry replied worriedly; if his cousin fainted, he wasn't strong enough to drag him inside. "Want to sit down?"
Dudley nodded, taking an uneasy step. "The…tubes…" He muttered, "I was pulled through tubing…"
"Uh, not really…"
"I…did I teleport?"
Harry hesitated for a moment, not sure how to answer. He didn't really want to explain the dynamics of apparation to his muggle cousin. He didn't fully understand the dynamic of apparation, beyond the three 'D's'. "Yeah, you teleported."
"But…how?" He took another step, frowning. "That's not fair; you can teleport?"
"And you can drive; different modes of transportation, Dud." Harry glanced at his huge cousin again; jeez, he had gotten big. He had to duck to enter the pub.
"If we got to pick, no one would be driving anywhere."
"Are you actually saying that you would rather teleport than drive? Rather use the magical transportation mode?"
Dudley just shrugged, hand rubbing his stomach tenderly. "It's teleportation." He spoke as if the emphasis on teleport brought about a strange significance to the word. "Like, in the movies."
"I know what it is Dudley, I just…" It was just weird. This was a Dursley speaking here!
Harry shook his head in confusion, heading back to his table. Malfoy was sipping his beer, a twinkle in his eye as he regarded Dudley. Merlin, he was going to torture him; his expression said it all.
"Dudley, I want to introduce you to-"
"You!"
Harry spun around, frown in place. Who could Dudley possibly know, in Hogsmeade? Was there a new witch or wizard living near Privet Drive; maybe a muggleborn that he didn't know about? But his cousin's eyes were wide, and his plump finger was pointing over Harry's shoulder.
Harry spun around again, mouth gaping as Draco calmly answered, a soft twist of confusion on his face. Innocent, unsure…the mother of all lies.
"Me."
What sort of parallel universe was this? Had…was he dreaming? Had he just jinxed Malfoy, and this was the outcome?
"You know each other?" Harry managed to get out, glancing from one to the other. Draco simply sipped his drink again, a ghost of a smirk on his face. Dudley was opening and closing his mouth like a fish.
"Uh…" He paused, seeming decidedly worried as he glanced back to the door, the only visible escape route.
"Well?" Draco asked quietly, eyes shining with amusement. "Do you know me?"
Dudley swallowed slowly, glancing at Harry with a silent conversation within his eyes. If only Harry could read those eyes half as well as he read grey ones. "No…" He drew out eventually, glancing around the room at the few students staring at the commotion. After all, hardly anyone was in the pub at this time of morning; they could all probably hear every word. "I…uh…so, you alright, Harry?"
Harry blinked, eyebrows raised until his cousin looked uncomfortable. They both ignored the muttering blonde.
"God god, I didn't think it was possible. Someone worse than Potty at diverting conversation…"
"You good? That's good." Harry watched quietly as Dudley slipped into the booth, eyes narrowing to throw a glare he thought Harry didn't see at the blonde. Draco returned the glare with a smirk.
They knew each other.
"So…uh…"
Harry slipped next to Draco, kicking him slightly as a warning. His smirk only grew.
"…You good?" Dudley finished lamely, shrugging as two sets of eyebrows rose to question him. "What?"
"I'm fine." Harry replied, "I think we've covered that."
"You still have your hair."
Harry managed to control the wince that nearly escaped. Barely. "Uh, yeah…don't think it'll ever go without a fight." He ran an awkward hand through it, shrugging. "But…uh…it's different with muggles, I mean, you know, normal people like you, and, and m-magical people. Different, uh… "Oh dear god, kill him now. "doctors and medicine and stuff." Why was he suddenly incapable of muttering a coherent sentence? He had stuttered. His mortification before was nothing to the shame sinking in now; what was he so nervous about?
Draco's eyes drilled into him, an unwavering stare. He didn't speak, but pulled out his wand, casting a silent charm over their table.
Dudley eyed his wand like a hawk, letting out a breath of relief as it was tucked away again. He threw another of those pointed stares towards Harry, almost pleading with him to make a connection or speak telepathically. Harry remained clueless.
"Thank god." Dudley sighed again, shuddering. "Bold people freak me out a little."
Harry blinked, not quite sure how to feel; a trickle of amusement was flickering next to his embarrassment. "Courage a foreign feature for you?"
His cousin didn't get the joke. "Huh?"
He let it slide. "It's bald, Dudley, not bold."
"…What's the difference?" Harry shook his head slightly, watching as his cousin shrugged, oblivious. "They're heads are always really pale, and, well, wobbly shaped. I would have spent the entire time staring at your head."
"Why would that scare you?"
"I'm not scared of them." Dudley frowned, sitting taller in his chair. He towered over the both of them easily now, a scowl settling its way across his face. "It's just…not normal. I'm glad you have your hair."
And there it was.
Normalcy.
Despite Dudley trying to do right by Harry, his parents had drilled in a right fear of anything slightly odd. Freakish, like him.
And despite how it should have made Harry angry, or frustrated, because bald people, especially those ill, didn't have a choice in the matter of losing their hair, he just felt…pity. Pity for Dudley, and what his parents had done to him.
Christ, there was something wrong with Harry's mind.
Draco shifted next to Harry, the small movement alerting Harry to the fact he was still there. Which was odd, because Draco was able to impersonate a statue when so inclined. Harry didn't glance at him; those eyes were still sending tingles down Harry's spine, raising goosebumps as they drilled. It must have seemed odd to Dudley; Draco just staring at Harry, not speaking.
Dudley had started to throw strange glances towards the blonde, as it was.
Suddenly, the gaze left Harry's face.
And that was terrifying, because there was only one other person at the table it could have drifted to.
Sure enough, Draco was now staring at Dudley, grey eyes frosty as they drifted lazily across his features. If anything was apparent, it was that he didn't like what he saw.
Draco didn't blink, nor speak for several moments.
Silence hung over the table, a pressure that was almost suffocating.
