Harry sat calmly on his suitcase in the hall of Privet drive at seven thirty on August the twenty-fifth. He was waiting for his best friend, Hermione Granger and her parents to arrive. He had decided that another visit to Privet Drive from the Weasleys might force Uncle Vernon to pull him out of school. Muggles on the other hand were more up is street. He could hear his aunt and uncle having a whispered argument next door.

"They're weirdoes. The whole lot of them, I refuse to…"

"But Vernon! Darling! The poor parents are in the same position as us. The daughter is just a nasty mistake." Harry ground his teeth. He looked at his watch. It was seven forty. 'Hurry up Hermione,' he said under his breath, 'before I blow up another aunt…'

At that moment there was the hum of a car and the crunching of the gravel outside. Instantly all three Dursley's came rushing out of the kitchen. Dudley waddled upstairs as fast as he could, wailing something about a headache. Pale Aunt Petunia and purple Uncle Vernon stood with fixed smiles in the hall.

"Well boy! Open the door!" Harry leapt up and pulled open the door, running across the garden to where he saw his best friend climbing out of her car. He pulled her into a tight hug, burying his face in her shoulder, suddenly realising just how much he had missed her. He also only then realised he had grown. He had been about her height. Now he was a good seven inches taller than her.

"Harry!" She squeaked, "thank goodness you're okay!" Harry laughed.

"I'm fine Hermione, come on in." They walked arm in arm towards the house closely followed by Hermione's parents who looked utterly terrified. Clearly Hermione had told them something of Harry's past. Harry looked up at Dudley's window and saw Dudley staring wide-eyed at Hermione from his bedroom. He nudged Hermione and pointed to him. Hermione blushed and made a faint sick noise. He laughed.

"This is my Uncle Vernon and my Aunt Petunia. This is Mr. and Mrs Granger and this is their daughter Hermione, the best witch in Hogwarts," Harry said, cheerfully. Uncle Vernon's purple face darkened and his little piggy eyes shot to the neighbours' doors and windows.

"Don't talk about that place outside it, boy," he said through gritted teeth. "You may go." Greeting Hermione's parents politely with a remark about their car he dismissed Hermione and Harry, who immediately ran up to Harry's room, laughing.

"Yeah, they're fairly anti-magic," Harry smiled, pushing his bedroom door open. "Well. This is where I live!"

"Cool. I've really missed you. You know Ron stayed at my house this summer." Harry slid her a look and she blushed and carried on, "But he's gone home for emergency shopping purposes. You know you're taller than him now. You look great actually."

"Thanks, as do you. You saw my cousin ogling from the window and we know he has no manners. You and Ron hooked up then did you?"

"Well, um yes…do you mind? We promise we won't leave you out or anything…"

"No I don't mind at all, I think it's great you guys have actually admitted to each other how much you fancy each other at last. You know, I haven't done my shopping yet and I REALLY need some new clothes. I've grown out of all mine, these are the only ones I've got. Mrs Weasley sent them to me." He plucked at his jeans and his black t-shirt.

"Ew Harry, that's gross. Okay, we'll go shopping tomorrow."

"Thanks!"

"Alright, so you might as well tell me. Who is it now?" Harry coloured and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Who is what now?"

"Who do you have a crush on? I know it's not Parvati still because she told me she asked you out and you said no." Harry felt his face was on fire.

"It's nobody, seriously Hermione." He turned away and felt his cheeks, they were burning hot. He did not want to tell Hermione the new person. Or rather the old person who had haunted his dreams through all his girlfriends. "For once I don't feel like talking about it," he said tiredly, slinging one arm around her and rubbing his messy hair against her shoulder. "It makes no sense to me."

"BOY! GET DOWN HERE, YOU'RE LEAVING AT LAST! BRING THE GIRL!" Harry smiled.

"That will be my charming uncle. Let's go!"

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"Harry? Harry wake up, we're here!" Harry moaned and rolled over, away from the voice. He could hear people laughing. "Harry…"

"I am awake!" he muttered angrily and opened his eyes. He was still in the car. Hermione's parents had got out and were walking around to the boot. Hermione was poking him with the end of her wand. He groaned and climbed out of the car. He stopped.

