Even though he did it with a pout, Malfoy did eat his sandwich. In addition, Harry was sure that Malfoy liked it. A curious expression come over his face. It disappeared as soon as he saw Harry watching him.

A teasing smile from Harry made Malfoy scowl and push the Gryffindor roughly.

“You had better hope I don’t have to eat this again, Potter,” Malfoy said while pointing a finger in warning at Harry’s face.

Harry laughed aloud when Malfoy grabbed a pillow and chucked it at him. “You’re a right idiot,” Malfoy grumbled with a sandwich in one hand and another pillow in the other.

He hit Harry with the pillow one, twice and three times before stopping. Harry found he did not mind. It had not hurt and the small grin on Malfoy’s face showed him that he was not serious.

The light banter and cheerful feeling in the room disappeared as the sound of someone getting out of bed startled them. Shooting a startled glance at Harry, Malfoy grabbed the Invisibility Cloak and threw it over his head.

Harry threw himself down on the bed right before his bedroom door flew open.

Vernon stood there dresses in a housecoat and, surprisingly enough, did not look like he had just woken up. There had been more than one time where Uncle Vernon interrupted Harry’s nightmares from screaming at him to slapping him once or twice to wake him up.

Although he had not been woken by a nightmare this time but by him talking to Malfoy. Harry was used to seeing the man standing there, blinking sleep out of his eyes and complaining about how Harry had woken him.

The man was wide awake as he looked around the room and then at Harry. “Who were you talking to, boy?” His demanding question made Harry blink.

“I was talking to myself. Sorry that I woke you,” Harry mumbled ashamedly. Vernon came over and like Harry expected, slapped him on the head.

“I’ll have a list for you to finish, boy. You’ll be so tired there will be no way you won’t sleep,” Vernon said gruffly. He seemed to think for a moment, going still and silent before speaking in firm words.

“I won’t wake up to you screaming or talking to yourself anymore, boy. If I have to work you all day, I will make sure you stop waking me up.” Harry blushed at the words.

I don’t scream that much, he thought with an embarrassed glance in Malfoy’s direction.

“I’ve made you go without food--” it was then that Vernon saw the food lying around the room and Malfoy’s half eaten sandwich lying on the bed and dripping jam. His eyes widened with shock and then narrowed in fierce anger.

 Vernon started breathing heavily as he turned and stared at Harry. Gulping, Harry waited for the explosion sure to come.

“You have food after we locked you in here for punishment?” Vernon growled.

Harry frowned. “Punishment for what?” he asked and then winced. It was best to keep his thoughts to himself when Vernon was like this.

“You are disrespectful, lazy, a liar, and unworthy of what me and Petunia have done for you!” Vernon raged throwing his hands in the air. “And to top it off, you come back each year acting more freaky and disobedient. We tried our best to beat the freakiness out of you and I still think it would work.”

Vernon grabbed the leftover of the sandwich and threw it at Harry’s head. Ducking, Harry barely missed it but it slammed into the wall behind him where it stuck to the wall.

 “You keep going back there each year and you’ll end up dead, just like your parents or worse. But do you care? No!”

Vernon punched Harry and the clumsy shot grazed the side of his head.

It did not hurt very much, but Harry’s head rung slightly and by the time, it had stopped, Vernon had left, slamming the door behind him.

Malfoy waited a few minutes before taking off the cloak.

“That was your fault, Potter. If you weren’t such a big mouth…” he whispered but his voice was not scornful. Malfoy seemed uncomfortable; he hesitated before sitting on the bed on the other side of Harry.

“He made it seem like you wake him up every other night,” Malfoy said slowly. Harry immediately felt on guard. If Malfoy decided, it was time to try to knock him down a notch, Harry would have to stop himself from lashing out.

“Yeah,” Harry said slowly shifting his position warily. “He’s got a--a short temper.”

Malfoy snorted. “You’ve already used that explanation, Potter. It seemed like he had a hippogriff up his arse to me.”

