Authors Notes: Ta da. It's done. Ok, ok, it would have been done MUCH
sooner, but halfway through the chapter, I realized it was horrible, so I
rewrote it. I actually rather like the way it turned out this time. Oh, and
bonus points to anyone who can name the three Squaresoft characters I
mentioned in there, and if you can name all three and their games, I'll
draw you a picture and write you a story. ^_^
The Longest Week. The Last Chapter.
Harry grumbled softly to himself the next morning. After waking up side by side with Draco, Draco had promptly gotten out of bed, pulled Harry out too, stuck him in the shower and then pulled him out. "What's up with you, anyway?" he asked, as Draco dressed him as well in black pants and a green short sleeved polo shirt.
Draco smiled back at Harry. "Well, don't you want to look your best for your aunt and uncle on your last day here?"
"Not really," Harry said, but he got the feeling that it was a rhetorical question that Draco had asked, and did not need an answer at all. Naturally, the thought of that only made Harry a tad worried. Just a tad. Really.
"Come on! I'm going to comb your hair now," Draco added, gently pushing Harry over to the bed to sit on. Draco kneeled behind him and got out a brush.
"What about you, I suppose you need to take an hour to get ready then too?" Harry asked.
"Are you kidding?" Draco took a second to pose and then went back to neatly parting Harry's hair. "I look good all the time!"
"Only with a ton of hair gel," Harry retorted, but Draco silenced him with a kiss on the back of his neck. Harry wriggled around, and Draco stopped for a second, only to lean forward again and bring his lips to Harry's.
He leaned forward more, and Harry accepted the kiss, opening his mouth slightly. Draco didn't waste any time putting his tongue in, and the two sat there, snogging, until Harry gently pushed Draco back.
"Harry," Draco half-whined, half-sighed. "Not only will you not let me continue kissing you, amidst other things, you also messed up your hair."
"You compare wanting to screw me with me messing up my hair?" Harry countered, laughing, "You so need to set your priorities straight."
"I so do have my priorities in order," replied Draco, mock-pouting. "It's just that you and my hair are very close in being the top priority."
"Which one is?" asked Harry, laughing.
"My hair, of course!" Draco joked, laughing as well. He paused. "Of course, you, Harry, but the hair is a close, close second."
Harry sighed, "Gee thanks," but then grinned to show he appreciated Draco's comment nonetheless.
"Quite welcome. Now, let's go down for breakfast, shall we?"
"You mean to make breakfast."
"Yeah, something like that."
Without bothering to ask Draco what he meant by that, Harry followed him down to the kitchen. None of the Dursleys were up yet, so Harry was thankful. Hopefully they'd sleep in, although they didn't very often.
"Well, what should we make?" Harry asked as he wandered over to the cabinets to pull out dishes.
"Now don't you worry," Draco grinned as he spoke, "I've got everything under control." With a casual motion, he got out his wand, pointed, and the table was set up for a breakfast for two, as well as enough food for four people.
"But we can't use magic-" Harry began, and Draco gave him a Look.
"The Great Harry Potter might not be able to, like all his common peers, but I am on a different level," Draco said, smiling to let Harry know he was still joking.
"In other words, you have your father pay off the ministry?" Harry smirked.
"Yeah, more or less," admitted Draco, laughing lightly.
They both ate, talking about random topics until Harry heard a noise upstairs. "Hark."
Draco peered at Harry, asking, "What the hell are you 'harking' for?"
"I hear my aunt and uncle," Harry replied, smiling.
Draco pretended to fall out of his chair in shock. However, when he tried to sit back up, he actually did fall out of his chair, since he had slid it back too far. "Dammit!"
Harry laughed, and then finally helped Draco back into his seat. "So. Would you like to stay hear until my aunt and uncle come down and yell at us, or shall we go out?"
"Wow, you're actually suggesting it?" Draco said, in mock awe. "I am impressed."
