Draco Malfoy was nervous and bored as he waited impatiently for his Hogwarts robes and a few new sets of casual clothes to be made, and that made him jittery. He wanted his school robes to look good, but he hated standing still long enough to be measured and wait for Madam Malkin to do her work.

The door chimed, and another boy was ushered into the room. Draco did not recognize him, but he looked like he was around Draco's age. If this was going to be one of his classmates, he needed to make a good impression.

"Hullo," Draco said as casually as he could manage, going for his father's confidently bored drawl, while forcing himself not to fidget. "Hogwarts, too?"

"Yeah," the other boy replied with a smile, sticking out his hand. "My name's Harry."

Draco looked at the extended hand and tried to think quickly. The boy was wearing muggle clothes, had not offered his family name, and Draco had definitely never seen him before. What if he was the sort his father would not want him associating with? He did seem nice, though, and Draco figured it would be easier to back off later if he needed to, than to be rude now, and ruin his chances. He grasped Harry's hand in an enthusiastic handshake. Perhaps he could test the boy's knowledge of the Wizarding World without coming off as rude. "My name's Draco, Draco Malfoy. Do you know what house you'll be in, yet?"

Harry's smile turned wistful. "No, but I'm here with the Head of Slytherin House, and I kind of hope I go there."

Draco's head snapped up. "You know Professor Snape?"

"I just met him last night, but yeah. He's nice."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Nice? I've heard a lot of stories about Professor Snape, but I've never heard him be called nice."

Harry chuckled. "Yeah, alright. He's strict, and a little gruff, but he's fair, and he's good at explaining things, and yeah, he seems nice. He knew my parents, and he's helping me get my school stuff."

Good. If Professor Snape knew the boy's parents from before, then they had to be magical. That was a relief. "Where are your parents, anyways? Why are you here with a professor at all?"

"Oh. My parents died when I was little, and my aunt and uncle were… busy."

Draco winced. He had been so caught up in trying to suss the boy out, that he had missed the importance of the past tense phrasing. His own parents would think him unforgivably boorish and rude, for making such a mistake. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize. Your aunt and uncle must be important if they can get a Hogwarts professor to give you an escort. Especially Snape."

Harry snorted. "Hardly. I think Professor Snape is doing this more as a favor to my mum. Apparently, they knew each other since they were kids."

Draco felt the conversation turn awkward, and plowed ahead before Harry decided that Draco wasn't worth his time. "Well, my mum is checking out wands for me, and father is next door, buying my school books. What do you have left to buy?"

Stupid, Draco. He just told you his parents were dead, and you turn around and talk about how yours are doing favors for you?

"…I'll have to double check my list. I need my books and wand yet, too. And I'd like to get an owl, I think."

"You don't have one, already?"

"No. My aunt and uncle are muggles, and they've always been jealous that I'm a wizard. They tried lying to me about what I am, and how my parents died, and everything. They tried to keep me from going to Hogwarts, at all, but Professor Snape said my parents wanted me to go there, and that wizarding law says they have to let me. They weren't happy about that," Harry finished with a satisfied nod.

That caught Draco off guard. He had been raised by muggles? His father's lectures about the importance of purity sometimes talked about how muggles and mudbloods were naturally inferior, but sometimes they talked about how growing up different, and not understanding the culture, were the bigger problem. Where would Harry fit?

He had better get a little more direct, to be safe. "Your parents were like us, then?"

"You mean a witch and wizard? Yeah. Professor Snape says my mum was really good at charms and potions, and my dad was a really good flyer. I can't wait to try a broom!"

Draco relaxed as the conversation moved to safer grounds. "Oh, you'll love it! I think it's ridiculous that Hogwarts doesn't allow us first years to have our own. I'm definitely trying out for the Slytherin team next year. I'll help teach you to fly, though. Maybe we can be on the team together!"

"I'd like that! It sounds really fun."

The shop's door chimed again, and the voice of Draco's mother interrupted them. "Draco? Are you almost finished, dear?"

