Learning Love In A Broken World

Old Feuds Become New Friendships

   Waking up to the alarm charm he had set a very hungover Harry stumbled into the bathroom to shower which, thinking back, he didn't remember the last time he had showered. Maybe when Hermione was here last? It didn't really matter he stunk. When he was showered and ready he apparated with his invisibility cloak on directly into Madame Malkins. Setting the note he had written to madame on her desk she came up to the front a moment after he had apparated probably trying to see what the noise was. She read the note and said, "Alright sir I'll have you step on over here."

He liked Madame Malkins she never treated him differently because of his fame other than giving him the privacy that came with being safe in her shoppe.

Harry followed her to a back room with only 2 boxes to stand on. He pulled the cloak off and stepped up onto the box. Malkins walked into the back back to get the standard size robes. Another loud crack made Harry jump. Madame Malkins rushed through the door to see who it was before poking her head back in. "Harry, dear, is it okay if I have another client come back here? They're rather high profile too no worries about fans or the press."

"Sure." He grunted as a reply. 

She opened the door and to Harry's surprise he saw the blonde head of Malfoy shuffle in and stand on the other box. Never once looking up at harry. "Malfoy?"
Malfoy visibly gulped before raising his eyes to Harry. Harry almost stepped back off the box, this wasn't the Malfoy he remembered at all. Gaunt and haunted looking he imagined he didn't look much better.

POV switch. (Draco)

Draco shuffled in through the door Madame Malkins had opened and headed straight for the box that didn't have a set of feet on it. He didn't look up to see who it was. That was until he heard a familiar but distant voice say his last name in a questioning tone. He gulped and raised his eyes fearing it was who he thought fearing for if it wasn't. Harry potter stood on the box about 3 feet from him. The green eyed boy stepped backwards, almost falling off the box. Draco recoiled as well, this was not the boy he remembered. The boy he remembered was tall, muscular, bright eyed. This boy was still tall and broad shouldered but he had lost a lot of weight and looked drawn tired and ghostly. His normally tan skin was grey toned and pale. They both stared at each other for a few moments in silence before Draco ripped his eyes away from Harry. Harry cleared his throat, "Are you going back to Hogwarts to redo 7th year too?"

Draco nodded. "Did McGonogall tell you what the dorm systems and such would be like?" Harry asked.

"You didn't get the informative flyer after you got the request?"
Harry shook his head no, "I just got my request letter yesterday and found out my robes didn't fit.

"I got mine a week and some odd days ago and got sent a letter with dorm information and requirements like 2 days ago." Holding this conversation was draining and terrifying he didn't know how he was managing to do it.

Harry shrugged "All I need to do is show up I guess. I wonder if the owls had a hard time finding me."

Draco shrugged as well, "The ministry owl asking you to stand at my trial didn't seem to have a hard time."

"They didn't owl, they sent Hermione cause they couldn't find me."

Draco nodded and turned back forward, Madame Malkins bustled in with her arms full of plain black robes in what Harry was assuming many different general sizes. "Harry, try this one first. We can tweak measurements in a moment. Draco take off your long sleeve and try this one."
Draco looked slightly panicked and shook his head no, "I'll leave my long sleeve on, we have to wear them at Hogwarts."
Madame Malkins paused and then just nodded and handed him the lump of black cloth. He pulled it on, trying to ignore the fact that he could see Harry staring at him out of the corner of his eye. When he had it on he glanced at Harry, he had managed to cram his shoulders into the robe but he looked bemused when Madame Malkins asked him to pick his arms up. Draco snickered at the expression on both of their faces when he literally couldn't move his arms.

 Harry's eyes flashed towards him and the snicker died in his throat replaced by a lump of fear. Harry looked him up and down and laughed, "Malfoy your robes are like 4 inches to short!"
"And your shoulders barely fit in yours Potter." Draco replied, laughing openly now. The old banter came back easily enough and it felt good to laugh. He hadn't laughed in so long he had forgotten what it felt like. Both boys settled down when Madame Malkins threw a different size at them both. They both pulled on the new sizes much to Harry's amusement and Draco and Malkin's dismay, the new size she had given Draco was about an inch too short. It was too short but way too big everywhere else. "You look like your drowning in fabric over there Malfoy."
"Oh hop off it Potter." Draco replied smiling.

Madame Malkins went over to pin Harry's robes which surprisingly fit well this time, "I'm assuming you want the Gryffindor colors Potter?"

"Yes Ma'am." And with that she took the robes off Harry carefully and walked over to pin and mark Draco's which needed quite a bit taken off. "Slytherin colors I presume?"

"Yes, Thank you."

Harry and Draco walked over to the counter at the same time. Harry paid then waited for Draco. "I'm sorry if this seems weird but would you like to accompany me to the book store to pick up some of the books I am missing." Harry asked the blonde.

"Sure I have a few things I need to grab really fast."

They both looked out at the busy street, neither wanted to get swarmed with attention. "I have my invisibility cloak." Harry spoke as if it were a normal thing to say.

"You're what now?"

"Invisibility cloak, we can both fit under it to walk the couple shops down." 

Draco paused; he wasn't sure how comfortable he was that close to Harry Potter but he needed books and most stores had anti-apparition wards up so he couldn't apparate. He nodded and Harry pulled out the cloak and helped situate it over Draco. Draco couldn't help but notice the smell; it was pumpkins, soap, and overwhelmingly alcohol. 

"Ready?"

"Yep let's go.'' With that they pushed open the door and sticking to the inside of the sidewalk walked quickly to the bookstore.