Dudley had turned pale; his fists clenched as if he was ready for a fight, and in all honesty, the assumption wasn't wrong. He swallowed nervously a couple times, unable to break his gaze from Draco's; it was as if he was hypnotised. Like those people who saw a car coming for them, and didn't step out of the way.
"You know-" His voice was ice.
"I forgot to offer you a drink, Dudley." Harry interrupted, quickly, practically throwing himself against the table in an effort to divert the oncoming storm. He scrambled for some coin, tossing it towards his cousin. "Go to the bar and order a butter-beer. It sounds horrible, but it'll warm you up, trust me."
"…It's nine thirty in the morning." Dudley's voice was a croak, thankful for the distraction.
"Exactly."
His cousin took the hint; he scrambled from the booth, shuffling towards the bar with the odd coin held between two fingers, as if it was dangerous. If he noticed the odd stares he was getting by the few patrons, he didn't show it.
"I don't like him." Draco said quietly, voice cold. He pointedly stared at the hand Harry had placed on the table before him, a pathetic barrier to stop whatever was about to happen. Namely, Dudley's destruction.
Harry removed his hand slowly. "You don't have to." He replied, frowning. "But you should have had your impressions made up the first time you met."
That, at least, brought a ghost of a smirk back onto his face. "He didn't do much speaking."
"What did you do to him?"
"Me? I'm insulted. No, I'm wounded." He mocked, rolling his eyes.
"You're about to be."
His smirk grew. "Nothing permanent." It didn't answer the question though, did it? "The real question here," Draco cocked his head to the side, his eyes glittering with amusement. "Is what did you do to him? As soon as he figured out I was a wizard, not particularly hard, considering my wand was indenting his nose, he started babbling like a toad. Pleaded with me. Grabbed his buttocks rather quickly. Said something ridiculous about a pig tail. Any ideas?"
"Not in the slightest."
"I didn't think so."
Harry was perplexed. When would Malfoy have the time, or the permission, to trapeze across London to meet his cousin?
At least he hadn't…
…
Christ.
"Did you…" Harry loathed that he had to swallow before finishing the sentence. "Meet my aunt and uncle, too?"
Grey eyes snapped back to his. "No." He didn't even pretend to hide his relief. Draco would have a bloody fieldtrip with that little encounter. "I wish I had."
"Ah, you win some, you lose some."
"I'll just have to revisit four Privet Drive."
Even though Harry knew Draco had somehow tracked down his cousin, it was a shock for his address to leave those lips. Draco should never know of the houses that sat in duplicate rows, not a one different. He shouldn't enter that house, and see the pictures of the Dursley family paraded around, and wonder where the photo's of Harry was. Walk past the stairs, oblivious to the cupboard that occasionally made Harry shudder. Listen to the drivel of his uncle, and strain to see any family resemblance. The comparison alone of how fat Dudley was to the skinny Harry would raise a few eyebrows. Draco shouldn't know about all that. That house was one secret Harry was going to take to the grave.
"Don't." Harry forced himself to look into those eyes, and remind himself he wasn't pleading. "Just…don't."
Why was Draco so silent? He stared, and stared, thoughts flicking through his eyes rapidly, so Harry had barely a moment to read them. He was thinking, and Harry didn't like it.
Dudley shuffled back into his seat, breaking the tension as he sipped his beer, inadvertently creating an entire new strain around their table. He coughed slightly, twisting his bottle for something to do. And Draco had said there would be conversation. Ha!
"So...Mum…she, uh, wants me to tell you she's sorry for, well, her behaviour over Christmas."
Harry blinked; out of the plethora of conversation they could have had, he hadn't expected this one. The Dursley's apologizing; it didn't happen. They were right, everyone else was inexplicably wrong. And Petunia? Pretend-Nothing-Was-Wrong Petunia, admitting fault? And to top it all, Dudley was the one to breech the conversation?
"Really?" Harry said dryly, clearly disbelieving. If anything, that made Dudley more willing to talk, to defend his mother. Odd as that was. "She said that?"
"Yeah, she…well, she didn't exactly say it," And there it was. "But I know it's true. I…She was crying, going through old photos of your…of your mum, and she…she, well, there was a photo of you as a baby, and she stared at it for ages." Harry was still reeling from the fact his Aunt had hidden photo's of his mum hidden around the house…but the fact she had one of him? It was impossible.
Dudley was bright red now, staring intently at his drink. Emotions and feelings didn't come easy for him; this had to be difficult. "It was the, uh, day after you left, so…" He left it at that. He didn't really need to say any more.
"So, so this cancer thing-"
"Let's not talk about that." Harry quickly interrupted, glancing around the room quickly. No one would have heard, with Draco's silencing charm hovering around them, but Harry's paranoia had settled in. With his luck, the sole student that could lip read would be sitting in the corner, taking notes.
"But…" He swallowed, gesturing wildly as he searched for the right words. "Isn't that why I'm here? To…talk…if you, uh, need it."
Draco subtly covered a chuckle with a cough, which Harry pointedly ignored.
"Thanks for the offer…but I don't need to talk."
They both ignored Draco's scoff.
"But…the pamphlets I got were filled with talking and stuff." Dudley frowned again, reaching into his bag. And, to Harry's horror, pulled out a bunch of papers with a weird mix of morbid and generic titles. 'The Do's and Don'ts of Talking with a Terminally Ill Person', was joined by 'Cancer: the Idiot's Guide', and 'So You Have Cancer!" Harry stared at that one. Was the exclamation point really necessary? It kind of had the vibe the next sentence was going to be 'shrug it off'. Exclamation point.
Draco slammed his hand onto the table, covering the majority of the titles. He flicked his wand a second later, vanishing them despite Dudley's shout of surprise.
"I know it's a sore topic, but I'm going to brave a breech; are you a complete and utter fucking moron?" He snarled, flipping his wand through his fingers.
Harry wasn't listening to their argument. Dudley had gone out of his way to gather pamphlets, of the wrong kind. He had obviously put some serious thought into whatever he assumed was plaguing Harry.
He hadn't expected that.
And he didn't quite know how to feel.