"Well, the way I see it. . . tomorrow we're gone, so however mad they get today, it doesn't really matter. Because they know tomorrow we're gone. And they don't want any 'good bye presents' so to speak."
"Oh, right." Draco smirked. "In that case.. ." He drew out his wand again, but Harry stopped him this time.
"Come on, they'll be down in a minute, let's hurry." Harry said. "I'll leave a note for them." He added as he scribbled down a few lines on a nearby piece of paper, and stuck it on the table.
Harry and Draco ducked out of the house via the front door just as the Dursley's came downstairs. They had gone no farther than three driveways down the road before Uncle Vernon's unmistakable roar came, "They up and left us for today? Those damn brats!" He paused. "But the door just slammed, so. . ."
Exchanging a look, Draco and Harry broke into a run, hearing Uncle Vernon leave the house, and yelling after them. After awhile, though, they slowed down and finally stopped running. Because, as Harry said, there simply was no way that Uncle Vernon would - or could - follow them all the way here.
"So, where are we, anyway?" Draco said, looking around. "Each house looks exactly alike."
"Yeah," replied Harry. "This whole neighborhood is like that. The new couple down the block - some guy with spiky blonde hair and a girl with very long brown hair and wine colored eyes - tried to paint their house crimson, and their neighbors made a petition against them, and they couldn't."
"Heh. Harsh."
"They had the cutest little son, though. Spiky hair just like his father, and sandy brown," Harry said, offhandly, more just to fill in time while he looked for a street sign. After finding one, and locating where they were, Harry knew a place that they could go.
"So, where are we off to, Harry?" Draco asked as they started walking again.
"Well, I figured we'd . . . go to the zoo," Harry said brightly.
"The . . . zoo . . .?" Draco replied.
"It's the only place I know of around here. Obviously, my uncle and aunt don't take me out much. At all. In fact, the whole zoo thing only happened because they couldn't find anyone to take care of me while they were gone," Harry said, sighing a little at the memory.
"No kidding?" Draco said, looking sympathetic.
"Yeah. So, if you don't want to go to the zoo, it's ok, I guess. I can understand. I mean, I hardly want to go to the zoo myself, there's really nothing to do and-"
Draco cut Harry off with a light kiss. " Listen. We'll go to the zoo."
Harry smiled softly, but backed away when Draco tried to kiss him again. "Not in broad daylight in this neighborhood. The people will come out with pitchforks if they see two guys kissing, you mark my words."
"You're so . . . " Draco trailed off, not able to find the right adjective. "Amusing, but not in a bad way. Good, but not always. Perfect, but not like your Aunt and Uncle want."
"I'm just me," Harry said, smiling in thanks.
"Yeah," agreed Draco. The two of them set off once again for the zoo, and got there in just under a half hour. However, there was the small problem of entry.
"Damn," Harry muttered, checking his pockets, "I don't have any money. Not that I ever did, but . . ." As he trailed off, Draco pressed a handful of money into his hand.
"My dad doesn't know it, but I have some muggle money. Use it, go on," Draco said.
"Thanks again," Harry said, as they went up and paid for them to get in.
The rest of the day was spent rather uneventfully, as they went from cage to cage, looking at all the different animals. Draco complained quite a few times that the animals there were not really that rare to look at, and that they should really have a dragon there, or, as Draco remarked with a smirk on his face, a hippogriff.
"What do you have against Hagrid anyway?" Harry asked as they looked at the polar bears.
"He's a half giant and he's just.. . insane. What ever he sees as normal is usually pretty damn dangerous."
"Not that your scared or anything," Harry replied, smiling. "Ok, fine. Just don't go out of your way to get him in trouble, ok, and I'll try to talk to him about his 'dangerous creatures'."
"Deal."
After a quick dinner at a nearby burger place, Harry and Draco began the long walk home. Well, it wasn't really that long, but to Harry, each step could have taken a year and he would have been happy; going back to the Dursley's after practically running off was not high on his list of things to do. In fact, besides ramming himself into a hippogriff, it was probably at the bottom of that list.
