First Place - Action/Adventure


Chapter Seven
Appearances




Only about a quarter of the students were in the Great Hall when Harry and Draco arrived. Crabbe and Goyle were already waiting for them at the Slytherin table and Harry breathed a sigh of relief. Harry waved to Ron and Hermione as he went to sit down. They waved back, but unfortunately, the other students had quieted down their chatter and were watching Harry warily.


As the Great Hall quickly filled with students, Harry fixed plates for himself and Draco. Pansy and Millicent arrived and sat down across from them, but they seemed to have learned from that morning and they didn't say anything that would upset Draco. Instead, Pansy asked Draco questions about classes that morning. Blaise slipped in ten minutes later and he chatted with Draco about the exploring they'd done earlier in the afternoon.


No one in their group said anything to disturb Draco and the little boy was finally getting to eat a meal in peace. Harry, however, was very aware of all the stares directed at him and all of the whispering going on throughout the room. He should have been hungry but he didn't really have an appetite as he thought about all that had happened that afternoon.


There was just too much that had happened with no time to process it all. Right at the moment, he was sitting at the Slytherin table, of all places, eating dinner with a four-year-old Draco Malfoy. Somehow he was getting along with Draco's friends and even Snape, for that matter. Being stared at and talked about wasn't unusual in itself, but the reasons for it were highly unusual. The displays of magic he'd performed in the two common rooms were likely to be talked about in the school for a long while.


The main reason for his lack of appetite, though, had to do with the fact that he was so upset about what had happened to Draco. Harry just couldn't believe that any father could do something like that to their child. He wondered what all else the man had done to Draco over the years. He quickly diverted himself from those thoughts before he could work himself up again.


He sat there quietly, just picking at his food, as he tried to focus again on the conversation Draco was having with Pansy and Blaise.


"Are you not eating because they're all staring again?" Draco asked quietly.


Harry chuckled ruefully. "Not really. I was just thinking," he answered. He glanced around to all the staring students. "I'm afraid that I'm kind of used to being stared at. I've learned to just do my best to ignore it."


"Why are they staring?" Draco asked quietly.


Harry ruffled Draco's hair. "They're all just wondering how I got so lucky getting to be the one to take care of you," Harry said smiling.


Draco eyed him suspiciously. "You're teasing me," he accused.


Harry grinned. "Maybe, but I still think I'm lucky. Finish eating, then maybe Blaise will help us gather up some of your things to take up to the tower," Harry said.


"Sure I will," Blaise said cheerfully. He leaned over and whispered conspiratorially to Draco. "I already talked to the house elves and your sheets and blankets should already be on Harry's bed by now," he told the boy with a wink.


Draco's face lit up. "Thank you!" he exclaimed.


Pansy looked at them questioningly, but didn't comment - whatever made Draco happy.


That was the same sentiment that Harry was going with - whatever made Draco happy. With that in mind, Harry made more of an effort to eat his dinner. He was rewarded when Draco gave him a big smile.


Aside from Harry's wayward thoughts and the constant stares and whispers, dinner actually went better than Harry ever thought it would. Afterwards, Harry and Draco headed back to the Slytherin dorms with Blaise.


Draco climbed up happily onto his old bed that now had regular sheets and blankets like the other beds in the dorm.


"So, let's take a look around here," Harry said. "What should we take upstairs with us?" he asked.


"Can I take a dragon with me?" Draco asked hopefully.


"I think you should be able to pick out at least a couple of them," Harry said, ruffling Draco's hair. "Maybe you can pick out two that you like right now and then Blaise could tell you which ones are the favorites of your sixteen-year-old self."


"Sure," Blaise said agreeably. "Come here and I'll hold you so you can see them, and I'll tell you what I know about them." He held his arms out to Draco, who willing went into Blaise's arms so he could see better.


Harry wandered over to the other wardrobe and opened the drawer that he'd seen Blaise snag handkerchiefs out of earlier. "Merlin, you weren't kidding," Harry muttered.