"Do you know how long it took to filch all of those?" Dudley sneered, hands clenching into fists. "You're going to pay for them."
"You didn't pay for them." Draco scoffed back, the picture of ease as he leant back on his chair, arms resting on the headrest. "I consider it a debt to society, returning them." He hadn't returned them, of course. Merely sent them off only Merlin knows where.
"You owe me them."
"And you owe me the precious time I'm wasting listening to your drivel, and the many, many brain cells that are slitting their own nonexistent wrists for each and every sentence you incorrectly pronounce."
"Speak normally!"
"Salazar, tell me that your pure idiocy isn't contagious. I feel dirty breathing the same air as you."
That insult, he understood. He jerked to his feet, bumping the table and drawing every eye towards them. "You wanna take this outside?" He sneered, positively confident in himself as he leered down at the blonde. "I'm more than ready to beat the shit out of you."
"Look at that, Harry." Draco sneered back, mock astonishment across his features. "It appears to be thinking." Apparently, this was Draco's limit. Harry sighed to himself, sipping on his beer instead of getting involved. He hadn't expected the two to get along, but for them to go for each other's jugulars because of a couple of pamphlets? They were as insane as each other.
Harry snorted to himself; they wouldn't like the comparison, likely.
"That's it." Dudley growled, reaching over the table, most likely to grab Draco by his collar. Harry sighed again, ready to intercept. He didn't have to.
Draco had calmly drawn his wand, pointing the tip lazily towards the huge boy before him. "Try me." He spoke quietly, radiating confidence. If only Harry had had his wand at the ready when he was a kid; he could have prevented so many tantrums. From Dudley and Vernon alike.
Dudley blinked, face turning pale within seconds. But he didn't sit.
"I can make the blood in your veins boil with two little words." Draco didn't bat an eye. "Your lungs unable to take in oxygen. I can blast you across the room without speaking, merely willing it to happen. And those are just reflex spells; if I had a moment to plan your demise, I can be much more imaginative. And you want to take me outside?"
Harry decided to intervene there; Dudley looked ready to faint, he was shaking so hard. He obviously had developed a fear against magic, just like his family. Hopefully his fear was just that; dread. Harry would hate for him to develop the loathing of his father, or his anger.
"A simple pig tail would have sufficed." He suggested, quietly. "He didn't know the extent of magic."
"He should."
This was utterly out of hand. Over a few pamphlets.
"One more word." Was all Harry said. He didn't have to say more than that; the blonde's imagination would do the rest.
And already, he was narrowing his eyes. "You wouldn't dare."
"Wouldn't I?"
They stared each other for a moment, neither giving in first. With Dudley, at least it was understandable; Draco was a potential threat, one capable of turning him into a toad with a flick of his wrist. Harry didn't understand what Draco was searching for in his cousin, however. He refused to look away for several tense moments, eventually sighing dramatically, as though he wasn't judging Dudley from his excessive weight to his fluoro windbreaker.
Draco sighed, pocketing his wand slowly. "Fine." However much he didn't want to, he still conceded, "I'll be nice to the halfwit."
"Draco-!"
"Fine. Fine. I'll play nice." He was still smirking, though. "After all Harry, your family is my family."
If Harry's stomach was knots and twists before, now it was frozen solid.
He didn't think he could even talk.
Christ.
He could just sit there, staring at the smug blonde, hoping the remark would fly over his cousin's head-
"Harry," Dudley was frowning, grimacing as he stared at Draco in horror. "Your friend's off his knocker." Oh, thank god.
Harry had to restrain his visible sag of relief, throwing another warning kick at the blonde. He couldn't just say stuff like that! What if Dudley had made the connection? The Dursley's couldn't stand magic; Harry dreaded to think of what some of their other views might contain.
He hastened to avoid the conversation he knew Draco was trying to bring up, the only way he could; desperate discussion altering. "Thanks for…taking the time to nick the p-pamphlets…" And those grey eyes flicked to him again, confused as fuck. "But…magical medicine is a lot different to…yours. Most of the information won't be…right."
"I know that." Dudley shrugged, staring intently at his bottle again. He threw a nervous glance at Draco, shifting so he sat closer to Harry than to the blonde. "But some of the titles had 'magic' in it, I thought it was linked to, well, your kind."
"All because it has the forbidden 'm' word, doesn't mean it's automatically linked with me, Dud."
Dudley shrugged, trying to belittle the hurt that flickered across his face. It was weird; Dudley had gone out of his way to gather information, to…what? Show that he cared? "They're just some stupid pamphlets."
Draco opened his mouth, but stopped at a glare from Harry. Dudley was trying.
"Thanks, Big D."
That, at least, brought a grin to his face, first time today. He groaned, running a hand through his hair. "I forgot about that." He chuckled, face turning red again. "Christ I was a weird kid. Boxing. Trying to be gangster." He laughed again, oblivious to what he was wearing. If that wasn't gangster, Harry didn't know what was going on with the gangs in Little Winging. "Remember Piers? Polkiss? He still runs his own little gang, have knives and everything. They won't go after me, though. I can walk through their territory in the dark, alone, and they let me." He boasted, not seeming to care that neither Harry nor Draco found it a terribly great achievement. "I've stopped boxing, but I could still take them all, if I had to."
"…What else are you up to?" Damn it, but if Dudley was going to try, so was Harry. If he didn't box, Harry didn't quite know what his cousin did with his time. He was more bulky than fat, at the moment.
But he shrugged again, finishing his drink. "Not much. There's a television show I'm into. I had to repeat a grade in school. I'm doing better, this time round."
They both ignored the snort from Draco.
"I'm…kinda seeing a girl." He ventured, shrugging once again. "She's nice." And that was all he had to say on the matter, apparently.
"Good for you, Dudders."
Dudley snorted, shaking his head. "No. No more." He groaned, turning red again.
"Popkins, I think was another."
"You're bringing up by repressed childhood." Harry was surprised he knew a word like 'repressed'.
"Dinky Duddydums."