Hermione's house was a largish, homey affair, very muggle-like and respectable. It stood in a centre street in a small town of nice, homey, muggle-like dwellings. Up on the hill however another house was visible. It was surrounded by forests and tall turrets and towers accompanied the scene.

Tearing his eyes away from the beautiful house he stumbled round to the boot of the car for his case He was just heaving it out when Mr Granger came up behind him and, smiling, said,

"I'll take that." Harry blinked and handed it to him wordlessly. Nobody had ever carried his trunk for him. Not even Hagrid. "Oh and call me Alan and my wife Grace." Mr Granger smiled and Harry couldn't help smiling back. This was going to be a good week, he decided. He picked up Hermione's small travel bag and waited for her as she fussed and fiddled with her things inside the car. When she was ready she took his arm and the walked together up towards the house.

They entered into a large kitchen with a hot stove and warm colours and stone tiles on the floor. There was an island in the middle and cut into this was a hole a bit like a fireplace. Out of this poked a black nose. As Harry entered the nose was raised and a tiny black puppy ran out, banging its head on the top of the hole in excitement. It bounded towards Harry and threw its semi-muddy paws against his shins.

"Taxi!" Grace shouted from her place at the table. Harry looked up, surprised. "The dog's name is Taxi," she explained, smiling at his confused expression. Harry smiled back and lifted the puppy into his arms. It immediately snuffled against his ear, burying its head in his neck, and fell asleep. It sighed with contentment in his ear, tickling.

"Awww he likes you!" Hermione laughed, banging the door closed behind her and dropping her stuff on the nearest chair. "Come with me, dad's taken your stuff to your room."

He followed her up some carpeted stairs. They stopped on the second floor where there were three doors leading off.

"This is my room here…and my parents room here…and in here is the bathroom if you need anything. You're up in the roof-is that okay?"

Yeah that's wonderful. Can I bring Taxi?" Hermione smiled.

"Of course, but just don't bring it into my room, it's frightened of Crookshanks. And you'll have to carry it up and down. My mum has a thing about hairs." As they said all this they were climbing the last stairs to the top floor. Hermione opened the door at the top and they stepped inside. The room was shaped like a doughnut around the stairs with a huge bed in one corner, a huge window on one wall and little else. There was a desk, next to which Alan had left Harry's case and a bedside table and lamp. Next to the window was a table and on it sat Hedwig on a brand-new perch next to her open cage.

"I'm gonna go speak to mum about shopping for you. I'll leave you to get settled in."

Harry lay down on his new bed, laying the puppy on his chest where it promptly went to sleep again, and gazed around at the black walls. This is lovely, he thought. I could stay here forever.

"Harry! It's lunch time!" Harry jumped in surprise and the puppy leapt off him and ran playfully towards the door.

"Whoa! Taxi come here!" The dog stopped at the top of the stairs obediently, wagging its tail in excitement. As Harry reached it, it jumped and latched onto his arm. He picked it up properly and ran down the stairs. He let it go at the kitchen door where it ran in and threw itself into its little hidey-hole.

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I sat curled in my bed wearing only my boxers, taxi already asleep at my feet. Hedwig was gone and I was staring up at the ceiling when I heard a tap at my door and Hermione opened the door carefully, two mugs of hot chocolate in her hand and firmly tied up in a white dressing gown. I pulled the covers over myself carefully.

"Hermione! I'm hardly wearing anything!" She laid down the two mugs of hot chocolate on my bedside table.

"Ron's seen you naked."

"Yes Hermione, but you're a girl."

"I am also a purely platonic friend." I didn't know what to say, so I said nothing. I picked up my hot chocolate and began sipping it. "We're going shopping tomorrow by the way."

"Mmm, great."

"Harry, Ron told me. He wanted me to talk to you about it." I couldn't believe it. I felt so betrayed and shocked. "I just want you to know that-"

"I'm not changing! I've only just accepted what I am to myself! If you can't deal with it then fine but when I hear the word 'friend' I think it means more than someone who will blow someone else off just because they're…you know…"

"Harry, I was just about to say that…I fully support you on this. And…well I've had a talk to Ron and he's coming to terms with it too. I just wanted you to know that in case you ever wanted to…you know… talk about it."

"Oh. Oh Mione, I'm sorry. Come here." Forgetting I was naked, I dropped the covers and held out my arms to her. She wrapped her arms around me and buried her face in my shoulder.