Blaise glanced over and smirked. "I told you he had plenty of handkerchiefs. You're using them for him, so you might as well take them," he said.


Harry gave him a wry look and proceeded to grab handfuls of handkerchiefs from the drawer. He set them on the bed, then went back to check out the other drawers out of curiosity. If nothing else, maybe he could get some ideas of what to shop for on Saturday. Harry knew he had absolutely no fashion sense. Then again, that's where Blaise was going to be helpful. He not only seemed to have some fashion sense, but he also knew Draco.


Harry grew more and more amazed as he opened each drawer. In the top drawer, along with the handkerchiefs, were two compartments containing the other finishing touches, the tie tacks and cuff links. He discovered rows and rows of neatly color-coordinated socks and silk boxers. In another drawer he found numerable pairs of silk pajamas in various colors. His search also revealed a drawer filled with thicker winter socks, some warm, soft wool pajamas and several of the green and silver scarves worn by the Slytherins. Harry snagged a couple of those for Draco and added them to the pile of handkerchiefs on the bed.


"Well, Draco, you certainly are ... organized," Harry said.


"Wait until you see the other wardrobe," Blaise said smirking. Draco was clutching a small dragon and Blaise placed it on the bed for him before they moved to the other wardrobe.


Harry took a deep breath in anticipation of what he would find in the other wardrobe. He slowly pulled open the wardrobe doors and stared dumbfounded at the contents. The wardrobe simply had to be magically enhanced for everything to fit. The wardrobe was packed, but it was obvious at first glance that it was all very well organized. Everything was hung with extreme neatness, everything very precise.


Things were arranged by type of clothing and then by color. There were shirts, then trousers, then robes hanging neatly. It was also obvious that everything was of very high quality. Much of it seemed to be silks or fine wools. Included at the end were a couple of very fine dress robes. Harry was sure that much of it, if not all, was tailor made especially for Draco.


Draco already had one of his Slytherin robes shrunk down to his current size, but Harry snagged a couple more for him. He was going to be small for the next four months and it wasn't like Draco didn't have enough of them.


There were two more drawers at the bottom of that wardrobe and Harry opened them to find several jumpers folded neatly.


"Doesn't Draco have any normal clothes?" Harry asked, sounding bemused. "You know, something that is at least slightly less formal? I know he doesn't like Muggles, but he should at least have some comfortable jeans."


Blaise nodded to the corner with his head and Harry realized that there were a couple of trunks almost hidden by the cloaks that were hanging from hooks higher up on the wall. "Open up the first one," Blaise said with a wicked grin.


Harry raised an eyebrow in interest and moved to open the trunk Blaise had indicated. As soon as he began to lift the lid, the smell of leather began wafting into the room. Harry's eyes widened in pleased surprise when he saw the contents inside. There were a few pairs of Muggle jeans like Harry had asked about and even a few Muggle shirts, some t-shirts and some that appeared to be a mesh material.


But the real prize was the leather. There was a leather jacket as well as a leather trench coat. What Harry found most interesting though were the leather trousers. Harry would love to have a pair of his own. Harry picked up a pair of black leather trousers and closed his eyes, imagining the older Draco wearing them. That was a sight that he'd like to see.


"Draco wears them sometimes when we have parties in the common room," Blaise explained. "Try them on," he said.


Harry looked at him confused. "I couldn't do that," he protested.


"Sure you could. You obviously like them and I think you and Draco are about the same size, so try them on," Blaise said encouragingly.


"But they're Draco's, not mine," Harry objected.


"So," Blaise said with a shrug. "It's not like he's going to be wearing them for awhile. Besides, he's got plenty."


Harry looked torn. "I don't think Draco would like Harry Potter trying on his clothes," he protested weakly.


"Well, I'm Draco and I say you can try them on if you want to," Draco said haughtily.