At that one, Dudley laughed aloud, hiding his head in his hands. Harry grinned too, glancing at the stoic Draco. Come on, that one had been funny. But Draco merely huffed, as if he was bored. The git.
Harry nudged him, and was treated to a single raised eyebrow. Well. He had tried.
Harry turned back to Dudley, another name ready to mock.
Ron was standing in the doorway of the pub, eyes wide.
His voice stuck in his throat.
Ron blinked at their table, eyes flickering towards Dudley, who he obviously remembered, and to Draco, someone he wouldn't possibly imagine sitting at this table, finally to Harry…
To radiate hurt, and confusion.
There was no question to what Harry was doing here; chatting with a cousin he supposedly hated. It would sting Ron, to have Draco, a pureblood meeting Dudley officially before him.
Harry forced his stare back towards Dudley. This was for the best.
It had to be.
.
.
.
"What do you do in the holidays?"
Harry frowned at the question, shrugging. "Why the hell do you want to know that?"
They were onto their fifth beer each, enjoying the warm fuzzy feeling that radiated through their stomachs. The pub was more crowded now, each table jammed with students tasting the thrill of weak alcohol. At each table, at least two eyes flicked towards Harry's table.
Dudley seemed more relaxed now, less likely to faint or demand Draco into a fist fight. He still shifted occasionally, sending glares to students blatantly watching him, but for the most part, he seemed content to chat.
Draco, similarly, had defrosted a bit. Slightly.
Well, he was leaned against the chair lazily, hardly speaking, but occasionally scoffing. It was the best Harry hoped to get from him, at the moment. As soon as Dudley went to refresh their drinks, he spoke as if they were alone. As soon as he returned, silence.
Well, Harry hadn't really expected a friendship to bloom, now did he?
"Because I've never bothered to find out before." Dudley was quite blunt with his answer, surprisingly. He was much more alike to Draco than he was ever going to admit aloud. If only they could see that.
Harry shrugged again, the motion becoming nature for each question asked. "When I was younger, I went to friend's houses. Now, I stay here."
"You stay in school?" Dudley stared at him horrified. "You're insane."
"I like it." Harry defended, stopping the incoming onslaught of 'nerd' labels. "It's quiet. The food's better. You can do whatever you want, and no one cares or knows. You get the library to yourself. The dormitory to yourself."
"Almost to yourself." Now? Now Draco decided to contribute to the conversation, smirking in the corner like the git he was.
Harry pretended there was no double entendre in those words. "Last holiday was pretty nice, actually." Maybe that would pacify Draco into behaving.
"Why don't you still visit your friends?" Why, of all things, would Dudley pick up on that? "Wasn't that ginger your mate?"
It was hard not to glance towards the sulky Ron a few tables away. Hermione, Neville and Ginny had joined him, none looking particularly pleased. "We're not on great terms at the moment." Harry tried to brush it aside. "It's fine. Do you-?"
"Did he ditch you?" Dudley asked angrily, to both their surprise. "All 'cause you have something you can't bloody change? You're not friends anymore because you're sick?"
And to Harry's horror, he pushed himself off the table again, turning to throw the filthiest glare yet at Ron. "I'll show him-"
"It's not like that!" Harry stumbled to his feet too, dashing between Dudley and Ron. Bloody hell, every eye was definitely on them again. Maybe butter-beer affected non-magical people more than it did wizards? Either way, Harry would get his cousin coloured water for the next drink. "Sit back down, you git."
"It is like that." Draco drawled, helpfully. "Down to a 'T', actually."
"It's not." Harry pushed on Dudley's shoulders, not budging him an inch. Man, he was huge. "Sit back down, you're making a scene."
"I say you punch him." Draco continued, ghost of a smirk on his face. "Right in his freckly, ugly face."
With that, at least, Dudley paused. It was as if he was torn between wanting to defend his cousin's honour, and actually listening to Draco. In the end, thankfully, his pride won out. He wasn't going to do a single thing that the blonde wanted him to.
Harry sighed relief, glancing at the bewildered Ron quickly. The only one that didn't look surprised was Neville; he hadn't shifted an inch, instead was flipping through what appeared to be a herbology book. Whispers filled the pub as Harry felt another five years of stress added to his weary mind.
"Christ, Dudley, you can't go around threatening everyone!" Harry hissed at him, plonking himself down next to Draco again. "Half of them would have their wands on you before you crossed the pub. And how exactly do you expect me to defend you?"
"With magic." Dudley replied bluntly, shrugging. "If you were able to kill that bad guy when no one else could, you know some big magic, too. You have your own wand." It was astonishing that Dudley could say words such as 'magic' and 'wand' without so much as a shudder.
Draco, however, threw another glance at Harry. "He doesn't have his wand, at the moment."
Dudley just frowned, shifting uncomfortably as Draco spoke to him. They had gone hours with pleasantly ignoring one another. "Why not?"
"Lost it in a bet." Harry threw in, "It's being held hostage until I complete a dare." Nowhere near the truth, but Dudley wouldn't know any different. "Ron and I aren't friends because I stopped hanging out with him, not the other way around. So if you're going to punch someone, it's me, not him."
"…what about him?"
"What?"
"He's your mate, isn't he?" Dudley looked disgusted he was even asking, nodding towards the smirking Draco. "Why don't you go to his place over the holiday?"
"…Because I'm not invited." What type of utterly deranged conversation was this?
"You're always invited, Harry." Draco drawled, mouth twitching. "You could visit during my suspension."
Dudley frowned, disbelieving. "You're suspended?" He asked, scoffing. "You?"
"Called the Headmistress a few choice names." Draco shrugged, his eyes never leaving Harry's. "You're always invited." He repeated. "Come on over Monday."
"I think your parole is on shaky enough ground as it is." Harry replied evenly, irritated when the blonde rolled his eyes, dismissive. Even the prospect of being sent to Azkaban didn't faze him.
"You're on parole?"
Draco turned to Dudley, gaze unwavering. "I was on the wrong side of the war." He said clearly, almost a threat. It was made to silence, and it did its job. Satisfied Dudley wasn't going to interrupt again, his grey globes returned to Harry. "Monday, we're both free."