"Almost!" Draco answered, happily. "Come and meet my new friend, mum!"

"Hello, Mrs. Malfoy," Harry said politely, with an awkward bow. Draco pressed his lips together so he wouldn't laugh.

"Who is your charming young friend, Draco?"

"This is Harry, Mother. Harry…"

"Oh," Harry blushed, and seemed to curl in on himself. He looked like he might try to make a run for it, but opted instead to shuffle out of Madam Malkin's earshot, and admitted, "Harry Potter."

Draco's jaw dropped open, and for a moment, he was mad. How dare Harry lie to him?! …but then he thought about it, and remembered the times when Draco's family had been swarmed by important ministry people needing to ask his father something, when they were trying to go somewhere, unnoticed.

Harry seemed to sense his temporary tension. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner."

"No, that's okay," Draco said. "My family is rich and important, so I get it."

"Draco," Mother scolded, "don't brag."

"I didn't mean it like that!" Draco insisted, looked worriedly between his mother and Harry. "I only meant that I understand what it's like to want to avoid public attention when we're busy. It must be much worse for you, Harry. I'm not mad, is all I meant."

"It's okay, Draco. I understand," Harry said with a hint of a smirk. Draco could not help feeling that he was being teased, and rolled his eyes.

"Mother, can we go with Harry as he finishes his shopping? He needs his books, and his wand, and an owl, still, and he's new to the Wizarding World, because his muggle aunt and uncle lied to him, so I could help him get the right things, and," Draco gasped in realization, and turned to Harry, "and you're Harry Potter! Today's your birthday! We need to celebrate your birthday!"

Draco's mother chuckled, and ruffled her son's hair. "You make a compelling argument, dear. Your father will be back soon, and we'll ask him, hmm? Who are you with, Harry? We'll have to ask them, too."

"He's with Professor Snape!"

"Let your friend speak for himself, darling," Mother chastised Draco gently. Draco gave a half-apologetic shrug.

"He's right," Harry said. "Professor Snape had a couple errands to run, but he said he'd meet me here, soon. I'm not supposed to leave until he gets back. You don't need to worry about my birthday, though."

"Nonsense. You're a friend of Draco's, aren't you? We can wait here together, then. Are you just here for school robes?"

"Yeah," Harry answered sheepishly, tugging at his muggle clothes. "Do you think I need more than that?"

"A few sets of casual robes would not hurt if you want to fit in, dear, but Hogwarts does not have a dress code outside of classroom and mealtime hours, so your muggle clothes will be allowed, if you prefer them."

"You should get robes like the ones I'm getting!" Draco chimed in. "Madam Malkin has an exclusive contract on them; they're modeled after what the Weird Sisters wear."

"They're girls' clothes?"

"What? Oh, no the Weird Sisters are a band. I have so much cool stuff to show you! The robes are for boys, and they're awesome."

Draco could not stop bouncing on his toes in excitement as he showed the Harry Potter the newest fashion designs, and helped the boy pick out some proper wizarding clothes. He could tell that his mother would tease him about his enthusiasm later, but he didn't care. The Boy Who Lived was laughing at his jokes and talking to him like they were real friends, and he didn't even know who Draco's parents were, really, so he had picked Draco to be his friend all on his own!

"No one said I'd be missing all of the excitement when I offered to pick up your books, son," Draco's father said, in the fake stern tone that always made Draco groan, as he entered the shop. "What's got you so wound up?"

"Father," Draco said, drawing himself up straight, and adopting an important, serious look. "I would like to introduce you to Harry Potter. Harry, this is my father, Lucius Malfoy."

Draco's father blinked, taken aback.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir," Harry said.

"The pleasure's all mine, I'm sure," Father replied with a slight bow. "I'm surprised my son has managed to keep you all to himself. I haven't heard even a whisper that you were in Diagon Alley today."

"I've been trying to keep a low profile, Sir. Professor Snape said shopping would take all day, if people know who I was."

