Summary/Author's note: I had the idea for this fic (and it's just a one-shot) this morning. Basically, the adult Dursleys still hate Harry, but Dudley has been his friend, advocate, and protector for as long as he can remember.
Harry Potter was made aware of a few things from his early days.
First, his parents had died in a car crash, giving him his scar and leave him to his aunt and uncle to take care of him. Not that they did much of that.
Second, his aunt and uncle hated him for reasons he didn't fully understand. Sure, strange things occasionally happened around him, and it was because of Harry that Dudley only had one bedroom. But that had been Dudley's choice, because on their first day of primary school, they'd learned that while some kids had to share a room, no one's room was a cupboard under the stairs.
That was the third one. His aunt and uncle might hate Harry, but his cousin, Dudley, had somehow decided that--despite their urgings to treat Harry like an unwelcome best at best--his cousin was going to be his best friend.
And if this meant giving Harry his second bedroom, making a fuss if his mum and dad didn't give him enough to eat, nag his mum to buy Harry at least a few clothes that fit him, and even save up his pocket money so Harry could get a proper gift on his birthday and Christmas--well, that was what Dudley was going to do.
Harry knew that his cousin was spoiled even beyond his friends. What Dudley wanted, he usually got. Usually, it was extra treats at the grocery store, or new video games, or the latest toys. Sometimes, he'd share with Harry. Maybe not half of his sweet, but at least some of it. Which, considering how much Dudley liked sweets, was a big deal. Dudley would even ask for Mars bars, sometimes, which he didn't like as much, but he knew they were Harry's favorite. Dudley could also be a bit of a bully. He and Piers and some of the other boys had a gang. Every year, they'd pick on someone new to torment. Their favorite thing to do was shove the boy's head down the toilet, and laugh as he struggled to get up.
It was never Harry. Dudley made sure of that. But Harry always felt bad, even though he wasn't a part of the gang, when he saw the poor kid with wet hair and red eyes afterwards. More than once, he'd try to make friends with the kid, but he knew that Dudley was Harry's cousin, and that either made him angry or scared. Sometimes, both.
So, Harry didn't have any friends, other than Dudley. Even when Dudley demanded that his parents include Harry on trips to the movies or the arcade with Piers, the other boy would ignore him. At first, it hurt, but eventually, Harry got used to it.
If Piers hadn't pushed Harry face first into the glass at the zoo, maybe Dudley would have had a decent birthday. Normally, Harry was left behind with Mrs. Figg, because even Dudley couldn't make his mum and dad include Harry in his birthday celebrations. But she'd broken her leg, and there was no one else. So, much to his delight, he'd been allowed to come along.
The day had started really well. He'd been allowed ice cream at lunch, and getting to see all of the animals had been brilliant. Harry had stayed a bit away from Dudley and Piers. Dudley's best friend sometimes picked on Harry. Nothing like what their gang did, but he'd shove him or trip him or something like that. Usually, in a way that it looked like an accident.
That had been what had happened during the snake exhibit. Harry had been whispering to the snake--how cool it had been, to have a conversation with an animal!--when Piers got bored and shoved him.
It had hurt, too. Not enough to break any bones, but Harry's face felt sore afterwards. And then, suddenly, the glass disappeared, and Piers was trapped inside with the snakes. Because, somehow, the glass managed to reappear once he was inside.
Dudley had thought it was hilarious. Harry got the sense that his cousin had seen Piers shove him, and thought that whatever Harry had done, he'd deserved it.
His aunt and uncle hadn't taken the same viewpoint. To put it mildly.
"You're lucky you're too big for the cupboard, boy!" Uncle Vernon had shouted. "You're going to spend the next month in your room!"
"And no meals for a week!" Aunt Petunia had added, equally furious.
"You can't do that!" Dudley protested. "He'll starve!"
"Rubbish!" Vernon growled.
"Three days, then," Petunia relented.
Harry's eyes widened, but Dudley gave him the slightest head shake. He'd get food to him.
It wouldn't be anything that kept away hunger for long. A few pieces of bread, maybe with cheese. Snacks, since Dudley was allowed to eat in his room. But anything would be better than nothing.