Harry gave Draco a small smile then gave in to what he wanted to do anyway. He quickly toed off his trainers as he unbuttoned and shrugged out of his robes. He took his own trousers off and then shimmied into the leather trousers. Buttoning them, he moved to stand in front of the mirror to see how they looked.


Blaise had been right and they fit him well. Harry had a pleased grin as he admired the leather trousers. Blaise had been flipping through clothes in the wardrobe and passed Harry a long sleeved emerald green silk shirt.


"Try this on and leave it un-tucked," Blaise commanded, then moved to crouch down beside the bed, digging underneath.


Harry just shrugged and did what he'd been told. He slipped his t-shirt off and pulled on the silk shirt, buttoning it up.


Blaise let out a sound of triumph and Harry turned to see what the big deal was. "Step into these," Blaise commanded, pushing forward a pair of black dragon hide ankle boots.


Harry gave Blaise a look of protest, but Blaise just pointed to the boots commandingly. Harry sighed and sat down on the bed to put them on. Once they were on, he stood and took a couple of steps. They actually fit well.


Suddenly, Blaise let out a low wolf whistle. "Merlin, Harry. You sure do clean up well," he said in appreciation.


Harry looked at him in surprise.


"You look great!" Draco declared.


"Thanks, angel," Harry said, smiling gently at Draco and ruffling his hair.


Harry moved back to the mirror and then just stared at his reflection. "Wow!" he breathed. "I actually do look all right."


Blaise chuckled. "You look more than all right. You look fantastic. And the green is a good color on you because it matches your eyes." Blaise eyed Harry critically. "You'd look even better without your glasses though, I think."


Harry shrugged. "Probably. I've thought about getting contacts, but I haven't been able to do much about it."


"What are contacts?" Blaise asked with a look of confusion.


"They're thin pieces of plastic that go directly on your eyes. They correct your vision just like glasses do, but no one can see them," Harry explained.


"Oh. Well, why haven't you gotten any, then?" Blaise asked.


"There's no way that I could talk my relatives into taking me to get any, and they certainly wouldn't pay for them," Harry explained. "Besides that, I'm here at Hogwarts most of the rest of the year and any other time I'm under so much damn protection that I can't move anywhere," he said somewhat bitterly.


"Okay, the protection I understand and Hogwarts I understand. But I don't understand why your relatives wouldn't take you and you've got about as much money as Draco with the Black vaults," Blaise said in confusion.


Harry blinked in surprise. "I have as much money as the Malfoys?" Harry asked incredulously.


Blaise smirked. "Yeah, that's why I was so shocked in Dumbledore's office this afternoon. But anyway, you've had access to the Potter vaults all this time, too. You've got more money than you can spend, so why couldn't you get some simple contacts?"


Harry sighed and looked over at Draco, who had given up on their conversation and was quietly playing with the dragons he'd picked out to take upstairs. Harry really did understand how Draco could be motivated to relive four months of his childhood under better conditions.


"It's a long story," Harry said to Blaise. "But basically my relatives hate me and have always considered me as the burden they never wanted. Muggles in general are good, but my relatives are the type to give Muggles their bad reputation. They don't give me anything unless extreme necessity requires it. And I do mean extreme necessity," Harry said bitterly. "I wear my fat slob of a cousin's old clothing, and that's about all I get from them. I get enough food to keep me alive, I suppose," Harry added thoughtfully.


Harry was lost in his own thoughts as he tried to describe the basic reasons to Blaise and didn't notice the look of horror that crossed Blaise's face. Harry just continued on.


"They're also a greedy lot. I don't dare let them know I have my own money or they'd find a way to take it from me. They are my guardians, after all, whether I like them or not. Even if I had a chance to buy myself new things, I'd never take them to that house and I'm required to go there every summer. For my own protection," Harry mimicked, pulling a face.


Blaise didn't look happy but he was starting to look like he understood. "You've never shopped for clothes in your life, have you?" he asked, with a sweeping gesture at all of Draco's clothes.