All too soon, however, the household of 4 Privet Drive came into view, and Harry and Draco were forced to go up to the door, and go inside.
Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were waiting in the living room. Uncle Vernon's face resembled a large plum, or at least, that is what Harry would have compared it to. Purple from anger and rage and possibly worrying that Harry might have cursed the neighbors.
"Where have you been?" Uncle Vernon said slowly, calmly.
Draco glanced from Harry to his uncle, with a bit of a grin on his face. There was no way Harry could lose this one.
"I was on a date. With my boyfriend," Harry replied, just as calmly.
"No, you weren't, you lying brat! You were out trying to do - things - to the neighbors!" Uncle Vernon said, obviously not wanting to say 'magic.'
"I was not, just ask Draco," Harry said.
"I will not, he will just lie like you!"
"He will not and neither am I!" Harry finally raised his voice just a tad.
"Get to your room and stay there until those - those - PEOPLE - come pick you up tomorrow," Uncle Vernon finally sneered, also not wanting to mention the Weasleys who would pick him up for the Quidditch world cup tomorrow.
Harry exchanged a glance with Draco, and they smirked. "Fine," Harry said, and went up the stairs. Draco followed.
They spent the rest of the day in Harry's room, on Harry's bed, doing things that made Aunt Petunia shudder.
The next day, the Weasleys arrived in the morning to pick Harry up, and as Harry and Draco waved good bye to the Dursleys, Harry remarked, "Well, Draco, judging from their expressions, I'd say you really did leave a lasting impression on them."
"Oh, of course I did," Draco replied. "I'm like that."
"Yeah, you are. They won't forget about you for a long time."
'More than you'd think,' Draco thought to himself, stepping into the fire besides Harry, and thinking back to the box of condoms he had 'accidentally' left in the hallway.
And as Harry shouted, 'The Burrow' and stepped into the fireplace, he could have sworn he heard Aunt Petunia saying, "Dudley, what have you got there?" With a pause, and then a screech. "That is NOT candy Dudley! Put that box down right now! I'm going to kill those two!"
The Longest Week. The Last Chapter.
Harry grumbled softly to himself the next morning. After waking up side by side with Draco, Draco had promptly gotten out of bed, pulled Harry out too, stuck him in the shower and then pulled him out. "What's up with you, anyway?" he asked, as Draco dressed him as well in black pants and a green short sleeved polo shirt.
Draco smiled back at Harry. "Well, don't you want to look your best for your aunt and uncle on your last day here?"
"Not really," Harry said, but he got the feeling that it was a rhetorical question that Draco had asked, and did not need an answer at all. Naturally, the thought of that only made Harry a tad worried. Just a tad. Really.
"Come on! I'm going to comb your hair now," Draco added, gently pushing Harry over to the bed to sit on. Draco kneeled behind him and got out a brush.
"What about you, I suppose you need to take an hour to get ready then too?" Harry asked.
"Are you kidding?" Draco took a second to pose and then went back to neatly parting Harry's hair. "I look good all the time!"
"Only with a ton of hair gel," Harry retorted, but Draco silenced him with a kiss on the back of his neck. Harry wriggled around, and Draco stopped for a second, only to lean forward again and bring his lips to Harry's.
He leaned forward more, and Harry accepted the kiss, opening his mouth slightly. Draco didn't waste any time putting his tongue in, and the two sat there, snogging, until Harry gently pushed Draco back.
"Harry," Draco half-whined, half-sighed. "Not only will you not let me continue kissing you, amidst other things, you also messed up your hair."
"You compare wanting to screw me with me messing up my hair?" Harry countered, laughing, "You so need to set your priorities straight."
"I so do have my priorities in order," replied Draco, mock-pouting. "It's just that you and my hair are very close in being the top priority."
"Which one is?" asked Harry, laughing.