Harry stared. Rolling his eyes, Malfoy explained. “He only started ranting because you apparently keep waking him up with screaming or talking to yourself.” Harry looked away from Malfoy.

Malfoy continued. “It’s obvious he’s a right idiot, and not fit to be a guardian for anyone.”

There was a tinge of pink on Malfoy’s face as he talked on a low voice. Blinking, Malfoy licked his lips while staring at the opposite wall.

With a sigh, he turned to Harry. “When I saw your memories earlier this year--I thought the whole thing might have been set up by Dumbledore or someone else who loves to shove the spotlight on you,” Malfoy said reluctantly.

 “It would make sense. The papers would pay a heavy price for a dramatic story about the Boy-Who-Lived. When things get calm someone just has to stir up some drama. Usually it’s Dumbledore or you,” Malfoy said with a sneer.

Harry listened intently.

Malfoy paused. Only the sounds of crickets and Dudley snoring broke the silence.

“I see now that it was not some show for publicity.” He words were slow and Malfoy seemed to have trouble saying them. Harry would have found that funny if he were not so shocked.

Malfoy is admitting to being wrong, Harry thought dazedly.

“Your uncle seemed pretty serious to me, and you seemed really wary of your cousin,” Malfoy said while looking at the PB&J sandwich, which was sliding down the wall.

“In that memory when you were outside and it was snowing…did they leave you outside all night or was it just a joke?” Malfoy asked turning to Harry.

“No, they left me out there,” Harry mumbled and looked at Malfoy wondering why he was asking. Was the teen really just curious?

“Did they do that often?”

Harry shook his head. “Naw, it only happened maybe four times and that was the only time it was cold out. I got sick and they weren’t pleased,” Harry said with grim humor.

Malfoy frowned at the wall as if he could see Harry’s relatives. “That was their own fault for leaving a kid in the snow,” Malfoy grumbled.

“It’s not like I was hurt or anything, I was cold but I did not lose my toes to frostbite,” Harry said in amusement, not understanding Malfoy’s irritation with his relatives.

Malfoy did not understand him, though, or so said the expression he shot at Harry. “They left you in the snow, Potter, at a young age and vulnerable,” Malfoy said to him like Harry was still that same little child. “Aren’t you mad about that? I would be; I’d have their worthless heads on a platter.”

Harry shivered at the metal image he received at Malfoy’s words. “I’m not that vicious, and besides, that was a long time ago. I can barely remember it, so why would I want to go and punish them for some things that happened years ago?” Harry said with a shrug.

Malfoy frowned, moved up the bed and lay down on his back with his hand folded over his stomach. Harry watched him for a moment and then did the same. They were both lying on the edge of a side of the bed to stay as far away from each other as possible.

“You said ‘some things,’ Potter. What else happened that they need to be forgiven for?”

Harry felt irritated at himself and Malfoy; he did not want to talk about his relatives bad sides. “Why do you have to be so-so--?”

“Handsome?”

Harry made a gagging sound. “Eww, no, no, NO. Why are you so nitpicky and have to know everything? If I was at your house I would not question all of your parent’s actions.”

Malfoy sighed. “I like to understand people’s actions, Potter. Their motivations--that means the reason why they do stuff, just in case you don’t know,” he said teasingly.

Harry rolled his eyes but refrained from punching the git.

“Right now I’m just curious as to what else you have gone through that was not right,” Malfoy said. “And besides, what else are we going to do?”

“Sleep, you idiot.”

Malfoy grinned. Harry could hear it in his next words. “Are you sure you can sleep? Your uncle seemed to think you can’t do that without having nightmares.”

Harry sighed through his nose.

“How about I try, okay?” There was only a snicker in response so Harry rolled over so that his back faced Malfoy.

“Goodnight, Potter,” Malfoy said in a moment.

Harry yawned, suddenly feeling tired. “Night, Malfoy.”

