It Doesn't do well to Dwell on Dreams

Chapter 2

As Harry approached the playground, he slowed to a walk. He looked around and tried to get a glimpse of just who wanted to meet him. When he didn't see anyone it occurred to him that it might be a prank, not an attack or someone who genuinely wanted to talk to him. Just as he turned to leave, he heard a voice calling his name.

"Harry! Wait! Don't go!" The voice called. It sounded familiar, but Harry couldn't place just where he had heard it. Harry turned around and saw a twelve, maybe thirteen year old boy with platinum blond hair and stormy grey eyes standing by a tree.

Malfoy.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Malice laced his voice. So it was just some cruel joke. Malfoy flinched away and bowed his head slightly.

"I asked you to come here so I could apologize." Harry's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Malfoy wanted to apologize?

"What?"

"I said I want to apologize." Malfoy repeated.

"Ha, that's likely." Harry turned to leave again when Malfoy ran forward and seized his wrist.

"No, really. Why else would I send you that letter?"

"Oh, I don't know. To make fun of me? To terrorize me? To curse or hex me? You've done all those things in the past, so why should I believe you won't now?" Harry ranted.

"I-I'm sorry..." Tears welled up in Malfoy's eyes and rolled down his cheeks. His shoulders shook with silent sobs. For some reason, Harry had the overwhelming urge to comfort the boy. "Father forced me to. He said if i couldn't befriend you, I would assert my dominance and antagonize you. I'm sorry..." Malfoy whispered.

'Has his father done anything else to him?' Harry wondered. Malfoy covered his face with his arms and wiped away the tears still rolling down his cheeks. After calming down a little Harry was asked a question he never thought he would be asked.

"Father disowned me when I told him I wanted to apologize. Do you mind if I stay with you? I know we're not even friends, but all my friends only wanted to be my friends because of the money and all that. I didn't know where else to go, so..." He trailed off.

"Let's start over. I'm Harry. Harry Potter. I'd like it if we could be friends." Harry stuck his hand out to Malfoy. Malfoy shook Harry's hand.

"Let's." They let go.

"A fair warning though, if you do decide to stay with me, stay out of everyone's way. Especially Dudley and his lackeys. And absolutely no magic. Not even mentioning the word."

"Who's Dudley? And those muggles you live with know about magic, so why can't we talk about it?"

"Dudley is my cousin. He's really fat and if he decides to body slam you, you're in for at least a few broken bones. I learned that the hard way. As for the 'no magic' rule, my relatives hate magic. If you really are a self-preserving Slytherin, it's better not to mention it, let alone use it." Harry grimaced. The last time he mentioned magic he got four days with little to no food.

"Got it. Stay out of everyone's way and no magic." Malf- no, Draco nodded.

"Good. Follow me, the house is this way." Harry led the way back to Number 4, Privet Drive.

"Why are you barefoot, anyway?" Draco asked.

"Uncle Vernon said Freaks don't need shoes. By 'freaks' he means witches and wizards." Harry answered.

"That's awful..."

"It's not like I have anywhere else to go." Harry said. "I've learned to live with it."

'You shouldn't have to...' Draco thought as the conversation ended. The brunette wandlessly unlocked the door and ushered the other wizard inside. They skipped the second step and hurried into Harry's room.

"Do you mind sharing a bed? I'm unsure I'll be able to transfigure something into one."

"Under any other circumstance, I would say no. But, I really have no other option."

"Thanks for not making a big deal over it."

"No problem."

"The muggles will get suspicious if you keep wearing those robes. All I've got are too-big t-shirts and baggy jeans and sweatpants, but it's better to keep the muggles from noticing anything abnormal." Draco nodded in agreement. "Here, that's the best I've got." Harry handed the blonde a pair of sweatpants with a safety pin in one side so it could fit a smaller frame and a green long sleeve t-shirt that was about one size too big for Draco.

The boys changed, Harry put on a different pair of sweatpants and a deep red short-sleeve t-shirt. Draco donned the clothes Harry gave him.

The two of them clambered into the small bed and fell asleep rather quickly, considering everything that had happened in the past half-hour.