"I don't think your mother would like hosting me." Harry said lightly, searching for a quick change on topic. He didn't want to get into the dynamics of the war with Dudley, now. His insistent questions on apparation were bad enough.
"She wouldn't have to know." Draco shrugged, clearly fine with the idea. Harry had to shrug noncommittally; he didn't think he was quite ready to reapproach the manor. The last time he had 'visited' had been quite enough to last a lifetime. But then, Draco didn't consider it home either. Was this his subtle way of asking Harry for support?
"We'll see."
They both took it for the rejection it was.
It was Dudley who tried to change the awkward conversation, this time round.
"Uh…you know, some weird woman's writing a book about you."
Fan-fucking-tastic.
"I already have books written about me." Harry sighed, slumping back in his chair. "None of them consult me, of course. They just…exist."
"At last count, there were twenty three of them written this year alone." Draco shifted so he was closer to Harry on the chair, their arms brushing against one another easily. "He has stalkers."
"They're not stalkers, they're paparazzi."
"If you could see some of the photo's they've taken of you, you would call them stalkers, too." Harry had to repress a shudder at that; only god knows how they got photos, when he had been either in hospital, or school.
Dudley shifted, uncomfortable. "Well, this crazy lady came to the house. Said she's writing your true biography, or something like that. Can't believe mum even let her inside."
"…You talked to her?" It was as if something was squeezing his stomach again, twisting it around to make it as inhumanly painful as possible. There was some witch out there, who knew the Dursleys? Why the hell would the Dursley's let a witch into their home, or even talk to one?
"Mum did. They were like, the same. You know, gossipers. She just wanted to know stuff about how you grew up, odd things you did. Said you're friends, though."
"…I'm not friends with anyone that would write a book about me." True. Because Draco was his only company at the moment, and he wouldn't be bothered writing a book when he had the real Harry before him. "What was her name?"
"Uh, Rita something. She had some ugly glasses."
Oh, dear god.
"What did you tell her?"
Dudley must have heard the pain in Harry's voice, because he hastened to calm him, stumbling over his words in his mad rush. "No, nothing bad, I promise. I sat in for the whole thing, made mum keep her mouth shut about some things. She did find out about you escaping through the flying car, though. And don't worry, I made sure they didn't say a thing about your cupboard."
…
He didn't just say that.
He didn't just mention the cupboard under the stairs, in front of Draco.
No, he couldn't have. He would have censored his words.
He wouldn't have ensured Rita bloody Skeeter didn't know, to blurt it out now.
Harry blinked, watching Dudley's face pale and his eyes widen. He threw a panicked glance towards the blonde, mouth gaping like a fish.
Fuck.
"Want to see the castle, Dudley?" Harry asked, bounding from his seat as he did. Dudley was quick to follow, nodding and almost running to the door.
"Yup, castle. Show me the castle."
Okay, this wasn't that bad. He just had to find an explanation, a quick little lie that wouldn't make Draco suspicious. Because their hasty escape was definitely going to raise a few eyebrows.
Harry stepped out into the village, turning exasperatedly towards Dudley.
"I'm sorry, it just slipped out!" He seemed wretched himself, as if he was ashamed. "I've been thinking about it a lot, lately, how it seemed normal back when we were kids, but, but it was wrong. I mean-"
"Loving the sentiment, Dud, but you're kind of ruining my life right about now." Harry pulled him away from the door, shaking his head. "Just don't mention that in front of Draco. In front of anyone, actually."
Dudley nodded quickly, jumping as the door slammed shut behind an irate blonde. He strolled towards them purposefully, frowning slightly.
"What cupboard?" He asked immediately, watching as both of them exchanged a warning glance to one another. Harry was frozen to the spot, not quite sure how to answer. He didn't have any fabricated answer ready yet, and now, unfortunately, his brain was on a revolt. It refused to think.
Dudley wasn't faring much better. He gaped like a fish until his face turned red, then, amazingly, he blurted out the most rubbished, pulled from his arse nonsense in existence. "His bedroom cupboard." It was as if his mouth was on spew out anything that comes to mind mode. "He had a huge porn stash. It was huge; like, fucking huge. Everything you could imagine. Filled an entire section, so his clothes were folded on the floor. Everyone knew it was there, we just didn't mention it. Too much to get rid of. Magazines, and video's, and that bloody blow up-"
"Thanks, Dudley." Harry felt as if his face was combusting. "Castle. Now."
He almost preferred Draco knowing that he spent his childhood locked in a cupboard, rather than thinking he was some horny teenager.
…
No, no he really wouldn't.
Harry pulled a willing Dudley up the hill, throwing him a mortified glare. Dudley seemed just as humiliated, shrugging in defence. "I had to say something." He whispered, swallowing as Draco fell in besides them.
He did not look amused.
In fact, his mask was securely back in place.
Great.
They trampled through the small deposits of remaining snow, in silence. Harry wished he could sink into the ground; better down there, than standing between two opposing forces of embarrassment and fury.
They had almost neared the peak of the hill when Dudley abruptly spun around, and proceeded to pace back down it.
"…Uh, Dudley?"
His cousin hesitated, turning back with a frown. "What? Aren't we going to the pub?"
"We're letting you see the castle." Harry frowned, glancing at the stoic Draco for help. "We've been to the pub."
"But…oh, right." Dudley looked confused as hell as he turned around again, stomping up the hill. He passed Harry and Draco, still frowning…to spin around again, hurrying back down.
"It's the anti-muggle magic." Draco drawled, icy. "It's trying to draw him away from the castle."
"Dudley." Harry grabbed his arm, hauling him back up. "You have to see the castle." They only made it a few steps when his cousin jolted to a halt again. "We're going this way."
He seemed scared, now. Harry snorted in amusement; he must be experiencing a strange form of déjà vu.
It took a few minutes, and absolutely no help from Draco, to manage to drag Dudley to the top of the hill. And there stood Hogwarts, Harry's home, in all its glory. Windows glittered against the cloudy sky; the peaks of the towers still had morning snow on them. Merlin, it was beautiful.