"Mione, I trust you. You know that. I'm just not ready to…talk about the person I have feelings for just yet. I know you wouldn't like…it."

"Just so long as it's not Ron…"

"Ew! He has like squishy bits! No way baby!"

"He does NOT have SQUISHY BITS!"

"Okay Hermione he does not have squishy bits, okay?"

"Okay."

We sat for a while in silence, neither needing to say anything to the other until I couldn't wait anymore and asked her, casually as if it meant nothing to me,

"Mione, who does that house on the hill belong to?"

"Why?"

"Cause I…kinda like it?"

"Oh Harry promise me you'll never go up there. That's where Lucius Malfoy lives."

"And…Draco...?"

"Well yeah, they are father and son."

"Oh…right." At the mention of his name I felt shivers begin to snake up and down my spine. I suddenly felt very hot. Draco Malfoy. Such a beautiful name. Such a beautiful boy. To hide my blush I got out of bed to admire the house on the hill once more.

"Harry it's not…"

"No. It's not."

"Not what?"

"Not what you were going to say."

"I was going to say that it's not very…comfortable living right near the Malfoys. I knew them before Hogwarts you know. I thought they were a weird lot. What did you think I was going to say?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about it."

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Harry woke to Hedwig tapping against the window. He stretched and got up, opening the window for her before pulling on a t-shirt, picking up taxi and wandering downstairs. Grace was alone in the kitchen. She was dressed in a dressing gown with her hair messy, laying out breakfast. There was cereal, toast, bacon, eggs, croissants and yoghurts on it.

"Morning Harry, how did you sleep?"

"Yeah it was wonderful thanks, how about you?" He asked, letting the dog go who immediately ran over to his food bowl and began to eat.

"Oh yes very well thank you. Do come and have some breakfast. My husband is already at work but I should think our Hermione will be up soon. Now you know we've arranged to do a little shopping with you today if that's alright?"

"Oh yes, I've been meaning to ask, is it okay if I pay Hermione back in wizard gold? I don't have any real money to pay her back in."

"That's alright Harry we know a lovely little clothes fitters in Diagonalley that should be fine. Unless you'd rather go shopping in London? It is much easier just to use the Floo network."

"Oh no, that sounds great."

"Well then you tuck into some breakfast and I'll go and wake my lazy daughter up." Harry laughed and reached for some toast and an egg. He felt very peaceful and normal with nobody making a huge fuss about him or neglecting him completely. It was a lovely balance that he hadn't enjoyed since Sirius died. Hermione stumbled in, murmuring a sleepy good morning and sat down at the table.

"Pass me the cereal will you Harry?"

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"Now Draco, I don't want any muck ups. You shall do none of the following. Follow me wherever I go. Put one foot anywhere near knockturnalley. Speak to any-"

"-Mudbloods, Gryffindorks or Hufflepuffs, I know, now can we go father?"

"Yes. Yes we can. Bring some Floo powder." Father waved a hand imperiously at a house elf and I tried to send it an apologetic look as it scurried out of the banquet hall, but I don't think it saw me. Hopefully I would get a chance to see a few people while I was in Diagonalley. The elf brought in the Floo powder, bowed and disappeared so fast I swore he disapparated.

"Follow me then Draco." I took a pinch of Floo powder and followed my father into the fire. I stepped casually out of the fire in the leaky cauldron. My father was already sweeping towards the back entrance amidst uncomfortable stares and muttering. I followed. I always follow. Follow my father and I'll be alright just like he's alright. And I was. I felt wonderfully protected as we strode down the street side by side. I knew we looked impressive in our long, black robes.

"Draco, I shall leave you here. You know the way to the clothes fitters and I want you to buy all the things on this list. You may of course spend the excess on whatever you wish." My father turned and strode away.

The closest shop on my list was flourish and blots and it was into this that I turned first. I had already picked out all my schoolbooks and as heading for the crowded desk when I happened to look behind me and saw the Granger girl push her way into the shop with a woman who appeared to be her muggle mother. Behind them, however strode a tall, black haired boy, with long hair and sleepy green eyes that glanced shyly around the room before resting on me for a second. Just for a second I thought he was going to smile and then the charming eyes flitted away and he began to roam around the shop, picking out the very same books I had.