Harry snorted. "No, not once, unless you count getting my school robes, but that's it. I've learned not to care much. I didn't have much choice to do otherwise. It's not like I've got any fashion sense anyway," Harry added humorously.


"Keep what you're wearing," Blaise said decisively. "You can wear it when we go shopping on Saturday. And when we go shopping, we're getting clothes for you, as well as Draco."


"Like Snape would ever allow time for that," Harry scoffed.


"He's going to have to," Blaise insisted. "Besides, with you being the same size as Draco, it'll make it easy," he said slyly.


"Why's that?" Harry asked suspiciously.


"Because all the shops know Draco and his sizes. All I have to do is tell the shop owners to gather up clothing that Draco would approve of and they'll essentially do the shopping for you. All you'll have to do is pay for it," Blaise smirked.


"But I wouldn't even be comfortable in so much formal clothing like Draco," Harry protested in horror at the very idea. Draco looked good in them, yeah, and he could pull the look off well, but it wasn't the look for Harry.


Blaise just waved his hand dismissively. "You can get a few formal clothes, but I admit it's not your style. We'll just ask for more casual clothes and they do know Draco at one Muggle store at least," Blaise said, gesturing to the still open trunk in the corner.


Harry sighed in resignation at the idea of shopping for himself, and then he brightened a little. "I won't have to wear Dudley's clothes all year," he said in wonder.


"Nope! You're going to finally have your own wardrobe," Blaise said with a grin.


Harry grinned as well. "I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the idea of shopping for myself, but maybe I could get used to this idea."


Blaise gave him another sly look. "Also, remember you're taking care of the number one fashion critic in Hogwarts for the next four months. It's not going to hurt to have his sixteen-year-old self essentially giving you fashion advice through the shop owners. When said sixteen-year-old self is back to normal, he'll likely be appreciative of you dressing in better clothes. Sounds vain, but that's Draco," he said with a shrug.


Harry grimaced. "You're right. I'm not sure I really want to think about how he's going to feel about all this four months from now."


They both turned to watch the little boy who was still playing quietly on the bed. "I don't really know how he'll react," Blaise said softly. "But I do know that already you're doing a lot for him. You're good for him."


"I'm trying," Harry said just as softly. Then he glanced at the bedside clock. "Actually, I need to be getting this little boy upstairs, cleaned up and ready for bed. We've been down here for a long time and I didn't realize it was getting so late already."


"You haven't gone through his other trunks yet," Blaise protested.


"I'm not really sure I'm comfortable with going through his personal trunk," Harry admitted. "Just like I didn't go through the things in his bag."


"You didn't go through his bag?" Blaise asked in surprise.


Harry shook his head. "No, it just didn't feel right. I can't see the sixteen-year-old Draco approving, of me especially, prying into his things."


Blaise shook his head ruefully. "Just when I get to thinking you'd make a good Slytherin, you behave like a noble Gryffindor."


Harry smirked. "I never said I couldn't do both."


"You can't do both!" Blaise objected.


"Why not? It's what I'm doing," Harry said with a mischievous grin. "We'll discuss trunks again later. Right now, help me get these things packed up so I can get him upstairs before it gets any later. It's a good thing he had a couple of naps today," Harry muttered.


Blaise pulled an extra bag out from under the bed and helped Harry pack everything they'd gathered. Harry stuffed his clothes and shoes into his own bag, but shrugged his robes back onto his shoulders without bothering to take the time to button them up.


They wrapped Draco's dragons in some of the handkerchiefs to protect them, but Draco kept one of them out to carry upstairs himself. Soon enough, they were all packed up and ready to go. Blaise walked out to the common room with them, saying his goodbyes, but Pansy stopped Harry before he could leave.


"Stop!" she commanded.


"What?" Harry asked defensively. She was looking at him strangely and Harry didn't know what to think of that. Harry had made a spectacle of himself with his magic displays earlier and wasn't sure what to do if anyone really intended to confront him about it. Otherwise, he could quite happily go about ignoring the stares and whispers and pretend like it had never happened.