"You're here with Severus? How curious."

"Draco was hoping that we could accompany young Harry as he finishes his shopping… and help steer him in the right direction," Draco's mother said, placing a hand on his father's arm.

Draco's parents were doing that thing where they were having a secret conversation without words, which was always annoying, and Draco opened his mouth to interrupt, but his father beat him to it.

"…yes. Yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea. I'm sure I have a few stories and secrets from my Hogwarts days that Mr. Potter would be interested to hear," Father said, leaning forward to whisper dramatically. "The castle is riddled with secret passages, and I know how to get to the kitchens, for midnight snacks."

"Harry wants to be in Slytherin like me!" Draco said. "We can get to do all sorts of exploring together."

"Does he, now? You want to be a snake, Mr. Potter?"

"A snake?"

"Harry has spent quite a bit of time in the muggle world, dear," Draco's mother said.

"Ah. Well. The snake is the symbol of Slytherin house, Harry. The founder, Salazar Slytherin, could even talk to snakes."

Harry cocked his head. "Can't all wizards talk to snakes?"

"Alas, no. it is an exceptionally rare gift. There hasn't been a parselmouth born in Britain in decades."

Harry got an odd look on his face, like he was trying to puzzle out a lie.

Draco's father noticed it, too. "Are you… can you speak with snakes, Harry?"

Harry nodded. "I talked to a boa constrictor at the zoo. It understood me when I talked to it, and after I accidentally vanished to glass to it's cage, it thanked me, with words."

Draco grinned. "You'll definitely get into Slytherin, now!"

"Is it okay that I talk to snakes?" Harry asked. "It won't make people think I'm a freak, will it?"

"Not a freak, no," Draco's father said. "It makes you special. Wizards who can speak with snakes tend to be very powerful. If you want to continue your low profile, you might want to consider keeping it to yourself for now, until you're sure you're ready for the attention that will come with people knowing."

"We can keep it a secret, Harry! Don't you worry," Draco said, slinging an arm across Harry's shoulders. "Friends keep secrets."

Harry looked a little shaken. "Thanks," he said. "I want to be able to prove that I'm capable of great things on my own. People assume too much about me, already. I don't want to be one big empty promise."

"You can be the second best first year in Slytherin," Draco said with a cheeky grin, "behind me, of course. And Slytherin is the best, so that'll make you the second best first year in the whole school!"

Harry laughed, and some of the tension leaked from his shoulders. "Second best sounds perfect… to start."

The door chime sounded, and everyone glanced surreptitiously at the door, already prepared to shield Harry or lie about his identity, if needed.

"Are you almost finished in there, Pott…sworth?" a tall, dour looking man asked, obviously changing Harry's last name as he noticed that he wasn't alone.

"Very smooth, Severus," Draco's father said with a chuckle. "Luckily for you, Mr. Potter has already graciously decided to introduce himself."

"Lucius. Narcissa."

"Hello, Professor Snape! My name is Draco, and I'm going to be a Slytherin, like Harry!"

"Are you, now?"

Draco beamed with pride. "Yes. I'm going to be on the quidditch team year, and I'm going to be the best first year in every subject. Harry is going to be second best."

"We have a plan," Harry said, backing up Draco's claims, despite his overly amused tone. Draco was serious!

"Well, good luck to you both, then," Professor Snape said dryly.

Draco nodded.

"Severus, we were wondering if we might be able to accompany you and the boy as you finish your shopping," Draco's father said. "The boys have hit it off well, and it seems a shame to stifle them, now."

"Please!" both Draco and Harry said at the same time.

Professor Snape pinched the bridge of his nose. "I suppose that is acceptable, provided you don't go blabbing your identity to any one else. It will give me and Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy a chance to talk."

There was something heavy and important in those words, but Draco could not figure out what. He decided not to worry about it. He had gotten his way, and would be able to spend the whole afternoon with Harry Potter on his birthday!