Pretending to be looking for one more book I wondered over to him and stood directly behind him. God, he was hot. One slim, muscular arm hung loosely at his side, the other was raised, lifting his t-shirt a little to reveal a slim, curvy waist. His black, ripped jeans were slung teasingly low with one pocket hanging of as though it had been clawed away by many desperate girls. His hair fell into his face and little cute curls adorned his neck.

He froze as I breathed against the back of his neck. Then he turned slowly and regarded me calculatingly through his long eyelashes. He was a little taller than me. I leaned closer into him and said quietly into his ear, "Turn back around, the book you're looking for is…there." Under my instruction he had turned around. I stood behind him and, holding one of his hands in mine I guided it to the book I had chosen. Then I let go and my hand slipped the full length of his body back to its place at my side.

I had no idea what I was doing. I shouldn't have even left my place in the queue but I did not want to leave him just yet. Stretching my confidence to its fullest extent, I continued,

"See you later? Say…two? At the clothes fitters?" I licked his ear and backed away before turning on my heel and striding away from the shop. As I left the Granger girl gave me a very odd look and I could not help blushing. Oh, god, what had I just done?

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Harry stood where Malfoy had left him, his hand still frozen on the spine of the book. Mum was looking as confused as I felt and as I looked up at her she said, still not taking her eyes from Harry,

"Don't those two boys hate each other?"

"Well, mummy, apparently not." Walking up to Harry I tapped is shoulder and demanded, "What was that?"

Harry's eyes were unfocused. They turned slowly to me with a strange look in them. His hand still did not drop.

"I don't know if I'm delusional but…I think that was Draco Malfoy…hitting on me…" His hand dropped and his eyes began to focus on mine.

"Well…that's a bit…disturbing isn't it? I mean…you hate Malfoy…even more than I do-right?"

"Oh…yeah sure." Harry was now smiling a stupid, soppy grin like one I had never seen before. "He left his books…and he didn't pay for them yet…I'd better take them to him." And before I could say anything else, Harry had grabbed Malfoy's books and was combing the shop, making a new pile of identical books for himself. "Oh and Mione? Could you check my watch and see what time it is? I've kinda got hands full here."

"It's ten past one if you must know." I turned on my heel and began picking out my own books, astounded that Harry had not told either me or Ron. And now I knew. Now I knew why Harry had made the abrupt switch from girls to boys. Now I knew why Harry never spoke of school any more. Now I knew who Harry's crush was. If it made no sense to him it made even less to me. Draco Malfoy, who had taunted, teased and mocked Harry from the day he arrived in Hogwarts. Draco Malfoy who had tried to get Hagrid sacked and attacked Harry with a snake in second year. Draco Malfoy who was a cowardly, sneering sneak and was following in his fathers footsteps to Voldemort. Okay Harry, whatever you say.

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I was shocked when I entered the clothes fitters to find Malfoy already there, standing up on a stool with his back to me and no shirt on. When I entered he threw me a sneer over his shoulder and announced loudly,

"Oh dear, Potter. I do realise I'm gorgeous but you really must stop following me around." I felt…confused…and hurt until I heard someone laughing softly in the shadows to my left, making me jump. Lucius Malfoy slid into view, his smug face contorted into an extreme expression of dislike.

"It seems you are able to ward of such things as Potter on your own Draco. I can now go and fetch Mr Flizwitters. I'll be back at quarter past two." Much to my disgust he threw a cloak over Draco's exposed back and shoulders and, shooting me one last furious look he swept out of the room.

"Draco…"

"Shhh! don't talk to me. And it's Malfoy, Potter as you'll remember in future." Two seconds past in silence and I was just turning to go when I felt a warmth on my back. "He hadn't gone yet. He has a habit of lurking to see if we're different when alone." The voice was husky and very close in my ear. "When the fitter arrives you have to be on your own stool with your own tape measure like me so…" I whipped around.

The cloak was lying in a pool by the stool and the most beautiful creature stood in front of me, smiling up at me through his bangs. His chest was bare and hairless, defined muscles and stringy bones visible through his soft, pale skin. He was so touchable. But I had never touched a boy in 'that' way. I had never even hugged a boy. Maybe he wanted me to touch him though? Would he mind that I was awkward? Oh shit. Decisions.