"You…live in that?" Harry frowned at Dudley's tone; he didn't seem impressed, more so horrified. "Isn't it…dangerous?"
"Hogwarts has a charm that repels muggles." Draco repeated. "It'll stop once he's inside."
Harry vaguely remembered Hermione saying something like that fourth year. "Oh. What do you see, Dudley?"
"…a manky old castle."
"That's not even a word." Draco muttered behind him, subtly withdrawing his wand again. Harry watched him with a frown, turning back to the horrible description of Hogwarts.
"There are signs up…saying keep out…god, is that written in blood?"
"It's much nicer inside." Harry said, turning to stare at the castle. He could easily imagine it in ruins, given the battle months previous. He didn't want to see it like that again; Hogwarts deserved to remain beautiful, forever. And though it wasn't purposefully, his cousin's description hurt. "Do you…want to see inside?" Why was he even offering? No one would be particularly pleased by Dudley's presence, and the Slytherins would be mortified. He was lucky Draco hadn't already obliviated the offer from his thoughts.
"…Sure. If it…means something to you…"
"It does." Harry grabbed onto his jacket, leading him down the hill. He jolted again, but continued, slowly. "It's my home." For the next day.
It was a slow process approaching the castle.
Dudley halted repeatedly, frowning, trying to get back to the village. He muttered he had other things to do, things to see, he had to be getting home; they barely made it a hundred metres, and he had been difficult the entire way. A step seemed like a milestone.
And it was exhausting.
Harry's body burned from the bruising that had yet to disperse, and each abrupt halt jolted his body. So much had happened in the past few days, so much exhaustion. If the journey to the castle was as painful as the last hundred metres had been, Harry would likely have to be dragged back there as well.
Harry had to give credit for the magic on the castle; it was bloody strong.
Draco cursed loudly as Dudley spun around again, frown on his face. He slashed his wand through the air, barely blinking as Dudley tripped on nothing, sprawling on the ground. He flipped his wand easily, casting a full-body bind on him. Within seconds, they were trudging back to the castle, Dudley hovering behind them, in all probability petrified.
Harry had to smile as Draco threw a glance at him; he worried Harry would be upset he had jinxed his cousin? He was thankful. "He'll get over it."
"Unfortunately."
"Unfortunately?"
"I would love to be the source of his nightmares."
"Because that's not a weird fetish, at all."
A ghost of a smirk appeared on his face again; he was relaxing, now that Dudley couldn't really interrupt. Sure, he could still hear, but he couldn't react. "Don't worry, Harry, I'll introduce to you all my fetishes. Some aren't as scary as they initially seem; you're going to have to be open minded."
Harry could only snort, and pray that Dudley was panicking too much to hear their conversation. And quickly change to topic. "I didn't think you would like my cousin inside the castle."
"I don't. It's horrifying." Draco conceded, "But it'll piss off McGonagall. And that's my life prioritisation at the moment; if it pisses off that failure of a headmistress, I must like it."
They continued in silence, Draco occasionally rotating Dudley, as if to just demonstrate how much control he had. He really didn't need to; Dudley was already viewing Draco as some omnipotent monster from his parent's nightmares.
The occasional student stopped to turn their head as they passed, mouths gaping. Harry really didn't understand why; they shouldn't be able to tell he was a muggle with a glance, and they surely didn't expect them to be blasé with a kidnapping. It was as if no one trusted them.
The odd thing was, Slytherin was nowhere to be seen.
At first, Harry didn't realise. But as they neared the castle, something was tickling at the back of his head. Something wasn't right about the number of students hurrying past him, playing in the snow and laughing loudly. It took the curiosity from a loud seventh year Hufflepuff for the thought to sink in. There was plenty of Gryffindors, the occasional Ravenclaw, and a trickle of Hufflepuff. No Slytherin in sight, apart from Draco.
Maybe the anger of Draco had rubbed off on them, and they were spending the day inside, in the warmth. Away from Draco's anger.
All of them.
Every single Slytherin.
…
No way in hell.
"So, what are the others doing today?" Harry asked as they neared the extravagant doors, throwing a glance at the impassive blonde. "Zabini and Parkinson and Nott?"
"I don't keep tabs on them." Draco dropped Dudley to the ground, smirking at the thump. "Ask them at dinner." Subtly avoiding the answer. A liar if Harry ever saw one.
Dudley was released quickly from the jinx, as if to distract Harry.
He bounded to his feet, frantically checking he still had all his limbs, and no extra ones. Harry pretended he didn't see his cousin hurrying around him, distancing himself from the blonde. Yes, he was frightened of him. But it wasn't as if he had hurt him. "You keep himaway from me!"
"This," Harry said, grabbing Dudley's jacket again, ignoring his flustered outrage. "Is Hogwarts."
He pushed open the doors, pulling his cousin in behind him.
Thankfully, the hall was empty of students.
Dudley frowned, blinking rapidly as the illusion fell from his eyes. He didn't seem to see much at first, but then his mouth fell open, and his eyes widened. He gaped, staring around the hall in amazement.
Harry felt proud of his reaction this time round. It really was magnificent.
"You…" Dudley held a hand to his head, as if he didn't believe what he was seeing. The torches on the walls, the suits of armour up against an adjoining corridor, the extravagant staircase before him. "I had to go to smeltings, and you got to come here?"
Harry had to laugh at that. He could just imagine his cousin parading around in his smug straw hat, and cane, when Harry got his wand and this for a school.
"How…are those…?" He couldn't finish the sentence, staring around with amazed eyes. Just as Harry did, when he entered the hall the first time when he was eleven. He was really going to miss this place. "What else can I see?"
"Let's get the invisibility cloak from your trunk, first." Draco intervened, heading for the dungeons and expecting them to follow. "I don't want people to assume I'm associating with him."
Also, it was the thrill of sneaking a muggle in here that Draco liked, under McGonagall's nose. It was another matter entirely to parade said muggle around; especially when he was already suspended.