Besides, Dudley knew how to pick a lock. He'd get Harry out once his parents were asleep.
That night, stomach still growing despite the meager amount of food, Harry tried to fall asleep. Not for the first time, he tried to imagine his parents. But all he could remember was green light. He wasn't sure why a car crash would make him see green light, and maybe it was his imagination, but it was there all the same.
Once he finally fell asleep, Harry had the familiar nightmare. There was a man after him, and he looked hideous. A bit like Vernon, only far worse. He woke up screaming before he forced himself to stop.
But then, Dudley was there, holding him. The way he always did after Harry had a nightmare. Whenever HE had a bad dream, his parents welcomed him into his bed. The one time Harry tried, when he was five, he'd spent the next day locked up, without food. Without water, even.
He hadn't tried again.
Dudley always knew, though. Or maybe he heard Harry. Their rooms did share a wall. Dudley would come inside, and crawl into the bed. He was fat, and it was always a tight squeeze. But Harry never minded. His cousin's comfort was the only one he could ever expect. And maybe it was because he was fat, but his hugs felt so nice, and Harry always felt safe afterwards.
He'd stay there the whole night. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, especially Uncle Vernon, made a huge fuss the first few times. But Dudley made such a fuss that they gave in. Or didn't give in, exactly, but ignored it when they saw Dudley's bed empty, and him sleeping next to Harry. When Petunia yelled at Harry to wake up, she pretended she didn't see her son.
"Why do they hate me so much?" Harry whispered, once Dudley had wrapped his arms around him, and Harry had positioned himself so that, while he certainly couldn't move easily, he wasn't in danger of falling off the bed.
"I dunno," Dudley answered, sleepily. "Maybe they're people who can only love one kid."
Harry sighed. "Maybe."
The Dursleys certainly seemed like they only had so much love to go around.
What would happen when Dudley went away to Smeltings? Would they finally see Harry, or, without Dudley to protect him, would things get ten times worse?
He rather thought it would be the second.
At least Dudley had convinced his mum not to dye his old clothes. Harry would have a proper uniform when he started primary school.
It was better than his cousin's uniform. The colors weren't so bad, really, but Dudley had been overweight for as long as Harry could remember, and it certainly showed on his school uniform. Not that he'd say anything. Besides, his aunt and uncle were so blinded by their love of Dudley that they were nearly in tears. Yes, even Vernon Dursley. Harry had to duck his head not to burst out laughing.
For the first month of holidays, Harry and Dudley spent most of the days outside. There was a park not far from their home, and as much as Dudley hated to move around, he did like the swing set. So did Harry, so it was a good thing there were several. They didn't talk much about the end of summer holidays, just tried to pretend that things would stay like this forever.
Because, as rotten as Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were, Dudley was Harry's best friend--his only friend--and he wouldn't see him again until Christmas. It felt like years, rather than just a few months.
"Harry, get the mail," Vernon ordered.
"Make Dudley get it," Harry said, halfheartedly.
"Poke him with your Smeltings stick," Vernon said, a glint in his eye.
Dudley poked the stick in Harry's direction, but missed. Intentionally, of course.
The mail was mostly bills, but in the middle of the pile was something for Harry. It wasn't from the library...it was from a place called Hogwarts. The address even included his bedroom! No stamp, though. How had it gotten through the post? He folded it and stuffed it in his jeans pocket.
Harry handed off the other letters to Vernon, then gave Dudley a knowing look.
"Let's go to the park," he suggested.
"Weren't you there earlier?" Petunia asked. "It's awfully hot, now. Why don't you wait until this evening?"
"No, I want to go now!" Dudley shouted.
"All right, all right, Didlykins!" she amended. "That's fine, go ahead."
"What is it?" Dudley asked, once they were out of earshot. "Mum's right--it IS hot out."
"I got a letter. Look. They even know where I sleep. And see, Duds? No stamp! Isn't that weird?" Harry asked, animatedly.
Dudley frowned, then stepped back. What if it's a creeper spying on our family? You ought to have given it to Dad."
Maybe.
"Can't hurt to read what it says," Harry countered. "C'mon, don't you want to see?"
"Well...all right. But I'm not touching it," Dudley amended.