"Take your robes off," she demanded.


"What?!" Harry exclaimed loud enough to gain the attention of anyone in the common room who wasn't already watching them.


"I think she wants to see your new clothes," Blaise smirked.


Harry flushed. He really didn't want to make a display of himself and wasn't sure how Pansy would feel about him wearing Draco's clothes. But then he decided to hell with it. He knew he looked good for once in his life and this was a far better way to make a spectacle of himself than he had earlier. He looked down at Draco, who was grinning up at him proudly, and that cinched it. Harry passed their bags over to Blaise and shrugged out of his robes.


"So, what do you think?" Harry asked Pansy with a mischievous grin as he spun in a circle showing off his new clothes.


Harry received quite a few wolf whistles and cat calls and he smirked at Pansy who was staring at him gobsmacked. She blinked.


"Merlin, Potter," she breathed. "You look as good in that outfit as Draco does."


Harry bowed with a flourish. "I will take that as the ultimate compliment, my lady," Harry said, winking at her as he straightened again.


She giggled as she slapped him on the arm. "If Draco wasn't only four years old, I'd swear you'd been taking lessons from him."


Harry grinned. "Nope! Just feeling good at the moment," he declared.


Draco was giggling at Harry's antics, too, and Blaise was laughing and enjoying the show.


"It is time for myself and the little prince to leave," Harry declared haughtily, even though he was grinning. He shrugged his robes back on and took the bags back from Blaise. "We shall see you all tomorrow. That's your cue to wave goodbye," Harry stage whispered to Draco.


Draco giggled and waved to everyone before they left the common room with everyone laughing behind them. Crabbe and Goyle quietly left with them and escorted them back to the tower.


Harry shook his head in disbelief at his own actions, but was smiling happily. Blaise had said he was good for Draco, but maybe this whole ordeal was good for him, too.


Harry got a sense of d�j� vu when they entered the Gryffindor common room. Hermione had spotted them climbing through the portrait hole and Harry didn't get very far before Hermione shouted "Stop!"


Harry turned to face her.


"Take your robes off," she commanded.


Harry winked down at Draco, causing the little boy to giggle as Harry did as he was told. He set their bags down on the floor, shrugged his robes off and tossed them on top of their bags. He spun in a circle showing off the new look, receiving more wolf whistles and cat calls in the process.


"Looking good, Harry!" Seamus shouted.


Harry grinned at him. "Thanks!"


Hermione was staring at her friend, as gobsmacked as Pansy had earlier.


"You look fantastic!" she finally exclaimed. "I didn't know you cleaned up so well."


Harry bowed to her as he had done to Pansy. "Why thank you, my lady," Harry replied graciously.


Hermione played along and put the back of her hand up to her forehead. "Oh, my brave, handsome knight in shining armor," she said as she pretended to swoon.


Harry caught her in his arms. "Thank you, oh noble knight, for saving me," she said breathlessly.


"That's my job, dear lady. Anything to rescue the damsel in distress," he declared.


She stood up and swatted him on the arm. "I'm not a damsel in distress," she said grinning.


Harry just snickered at her as the Gryffindors broke out into laughter over their performance. If behaving a little ridiculously helped everyone to relax around him again, then he decided it was more than worth it.


Harry swooped the giggling Draco up into his arms and ruffled his hair. "Is my little prince set to get ready for bed?" Harry asked.


Before Draco got a chance to answer, Hermione had another question.


"Not so fast," she said. "What's with the clothes? They look good, but where'd they come from and why are you wearing them?" she asked.


"Blaise seemed to think my name was Ken," Harry smiled ruefully.


Most of the students looked confused at Harry's words, but Hermione and Dean, along with a few other Muggle-borns, broke out in surprised laughter. Hermione laughed so hard she ended up with tears rolling down her cheeks.


"What's so funny?" Seamus asked Dean.


