Going Home With Harry Potter

Chapter 5: The News

After putting a sleeping Draco under his bed, Harry managed to sneak some bandages from the downstairs bathroom to patch up his back. He had experience when it came to dressing wounds. The Dursley's were out of the house again today, meaning him and Draco had the place to themselves. Dudley had 'gone to a friends house', meaning he had gone to the playground with his buddies to smoke and beat up 7 year olds. Harry's aunt was out grocery shopping so she would be the first to get back, which would be at lunch. His uncle was at work, like he usually was on Tuesdays, and he wouldn't be back until 4.

"Draco?" He whispered, figuring he was still asleep. To his surprise, the blond ferret came out from under the bed and looked at him curiously. "We've got the house to ourselves again. You don't have to help me with my jobs like last time, you can sit in the lounge if you want." Harry said, feeling guilty for making Draco follow him around the house the day before. The Slytherin quickly made himself comfortable on his shoulder, however, ready to help.

Downstairs, in the kitchen, Harry took out a ceramic plate and put a piece of bread on it, before placing it in front of the blond ferret. Harry laughed when Draco pushed his plate towards him. "No silly, that's yours." He protested, pushing the plate back across the bench. In response, the ferret sat upright and refused to touch the piece of bread on the dish. "Oh come on, if you don't eat that then you won't get anything else until lunch." Harry pushed, exasperated. Draco shook his head and pointed at the black haired boy. It's your food, you haven't eaten since the last day of Hogwarts!  He exclaimed, forgetting that Potter couldn't understand him. Harry guessed the message he was trying to convey and sighed. "If I have a bite, will you eat the rest?" Draco nodded and Harry, reluctantly, took a bite out of the bread.

"There, it's yours." He insisted, looking a little disgusted. He had trouble swallowing but he managed. Satisfied, Draco ate the rest of it. Much like the day before, they spent it doing work around the house. Or rather; Harry did work around the house and Draco watched, wishing he could help, for once in his life feeling helpless.

The time flew surprisingly fast and before they knew it, Vernon and Petunia were back and as demanding as ever. Harry snuck Draco out of the house and the two of them sat in the flowerbed underneath the open window of the living room, a hydrangea bush as their outside cover. It wasn't very comfortable for Harry, lying on the hot, hard ground, but it didn't matter. The blond ferret and the teen boy listened to the TV, which was playing the muggle news. Harry was listening out for anything regarding the wizarding world and Draco was trying not to complain about the heat. It was the hottest day they'd had so far and the grass had turned yellow and dry.

Draco squeaked when Harry pushed him into the bush, after a loud crack sounded through the neighbourhood. The was a small commotion from the Dursley's lounge and Harry pulled out his wand from the waistband of his ripped jeans. Harry's uncle ran outside and snarled at him to put it away before anyone saw. Draco knew better than to interfere, so he stayed hidden in the hydrangea. Vernon started arguing with Harry about the noise that had sounded like a firing pistol, barely keeping his voice below a shout.

"What were you doing underneath the window?" Petunia asked, clearly livid.
"Yes- yes good point Petunia! What were you doing boy?"  Vernon hissed.
"I was listening to the news." Harry answered truthfully.
"Again?"
"Well it changes every day, you see."

Draco had to do his best not to snort. If he'd known Potter was this sassy, he'd have made more effort to be his friend. Maybe then he wouldn't have been the one to be roasted in 3rd year. Draco started thinking about all the possibilities that could have happened, if only Harry had been his friend. They'd have been inseparable, Draco knew it.

"What are those... owls  doing if they aren't bringing you news?" Petunia said.
"Aha! Get out of that one boy!" Harry's uncle whispered, triumphantly.
"The owls.... aren't bringing me news."
"I don't believe it."
"Nor do I."
"We know you're up to something funny."
"We're not stupid, you know." Said Uncle Vernon.
"Well that's news to me." Harry glowered.

Draco could feel Harry's temper rising and a wave of magical energy from inside the bush and felt a sudden urge for popcorn. The urge vanished when Harry stormed off up the street. The ferret whirled around and waited for the horse-like lady and the pig-like man to go inside, before he raced off in the direction Potter went. He cursed the Gryffindor when he lost sight of him around the corner. He continued running in the same general direction until he became well and truly lost. 'Fuck...'  Draco thought to himself. 'Where did the scrawny bitch go?'  His paws were heating up from the burning pavement and ran into some of the neighbouring gardens so that it didn't burn as much. The blond ferret spent almost half an hour looking around (taking a quick break when he needed to piss), to no avail.

He ran to the end of the street and saw a small playground, where a couple figures were facing each other. Draco's heart lept in relief when he recognised one of the figures. Potter was standing there, by the swings, looking up at a beefy looking boy who could only be Dudley Dursley. Harry still seemed agitated, which wasn't a good sign, but Draco figured that it would provide some entertainment.

Posted: 12th November 2019