"Afraid it's from a girl with cooties?" Harry teased, opening the envelope. "Whoa..."
It was from a school for witches and wizards. And Harry had gotten in!
No, it was just a prank. Magic wasn't real. Dudley was right--someone who watched houses, a peeping Tom, had seen where Harry slept, and sent the letter to lure him into his house. Both he and Dudley had been warned about people like that. And while they had never personally known a kid who had gone missing, the news occasionally reported it.
"Yeah, I reckon we better give it to your dad," Harry agreed.
"He'll be furious that there's a creeper nearby," Dudley noted. "If they know where you sleep, they know where I sleep. Maybe we'll have to move..."
"Great," Harry grumbled.
As expected, Vernon and Petunia were furious--but Harry thought they rather seized on Dudley's theory about a creeper living nearby. For the next few days, Vernon got the mail, and threw out an increasingly larger number of letters each time. He'd never been in a worse mood, either.
Finally, they decided to stay at a hotel--but the letters continued. Harry was becoming as worried as his relatives. He knew they didn't care one bit for them, and maybe the creeper wouldn't lay off until they gave Harry to him. Or her. But it seemed like more men kidnapped kids than women.
Vernon eventually rented a shack that didn't look like it had electricity, much less a TV. Dudley didn't even get a room, just a couch. They tried sharing, but if a twin bed was too small, a couch was flat out impossible. Dudley, ever loyal, decided to sleep on the floor with Harry.
"It's your birthday," Dudley said, glancing at his watch, "or nearly." He chewed on his lip. "I didn't get you anything this year. I'm sorry. There wasn't time."
"It's okay. There is a creeper after us," Harry answered. "Or me, anyway."
"Look at the bright side. It could be a murderer," Dudley teased, poking Harry in the ribs.
Harry snorted. "Who's to say it can't be both?"
Five minutes later, Dudley's watch read midnight. As soon as he'd given Harry a hug, there was a crashing noise.
A huge man stood in front of them.
This was not, Harry thought, what he'd imagined a creeper looking like.
The next hour or so passed in a daze. There were sausages, which were amazing, and there was birthday cake, and it tasted pretty good. Not that Harry had had much to compare it to--the last time he'd had cake was at Dudley's fifth birthday party.
Hagrid--the giant creeper who wasn't a creeper after all--told Harry everything as they ate. He was a wizard. Bound to be powerful, too. He was The Boy Who Lived, because the dark wizard who'd murdered his parents couldn't kill him.
And Hogwarts was a magical school, and he'd be starting there in a month.
Dudley wanted to go with Harry and Hagrid to get his school supplies. Hagrid didn't seem like someone who would cave to his cousin's tantrums, but when Harry insisted, he agreed.
It turned out to be Harry's best birthday ever.
Dudley was a bit jealous, although considerably less after he learned Harry couldn't do magic outside of school. ("Don't worry, I won't tell Mum and Dad.")
They spent the next month pouring over Harry's textbooks. Dudley quizzed him, too.
"Growing up in the normal world, you're bound to be behind," he'd cautioned. "You ought to learn as much as you can before then."
This was coming from Dudley, who barely passed each year.
Dudley convinced Petunia and Vernon to take Harry to the train station. "Do you want Hagrid coming back and putting a hole in the living room?"
No, they certainly did not.
When Vernon was about to leave Harry stranded, Dudley refused to move. Not until the Weasley family came by and Mrs. Weasley explained what to do.
Petunia and Vernon stared, stony-faced, but Dudley gave Harry a huge hug before he crossed the platform.
"Tell me everything at Christmas!" he made Harry promise, grinning. "Work hard, but have a great time. Don't let anyone bully you, all right? I'm not here to look after you."
"I will. I promise." Harry hugged Dudley back, fighting the tears. "See you at Christmas!"
And then, the train was off, and Harry felt a mix of nerves and excitement as his new life away from Privet Drive officially began.
The End
A/N: Like I said, just an idea I had this morning. I don't plan to expand on this universe, but if I were to, I figure most things would play out as they did in canon. Harry's summer holidays would just be a lot more bearable!
If you enjoyed this, please let me know!