"My hair, of course!" Draco joked, laughing as well. He paused. "Of course, you, Harry, but the hair is a close, close second."
Harry sighed, "Gee thanks," but then grinned to show he appreciated Draco's comment nonetheless.
"Quite welcome. Now, let's go down for breakfast, shall we?"
"You mean to make breakfast."
"Yeah, something like that."
Without bothering to ask Draco what he meant by that, Harry followed him down to the kitchen. None of the Dursleys were up yet, so Harry was thankful. Hopefully they'd sleep in, although they didn't very often.
"Well, what should we make?" Harry asked as he wandered over to the cabinets to pull out dishes.
"Now don't you worry," Draco grinned as he spoke, "I've got everything under control." With a casual motion, he got out his wand, pointed, and the table was set up for a breakfast for two, as well as enough food for four people.
"But we can't use magic-" Harry began, and Draco gave him a Look.
"The Great Harry Potter might not be able to, like all his common peers, but I am on a different level," Draco said, smiling to let Harry know he was still joking.
"In other words, you have your father pay off the ministry?" Harry smirked.
"Yeah, more or less," admitted Draco, laughing lightly.
They both ate, talking about random topics until Harry heard a noise upstairs. "Hark."
Draco peered at Harry, asking, "What the hell are you 'harking' for?"
"I hear my aunt and uncle," Harry replied, smiling.
Draco pretended to fall out of his chair in shock. However, when he tried to sit back up, he actually did fall out of his chair, since he had slid it back too far. "Dammit!"
Harry laughed, and then finally helped Draco back into his seat. "So. Would you like to stay hear until my aunt and uncle come down and yell at us, or shall we go out?"
"Wow, you're actually suggesting it?" Draco said, in mock awe. "I am impressed."
"Well, the way I see it. . . tomorrow we're gone, so however mad they get today, it doesn't really matter. Because they know tomorrow we're gone. And they don't want any 'good bye presents' so to speak."
"Oh, right." Draco smirked. "In that case.. ." He drew out his wand again, but Harry stopped him this time.
"Come on, they'll be down in a minute, let's hurry." Harry said. "I'll leave a note for them." He added as he scribbled down a few lines on a nearby piece of paper, and stuck it on the table.
Harry and Draco ducked out of the house via the front door just as the Dursley's came downstairs. They had gone no farther than three driveways down the road before Uncle Vernon's unmistakable roar came, "They up and left us for today? Those damn brats!" He paused. "But the door just slammed, so. . ."
Exchanging a look, Draco and Harry broke into a run, hearing Uncle Vernon leave the house, and yelling after them. After awhile, though, they slowed down and finally stopped running. Because, as Harry said, there simply was no way that Uncle Vernon would - or could - follow them all the way here.
"So, where are we, anyway?" Draco said, looking around. "Each house looks exactly alike."
"Yeah," replied Harry. "This whole neighborhood is like that. The new couple down the block - some guy with spiky blonde hair and a girl with very long brown hair and wine colored eyes - tried to paint their house crimson, and their neighbors made a petition against them, and they couldn't."
"Heh. Harsh."
"They had the cutest little son, though. Spiky hair just like his father, and sandy brown," Harry said, offhandly, more just to fill in time while he looked for a street sign. After finding one, and locating where they were, Harry knew a place that they could go.
"So, where are we off to, Harry?" Draco asked as they started walking again.
"Well, I figured we'd . . . go to the zoo," Harry said brightly.
"The . . . zoo . . .?" Draco replied.
"It's the only place I know of around here. Obviously, my uncle and aunt don't take me out much. At all. In fact, the whole zoo thing only happened because they couldn't find anyone to take care of me while they were gone," Harry said, sighing a little at the memory.
"No kidding?" Draco said, looking sympathetic.
"Yeah. So, if you don't want to go to the zoo, it's ok, I guess. I can understand. I mean, I hardly want to go to the zoo myself, there's really nothing to do and-"
Draco cut Harry off with a light kiss. " Listen. We'll go to the zoo."