"In…invisibility cloak?" Dudley looked as if he was in a chocolate factory, surrounded by free samples. "Can I get one of them? How do you even make something invisible? You…you're not pulling my tail, right? It's not a joke, right?" Christ.
"It's real." Harry assured, leading the way behind Draco. "And it's very rare. And…" He didn't even know if it would fit his cousin, being so tall and all.
The headed through the dungeons, Harry snickering at Dudley's expressions and little comments. He didn't seem horrified from the castle anymore; in fact, he looked slightly jealous. He gazed around with puppy eyes, asking a multitude of questions that Harry was getting slightly annoyed at answering. But it was good; if Dudley was excited, he wasn't scared. And maybe, just maybe, he would pass on the acceptance to his parents. Who knew? Petunia used to accept magic; maybe she could, once again.
They stopped outside the common room, Dudley gaping like a fish as Draco escaped through the wall. Harry didn't ask if Dudley wanted to see the common room; it was one too many buttons pushed with Draco; he didn't want to push too far.
So they waited out the front, an awkward silence between the many, many questions from Dudley.
…
And not a Slytherin in sight.
One would think, outside the Slytherin common room, there might be one, or hell, maybe two present. Nada.
Something was going on, and Harry didn't like it.
"Here." The cloak was tossed towards Dudley, who caught it and almost dropped it again at its touch. "Put it on."
Dudley had never followed a command quicker his entire life.
.
.
.
Harry yawned as they approached the great hall again, utterly exhausted. One truly didn't realise how big the castle was, until they had visited every accessible room.
Dudley had had a time of his life; he had been in awe of the moving staircase, holding on tightly and pretending the movement hadn't made him slightly ill; He had squeaked with fear, though.
He had practically sprinted around the room of requirement, despite his doubt such a room existed. To both their disappointment, the room didn't show up; it must have been in use.
The Great Hall was viewed silently, hidden beneath the cloak. He didn't say a word in the hall, which Harry took for wonder. Here, magic could be seen in its beauty. Candles flickered overhead, brightening the room, which had darkened somewhat due to the heavy clouds they were receiving outside. Owls occasionally fluttered in, late, handing out the post, or stealing someone's toast. Students flicked their wands, practising spells and enchantments on their food. Hopefully that hadn't anything to do with the awful prank on the Slytherins, a few days prior.
They had been trotting down another corridor, Harry going to show Dudley the portrait of the fat lady, despite not being able to take him inside, when McGonagall had turned the corner before them. Along with several other staff, and all seeming quite angry, they hardly noticed them until they were standing face to face. Absolute fury radiated from their headmistress, who's mouth had thinned into one small line. She had blinked at the two of them, glowering, before pressing on again with a curt. "Pleased to meet you, Mister Dursley."
They had all needed a minute to recover from that.
Dudley had almost fainted, not five minutes later, when Myrtle drifted through a wall, sullenly greeting Harry. That had pulled a smirk to his face, and, surprisingly, Myrtles. She had blinked at his feet, drifting over to put a hand through his invisible head. The cold must have shocked him, for Dudley shrieked, whipping the cloak off and bolting around Harry, using him as a human shield.
Harry had snickered, and smiled at the confused ghost. Which, in turn, flickered a soft smile back. He wasn't angry at her anymore, not really; she had fetched him when Braxton was sick, after all. She had seemed genuinely sorry for her actions, and she had, after the hesitation, gone to fetch the professors when Harry had been bleeding to death on the bathroom floor. She…for the time Harry had made the promise, she had been a happy ghost; singing, and attending the hall at dinner, dancing through the corridors. If his promise made her happy again, he could easily forgive her hesitation. She was lonely; he couldn't hold that against her, could he?
"The promise still holds, right Myrtle?" He had asked softly, heard over Dudley's babbling of ghosts and bogeymen. It was the right thing to do; especially when it made Myrtle's smile stretch across her entire face. She had nodded, then giggled, then burst into happy tears, diving back through the wall with a sob. Well, that was one mistake fixed.
After that, Dudley had remained pretty close to Harry, to his amusement.
But now it was almost dinner, and the trickle of students returning from Hogsmeade had stopped. It was time for Dudley to return. Finally.
"I have to do something." Draco said quietly, effectively stopping the small group just outside the hall. He had been rather quiet since they had snuck Dudley inside, and through that, amicable. But his mask was back in place now, his eyes steadily darkening. He grabbed Harry's arm, gently pulling him closer, and away from Dudley, as if he had something to say.
Harry followed, curious to whatever was bothering his blonde.
And his lips were captured in a soft kiss, that lingered too short a time.
Foreheads pressed together for a moment, both eyes shut as they enjoyed the simplicity of the touch.
Harry felt as if his heart was about to leap into his throat; it certainly felt like it.
But then he was alone, Draco walking into the Great Hall with his head high, not bothering with a farewell to his cous…
Harry blinked, forcing his fake smile to his face as he turned back around, gesturing to his gaping cousin to walk towards the other door. Draco…that fucking prick.
"So, which is better? Smeltings, or Hogwarts?" Merlin, his face was hot enough to heat the school. "It definitely beats Saint Brutus'." Oh dear god, why had he mentionedthat?
Dudley's expression still was borderline horrified, but at the mention of the imaginary criminal school, guilt flickered across his face. He averted his gaze, huffing to himself. "You…you know, I've been meaning to say something all day, but with your…friend," He threw Harry another scandalized glance. "I…didn't know how to say…it."
"You don't have to say anything, Dudley." Harry tried to steer the conversation clear of anything embarrassing for either of them to say aloud. "It's fine. And the git does tend to get in the way."
"No, but…I'm sorry for mentioning the cupboard, before…it really was an accident. It's just…always on my mind." He pointedly stared forwards, instead of at Harry. "It wasn't normal, it…it disgusts me. I'm…sorry, for everything."