"Ken is a Muggle toy. It's a boy doll that little girls dress up in different clothes," Dean explained.


"Which means, from what Harry said, Blaise was basically playing dress up with Harry," Hermione added.


Even Ron seemed to think that was funny. "You mean Zabini was dressing you up like a doll?" he asked incredulously.


Harry nodded and decided he better explain. "We were going through Draco's things so he could bring back some things that were familiar to him."


Ron interrupted. "Does that explain why you've now got black satin sheets and a velvet comforter?" he asked.


"Yes," Harry answered, looking at Draco and giving the boy a squeeze. "They were on his bed in the Slytherin dorms and he recognized them from home."


"Figures Malfoy would have satin sheets," Ron muttered.


Harry glared at him. "Hopefully they'll make him feel more comfortable here. His bedding, of all things, is one of the few things that have been familiar at all to him. When you were four, I'm sure you liked to have things around you that were familiar, too."


Ron held up his hands in surrender and didn't say anything more.


Harry paused to give Draco a reassuring kiss on the forehead. The little boy was holding on to Harry a little tighter since he'd felt the bit of tension.


"So anyway, I was going through some things and came across these leather trousers. I've always wanted some," Harry said with a shrug, flushing a little in embarrassment. "Blaise and Draco talked me into trying them on since we seem to be the same size. But then Blaise didn't let it go there and he completed the look with the shirt and the boots. Blaise told me to keep them."


"Won't Draco be upset with you taking his clothes?" Hermione asked in concern.


"I'm Draco," Draco spoke up defiantly. "And I said he could have them. I think he looks nice.


Harry grinned and gestured with his free hand to the little boy in his arms. "And that's the reason why I'm still wearing these clothes. I had tried to protest, but I just couldn't argue with that."


The Gryffindors laughed. Most would have admitted that it was hard to argue with the cute little boy, even if they did know that it was technically the Draco Malfoy who had antagonized them for so many years.


Hermione smiled gently at Draco. "I apologize for kind of forgetting that you are actually Draco."


Draco shrugged. "That's all right. It happens a lot," he said.


Hermione didn't lose her smile. "I'm sure it does. But you're right, you know. Harry does look very nice in your clothes and it was nice of you to give them to him."


"Oh, and I haven't properly thanked you. What was I thinking?" Harry said, slapping a hand on his forehead. "Thank you, Draco."


"You're welcome, Harry," Draco said softly, offering Harry a very sweet smile. Harry kissed him on the forehead again before hugging him close. Harry ignored the "awwws" that came from Hermione and many of the other Gryffindor girls.


"What else did you find, Draco?" Hermione asked curiously, indicating the figurine Draco was still clutching in his hand.


Draco's eyes lit up. "I found my dragons! Harry said I could bring a few of them up here." He proudly held up his prize to show her. "I got this one for my birthday when I turned four. It's a Peruvian Vipertooth. It's the smallest of the dragons, but it's also the fastest flier."


"It's fabulous!" Hermione declared, grinning at the boy's enthusiasm for his dragons. "You really like dragons, don't you?"


Draco nodded enthusiastically. "Yes. I'd think they were brill even if my name wasn't Draco. I can't show you the others now because Harry says I have to go to bed and he says we won't unpack them tonight, but I can show you tomorrow," Draco said hopefully.


"I'd like that," Hermione said smiling.


"All right, angel. You're right, and I am saying it is way past time for you to go to bed. It's been a very long day," Harry said. Hermione handed Harry his robes and their bags. They said their good nights and made their way up the stairs.


Harry quickly got them both changed into pajamas, before crawling into bed with a couple of books. Harry propped himself up against the headboard to read and they didn't even make it all the way through the first book before Draco was asleep. Setting the books and his glasses on the bedside table, Harry settled into bed with Draco. He fell asleep quickly himself, snuggled up protectively around the little boy, the both of them wrapped in the softness of the velvet comforter.

Malfoy's - Chapter 8

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