A/N: As I am currently working on several multipart stories, but keep coming up against writer's block, I've decided to challenge myself to write a one-shot everyday for the next thirty days. Hopefully that will get the juices flowing. Each day I'll be writing a one-shot (though they may not all be Harry Potter). Here is Day 1's installment.

Warnings: Epilogue-compliant

30-Day Challenge: Day 1
Of Football and Friendship

Draco Malfoy sat on the bench as he watched his son kick a black and white ball around with his best friend. Albus Potter had apparently taken to football while he attended muggle schooling before Hogwarts. He had offered to teach Scorpius during the summer holidays, who in turn had begged Draco to allow these gatherings. Neither Draco nor Astoria was thrilled at the idea of their only son learning a muggle game, but Draco would do anything for Scorpius.

The young blonde's face lit up as he successfully completed a trick Albus had been trying to teach him the past couple of days. Scorpius looked at his father with such accomplishment that Draco had to smile. His son seemed pleased by this response and proceeded to attempt to the trick again.

A chuckle sounded to Draco's left. Harry Potter leaned against a tree and watched their sons play. It was inevitable that these play sessions would force Potter into Draco's company. Neither trusted their child under the sole supervision of the other. Though the end of the war had forced a truce between their rivalry, Potter still provoked some of the old emotional responses in Draco. Now they were complicated by the fact that the man had saved the Malfoys' lives. Still, his company was much preferred over that of his Weasley bride.

Draco shook himself out of his thoughts and glanced at the watch on his wrist. The purchase had been necessary as he would not risk casting a Tempus while sitting in a muggle park. "Scorpius," he called. The young boy turned toward him. "It's time to go. Your mother will be most displeased if we're late to supper."

With a look of disappointment Scorpius picked up the ball and walked with his friend toward the waiting adults. Draco envied the easy friendship his son had with Potter's child. He had once hoped such a friendship would exist with the other father. The anger at that rejection had stayed with him for a while. The situation became further complicated by his own father's dealings with the Dark Lord. Family honor and duty was far more important than Draco's personal desires.

"Mr. Malfoy?" The voice broke Draco out of his memories. The young Potter had been shy with him at first, but after a month of these appointments he had grown bolder in speaking to him. "Can Scorpius come play tomorrow?" These sessions always ended with the same request.

"I'm afraid not Albus." Scorpius looked at him pleadingly, but a small shake of the head halted any protests. "We'll be out of the country for the next week or two." Albus' disappointment touched Draco's heart almost as much as Scorpius' did. "When we return, I will owl your father. If it is all right with him, we will set up a date at that time."

Albus and Scorpius beamed at him, and Draco decided that the pleasure of young children would bring any adult to his knees.

The elder Potter cleared his throat. "Let's be off then Albus. I'm sure Mum will also be getting dinner ready."

Albus and Scorpius hugged each other goodbye, and Draco once again envied how easily his son could display such affection. As he directed his son to an Apparation Point, he promised himself that he would owl Potter as soon as the family returned from Italy. His own circumstances may have prevented a friendship with Harry Potter, but he was not going to let the same happen with Scorpius.

A/N: As I am desperately American, I tend not to use British verbiage because I think I would just sound stupid. However, when I say football in this story I do mean football as the rest of the world knows it. (Because really, how often do players use their feet in American football?) I just thought it would be really silly for Albus to have learned "soccer" in school…

Anyway, hope you liked it. Please leave a review and let me know what you think!