"You…weren't the one to put me there, Dudley." Harry tried again, shrugging, also staring forwards. Merlin, but this was awful. "You don't have to-"
"I'm apologizing for mum, and dad, too. On their behalf." He turned around, blocking the path and forcing Harry to look at him. "You…saved my life, Harry, with the dementors…and, and well, I saw how much trouble you got in, from the school and everything, but you did it anyway, and , I always treated you like shit, and mum and dad treated you like vermin, and…"
"It's in the past, Dudley." Harry felt like vermin doing it, but he had to guide this conversation away from…this. It wasn't Dudley's fault, and Harry wasn't angry with him. There was no reason to bring up the past, now. "Forget about it. I have."
They stared at one another for a moment, neither giving in. Eventually, Dudley lowered his gaze, so Harry pushed past him, continuing towards Hogsmeade. He had had a nice day; it was a pleasant change from the norm. He didn't want it ruined by some soul searching and heartfelt apologies. He was going to have to deal with the suspicious Draco as it was, anyway.
"Why don't you want to talk about…anything?"
What?
Harry chanced a glance at his cousin, sighing as he frowned, arms crossed angrily against his chest. "You don't want to talk about the cancer, you don't want to talk about growing up, about the cupboard, you clearly don't want to talk about how your mate just snogged you, how your mates ditched you; all the pamphlets say talking is good, that it means acceptance-"
"Maybe I don't want to accept it." Harry growled, half satisfied when Dudley's face turned wary. "Acceptance is losing, Dudley. It's giving in. Maybe I don't want to let go of the little I actually have. Fuck, I know I'm not going to live through it; but I'll be damned it I accept it!"
Dudley just blinked as Harry took a breath, calming himself. The anger wasn't supposed to leak out, anymore. He had thought he had reached the numb fucking stage!
They continued on in silence, until Harry judged his temper back under control. "Thanks, though…for actually giving a damn and coming out here." He forced himself to maintain eye contact. "I mean it. Thanks."
"Well, you're my cousin." Dudley shrugged again, "And I felt bad about…stuff." He threw Harry another glance, holding up his hands in defeat at his glare. "…I…your school isn't too bad, either. Not as dangerous as some people believe."
"Much safer than Saint Brutus'."
Dudley snorted, shaking his head. "You're friend is insane, though."
A laugh escaped, at that. Insane. It didn't do him justice. "He's not bad."
"He levitated me. I couldn't move. He…he can't really turn my blood boiling and shit, right?"
"Not at all, Dudley. I wouldn't let him." Harry didn't let him get a word in. "You've met him before; when?"
Dudley almost tripped at that, sighing relieved. "He barged into our house, that's how!" Harry didn't point out he had asked when instead of how. "Shoved his wand into my nose! Told me…"
"What?"
"…Never mind."
Oh, no. He wasn't shutting up now! "He's not here, just tell me."
"He…said that if I told you, he would know, and he would hunt me down, and he would reattach the tail. I…I can't have that tail again, Harry." He sounded genuinely troubled. "He put a jinx on me, that told him where I was, all the time."
"Dudley, there's no such thing!" Harry sighed, exasperated. Damn that bloody blonde! "And he won't know at all, I assure you."
"After what I've seen today, I have no choice but to believe him." Dudley said sagely, a tad annoyed. "Ferret that he is."
They rounded a corner, nodding at Madam Hooch, who smiled widely at them. She headed over, humming to herself.
"Last chance, Dudley."
"I rather like being tailless."
Harry watched, half amused as Madam Hooch reached them, offering her arm again. Dudley looked horrified at the prospect; his hand shook as he reached over.
There was a loud crack, and they were gone.
Harry blinked, sighing. What a day.
But at least they had tried.
He had no inclination to head back to the castle.
His 'home'.
Instead, he turned towards the Hogs Head, chest tight, mind hollow.
.
.
.
4.Reconcile with the Dursleys
.
.
.
Harry reached the castle a little later than expected; he wasn't particularly hungry, but he might as well try to eat. There wasn't much noise, thankfully. Most of the students would be in bed.
Harry entered the Great Hall, and froze.
The majority of the tables remained full of students, mumbling as they scoffed down their desserts. The majority; Slytherin table had a sole blonde sitting smack in the middle.
The hall was in near silence.
Harry blinked.
Draco was sitting tall, self-satisfied. He was the only one not sending nervous glances at the head table, or around the room. He was the only one not perturbed. Whatever was going on, he had done it.
Harry headed over, ignoring the whispers and stares. It was almost second nature, by now.
He plonked onto the bench, pulling over the tart Draco had saved for him. "Dudley says goodbye."
"I'll bet."
"Still don't know where Zabini, Parkinson, and Nott are?"
"Not in the slightest."
Harry shrugged, digging into his tart. Treacle. Yum.
"And you had nothing to do with this, of course."
"With what?" Oh yes, because an entire empty table was a usual occurrence. So common, in fact, that the other houses had finished eating, and were waiting out to see the storm. But Draco didn't seem worried.
So, really, what was there to be afraid of?
Harry trusted him.
He ate his tart in silence, and they left in silence when it was done.
.
.
.
The Slytherin Common Room was empty.
"Okay, what the hell is going on?" Harry asked, frozen by the entrance. "Where is everyone?"
"I've spent the day with you," Draco drawled, shrugging. "Am I supposed to keep tabs on my entire house?"
"And you're not worried?"
"They can take care of themselves."
"They don't do anything without your say so."
Draco blinked at that, smirking. If anything, that cheered him up immensely. "Be that as it may, I am as dumbfounded as you are."
Uh-huh.
Harry followed him to the-
What the hell was that?
There was a vile sitting on the coffee table, filled with the common murky brown potion.
He snatched up the note, frowning.
Potter, you forgot to take this today.
Someone else knew.
And, surprisingly, it didn't shock him. There was no panic, no searching for the person, no pleading, no breakdown.
It had been a long week.
So, Harry curled besides Draco on the couch, pressed against vanilla. An arm sneaked over his shoulder, to keep him there. A mouth pressed against his forehead.
And that's how they stayed, until the eerie glow of the lake lightened with the dawn.