Harry smiled softly, but backed away when Draco tried to kiss him again. "Not in broad daylight in this neighborhood. The people will come out with pitchforks if they see two guys kissing, you mark my words."
"You're so . . . " Draco trailed off, not able to find the right adjective. "Amusing, but not in a bad way. Good, but not always. Perfect, but not like your Aunt and Uncle want."
"I'm just me," Harry said, smiling in thanks.
"Yeah," agreed Draco. The two of them set off once again for the zoo, and got there in just under a half hour. However, there was the small problem of entry.
"Damn," Harry muttered, checking his pockets, "I don't have any money. Not that I ever did, but . . ." As he trailed off, Draco pressed a handful of money into his hand.
"My dad doesn't know it, but I have some muggle money. Use it, go on," Draco said.
"Thanks again," Harry said, as they went up and paid for them to get in.
The rest of the day was spent rather uneventfully, as they went from cage to cage, looking at all the different animals. Draco complained quite a few times that the animals there were not really that rare to look at, and that they should really have a dragon there, or, as Draco remarked with a smirk on his face, a hippogriff.
"What do you have against Hagrid anyway?" Harry asked as they looked at the polar bears.
"He's a half giant and he's just.. . insane. What ever he sees as normal is usually pretty damn dangerous."
"Not that your scared or anything," Harry replied, smiling. "Ok, fine. Just don't go out of your way to get him in trouble, ok, and I'll try to talk to him about his 'dangerous creatures'."
"Deal."
After a quick dinner at a nearby burger place, Harry and Draco began the long walk home. Well, it wasn't really that long, but to Harry, each step could have taken a year and he would have been happy; going back to the Dursley's after practically running off was not high on his list of things to do. In fact, besides ramming himself into a hippogriff, it was probably at the bottom of that list.
All too soon, however, the household of 4 Privet Drive came into view, and Harry and Draco were forced to go up to the door, and go inside.
Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were waiting in the living room. Uncle Vernon's face resembled a large plum, or at least, that is what Harry would have compared it to. Purple from anger and rage and possibly worrying that Harry might have cursed the neighbors.
"Where have you been?" Uncle Vernon said slowly, calmly.
Draco glanced from Harry to his uncle, with a bit of a grin on his face. There was no way Harry could lose this one.
"I was on a date. With my boyfriend," Harry replied, just as calmly.
"No, you weren't, you lying brat! You were out trying to do - things - to the neighbors!" Uncle Vernon said, obviously not wanting to say 'magic.'
"I was not, just ask Draco," Harry said.
"I will not, he will just lie like you!"
"He will not and neither am I!" Harry finally raised his voice just a tad.
"Get to your room and stay there until those - those - PEOPLE - come pick you up tomorrow," Uncle Vernon finally sneered, also not wanting to mention the Weasleys who would pick him up for the Quidditch world cup tomorrow.
Harry exchanged a glance with Draco, and they smirked. "Fine," Harry said, and went up the stairs. Draco followed.
They spent the rest of the day in Harry's room, on Harry's bed, doing things that made Aunt Petunia shudder.
The next day, the Weasleys arrived in the morning to pick Harry up, and as Harry and Draco waved good bye to the Dursleys, Harry remarked, "Well, Draco, judging from their expressions, I'd say you really did leave a lasting impression on them."
"Oh, of course I did," Draco replied. "I'm like that."
"Yeah, you are. They won't forget about you for a long time."
'More than you'd think,' Draco thought to himself, stepping into the fire besides Harry, and thinking back to the box of condoms he had 'accidentally' left in the hallway.
And as Harry shouted, 'The Burrow' and stepped into the fireplace, he could have sworn he heard Aunt Petunia saying, "Dudley, what have you got there?" With a pause, and then a screech. "That is NOT candy Dudley! Put that box down right now! I'm going to kill those two!"