Harry collapsed against a low wall in Magnolia Crescent, panting from the effort of dragging his trunk. Whichever way he looked at it, he had never been in a worse fix. He had just done some serious magic, blowing up his aunt Marge, which meant he was almost certainly expelled from Hogwarts. He should have tried harder to ignore aunt Marge's jibes, but he hadn't been able to help himself, not when she was talking about his parents. Harry closed his eyes and hit is head against the wall in frustration. What was he going to do now?

A funny pricking on the back of his head made Harry feel as though he was being watched. He looked around but couldn't see anything. Unable to shake the uneasy feeling Harry reached for his wand.

'Lumos.'

Harry held his wand high and turned towards the fence behind him where he was sure something was watching him. The light spread across the grass and landed on a wide-eyed boy Harry's age with hair that looked almost white in the dark.

Harry would recognise that hair anywhere. What was Malfoy doing in Little Whinging? Malfoy was the last person Harry would expect to see in a muggle town and yet there he was. Harry took a step backwards in shock. His legs hit his trunk and he tripped. His wand clattered out of his hand and landed next to him in the gutter.

Malfoy had looked quite startled when Harry had spotted him but when Harry looked up the usual look of distain was back on Malfoy's face.

'Graceful as always Potter.'

Harry quickly reached for his wand and scrambled to his feet. There was a good chance he would need to defend himself.

'What are you doing here Malfoy?' Harry was surprised at how steady his voice sounded. As if everything else that had happened tonight hadn't been bad enough now he had to deal with Malfoy.

'Umm," Malfoy ran a hand through his hair. Harry noticed that Malfoy seemed nervous. What was he up to? 'I was just walking my dog.'

Harry looked beside Malfoy and was startled by the hulking shape of a large, black dog with wide, gleaming eyes. He'd been so focused on Malfoy he hadn't noticed it earlier. Harry wondered if the dog was some kind of magical companion that would eat Harry if Malfoy told him to. He hoped not.

'Right…' Harry and Malfoy stared at each other. They both clearly wanted to leave but neither wanted to be the first to turn their back. Well, that and Harry had nowhere else to go anyway.

Malfoy's dog wined and suddenly nudged his head against Malfoy's arm. Then Harry swore that it gestured towards Harry.

'No,' Malfoy told the dog firmly with a glare.

It looked as though the dog glared back. He barked loudly.

'Oh my God! Shut up!' Malfoy hissed. 'Fine,' he said.

Harry looked between Malfoy and the dog in confusion.

'Potter come with us.'

Harry's mouth dropped open. 'What?'

Malfoy rolled his eyes. 'We saw you blow up that muggle woman.' Malfoy's lips twitched he seemed torn between appreciating seeing a muggle hexed and not wanting to enjoy the magic because it had come from Harry. 'You have nowhere else to go so come with us.'

Harry laughed hollowly. Malfoy glared back.

'What's your brilliant idea then Potter? Roll your trunk all the way to whatever hovel the Weasley's call their home? Even I know they're in Egypt, believe me I've heard all about it.'

Beside Malfoy the dog growled.

Harry looked from the dog back to Malfoy. He bit back the angry comment he would have liked to make after Malfoy's comment about the Weasleys, after all Malfoy had a point. Harry really didn't have anywhere else to go. There was one problem…

'Malfoy, even if I was stupid enough to think that was a good idea, your father hates me, I'd be murdered in my sleep.'

Malfoy glared. 'If you must know Potter I'm not staying at home. I'm staying with a relative, one who actually does like you.'

Harry thought hard, trying to remember if he'd met any of Malfoy's relatives. He couldn't recall.

'Why?' Harry asked.

'None of your business,' Malfoy snapped. The dog nudged him again and Malfoy sighed. 'He needed help and I was taught not to abandon family. Although father probably didn't mean for that to include disowned, reckless, Gryffindor idiots.'

The dog made a strange sound, Harry stared in shock, was the dog laughing?

'What does it matter?' Malfoy asked. 'You really have no choice.'

Harry considered Malfoy's words. He was right, Harry didn't have any options. The Ministry might be after him right now and there was no one else who could help him. Maybe Harry could spend the night at Malfoy's and then try and find a way to contact Hermione in the morning. He was sure that, criminal or not, she and Ron would want to help him. He just had to survive the night.

Harry took a deep breath and nodded. 'OK.'

Malfoy's face screwed up, he looked as though he would have preferred Harry to decline the offer.

'Great,' he said sarcastically. 'That's fantastic. So I guess it's back to the poor people bus?' the question was directed towards the dog.

Harry wondered if Malfoy was losing it. He could have sworn the dog nodded back. Maybe he was losing it.

Malfoy frowned and reached for his wand. There was a deafening bang that made Harry raise his own wand. Before he could do anything else a bright light appeared. When Harry's eyes adjusted, he saw a purple bus had appeared out of thin air in front of them. Malfoy rolled his eyes at Harry but didn't say anything else as he walked on board.

The dog gave Harry a bright smile before he followed Malfoy.

Harry blinked stupidly for a moment before he hurried after them.

'Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for…'

'Grimmauld Place,' Malfoy interrupted the conductor.

'Oh, it's you again,' the conductor didn't seem pleased, 'and this time you're bringing a friend back.'

Harry startled at the conductor's words, had Malfoy been watching him for a while?

'That's none of your business,' Malfoy snapped before he turned to find a seat. Harry noticed he chose a seat that was as far from the other passengers as he could manage.

Harry smiled apologetically at the conductor and went to sit with Malfoy and the dog. Malfoy was glaring at a hole in the seat while the dog watched Harry with a large smile on his face.

'Stop staring,' Malfoy said looking towards the dog. 'You're going to creep him out.'

Harry shifted in his seat. He hoped that Malfoy's mysterious relative wasn't as insane as Malfoy. It was only one night he reminded himself. He only had to survive the night.