"You have something to drink for me in the back?"

Martin had turned in the passenger seat.

"Yes, sure, here you go"

Harry handed him the 4 liter plastic bottle they had bought earlier that day. It was nearly empty after 6 hours on the road. Thomas waved from the driver's seat to gain his attention.

"The Canadian border is now a couple of miles ahead. We should arrive at our hostel in one hour. You alright?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Driving is good so far?" Harry replied.

Thomas gave him a thumb up and a smile in the rear mirror. The three PhD students were on a road trip up the east coast of the USA, starting after a conference they had attended a few days before. Harry looked out of the window. Green lawns and white cottages drifted past and occasionally he caught a glimpse of the ocean, dark blue in the dwindling evening light.

Suddenly Thomas braked and drove to the side of the road.

"What is it?" Harry asked, craning his neck to see up front.

Thomas turned back to him. "There is a hitchhiker by the road. You mind company back there for some of the rest of our ride today?"

Harry shrugged. "That's Ok with me", he answered. He saw Martin drawing down the window and speaking to a young guy their age with platin blonde hair. After a few moments the electric doors of the van opened, revealing the hitchhiker who hoisted a gigantic rucksack in the back behind the first row of seats and hopped on board besides Harry.

"Hi, I am Draco Malfoy", the man greeted him, extending a hand.

Harry shook it, smiling politely into the grey eyes that pierced him from under a blond curl.

"Harry"

Draco grinned widely in return, flashing white teeth in his face tanned by the summer sun.

"Hey guys, thank you for having me, really. I have been standing at this corner for two hours now and already given up to get a lift today. It's great!"

"We are only going as far as the border", Thomas informed him.

"Yes, that's fine for me. Martin here told me you were staying at the Inn at the Wharf. I am going to stay there, too, as long as they still have rooms available. Sounds perfect!" Draco bounced up and down on his seat. "So… what are you guys doing? Holidays?"

The usual explanation about the conference and there prolonged stay for a week of holidays followed, Thomas and Martin sharing most part of the conversation, Harry staying mostly out of it, being kind of tired.

"So, you are some computer guys, aren't you? Well, that's nothing for me, really. I prefer being outside, feeling the sun on my skin. Nothing keeps me in front of a machine. I am more of a practical person. I work as skiing teacher during the winter and do basically everything in the summer: painting, mowing, repair work… it pays, if not much. But what is money if you are free to do what you want to, right?"

"Sounds pretty awesome", Martin said and Thomas nodded.

Draco turned to Harry. "So, Harry, you content with this computer stuff? Never felt the need to do something else, be your own boss, just hit the road whenever you want? I bet you could get some good money out of some hard physical work, judging from these muscles, mate". He laughed loud and playfully bumped a fist into Harry's upper arm.

Harry frowned and sighed but did not feel up to explain. "Yeah, I am pretty happy with it, thanks", he answered, turning to watch a few houses pass, glowing orange in the setting sun.

The conversation went on like that but Harry listened only with half an ear and Draco did not address him anymore, seeming to understand that he wanted to be left alone.

At last Thomas steered the van in the parking lot in front of a white one storey house at the seaside.

"Well, you guys know that this is the handicapped parking lot, right?" Draco asked, grinning. "You might wanna park somewhere else, people get kind of funny with this kind of thing around here. Yeah, well, maybe these handicapped people never show up but still-"

"It's OK", Thomas replied, turning off the engine and stepping out of the car.

Draco shrugged and turned to Harry, shaking his head mildly. His grin however froze as his eyes turned to the pair of crutches Harry had collected from behind his seat.

Harry ignored him and pressed the button at the side of the doors that made them open automatically. As the door slid open he leaned forward and placed the crutches at the floor outside, leaning them against the doorframe. He raised the left arm rest and grabbed the handle at the ceiling with his right hand, pulling himself closer to the open door. When he reached for his legs to turn them towards the doors manually, he felt Draco's eyes in his back. He turned around and the other man hurriedly closed his mouth that had been shaping a surprised o and finally looked away. Harry rolled his eyes and presumed the tedious task of getting his body out of the van. When he had his legs placed appropriately and pulled himself at the edge of the seat he took one of the crutches in his left hand and grabbed the handle at the door with his right. Slowly he let himself slide out of the car, only stopping shortly when the crutch connected with the ground to make sure it was placed safely before putting more weight on it and placing his feet on the gravel.

Thomas handed him the other crutch as he passed bye with his luggage and Harry gave a grunt as a thanks, shifted his weight to release his grip on the car handle. Thus propped up on two crutches he made his way around the car towards the narrow walkway leading to the dimly lit entrance of the hostel. His legs were stiff after sitting in the car for such a long time and every step sent little jolts of pain up his lower body. His feet dragged on the ground and he frowned in concentration when he placed his crutches on the uneven ground.

"You want your chair, Harry?" Martin asked from behind, walking around the car on the other side, managing the task of pulling both their luggage with his left hand and pushing Harry's wheelchair with his right at the same time.

"No, I'm Ok", Harry answered although his legs screamed the opposite at him.

Draco had finally got his wits together, managed to get his rucksack from behind the back seat and was now standing beside Martin. Harry resumed his painful walk down to the entrance of the hotel, very well aware of one pair of grey eyes following his ungraceful steps.