………………………………

“The attempt to over take Hogwarts was not successful,” Voldemort’s said in a low voice. “Would any of you like to tell me why?”

Harry found that he had feet and turned to see Death Eaters shifting uncomfortable as they looked at the ground. Their master stood on a raised platform and paced gracefully in front of a high backed chair.

No one dared to talk. The Dark Lord did not take failure lightly and punishment was sure to come to those who confessed they might have been responsible for the failed attempt.

“Severus,” Harry started as one Death Eater straightened up and waited for the axe to fall. Harry found that he feared for the spy. He never appreciated how much Snape put on the line for any information he could gather. Would he be punished now just because Voldemort was not pleased with him?

“I feel as though you did not try very hard to keep Potter at Hogwarts,” said Voldemort’s disappointed voice.

“Master, can we not just attack Potter while he stays with his relatives?” Bellatrix’s eager voice asked.

Voldemort snartled angrily. “Crucio,” he hissed and watched contentedly as his most loyal servent withered.

He took the spell off and turned to sit in his throne,-like chair.

“Potter’s house is protected securely with both wards and Aurors. I have already considered that action, Bella, and turned it down. Potter will fall with time along with Dumbledore,” Voldemort said easily as he stared at a spot over his followers heads.

His red eyes half closed and a feral smile twisted his lips.

………………………………

Harry woke up gasping and was surprised when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Malfoy stared at him curiously. “You forgot to occlude,” he said reproachfully.

Harry frowned. “You are supposed to help me practice and you forgot.” The light coming through the window told him that it was morning.

Malfoy looked away almost guiltily as he sat up. “What was that about?” He looked around the room and rubbed the back of his neck with a pained expression.

Should I tell him? Harry wondered. “Just a nightmare,” he said aloud. Malfoy may not be the exact same git he was a week ago, but he was stil the son of a Death Eater. Moreover, he will be loyal to his family, Harry thought.

From what Malfoy had been telling him last night, Harry figured that he thought family was important. Whatever Malfoy’s parents wanted him to do, he would probably do it. Even if that meant following Voldemort and being a loyal servent until he died or was murdered.

The watchful eyes told him that Malfoy knew it was not the whole truth, but fortunately, he did not press the issue.

A sharp knock on the door had Malfoy jumping and falling off the bed to land on the floor on the side of the bed away from the door. There was a pause, then the door was unlocked and Petunia looked in suspiciously.

“What was that?” she snapped.

“Um, I fell off the bed, just got off the floor,” Harry said brushing his pants off.

His aunt narrowed her eyes. “Get downstairs. I have some chores for you to do. And be quiet, your uncle is not feeling well since you woke him up in the middle of the night.”

Petunia left the door opened as she went down stairs.

Malfoy jumped up and grabbed the cloak, which had been left on the chair all night long. “That was close,” he said near Harry’s ear a minute later as Harry stood to go down.

Harry nodded in agreement. “We’ll have to be more careful from now on. Keep the cloak on until I say to take it off.”

Malfoy grumbled about Harry bossing him around. but did nothing beside that.

Harry spent the morning cleaning the kitchen, living room, bathrooms and doing other chores. The rooms did not really need to be clean, but the Dursleys apparently could not think of anything else for him to do.

It was just nearing lunch when Harry’s uncle finally came down. Dudley had been hidden in his room playing with his computer games, but came down for lunch.

Harry cleaned the toaster because he was not allowed to eat until all the chores were done. His relatives ate although Dudley kept glancing at him.

The doorbell rang at that moment and Petunia stood, shooed Harry upstairs because she did not want anyone to see him. Harry was happy to go; he ran upstairs and hid himself in his bedroom.

He grabbed a piece of bread and took a bite out of it as he looked around. The air shimmered slightly near his bed as Malfoy waited impatiently for Harry to tell him it was safe to take the cloak off.

“You can take it off for a minute but be ready to throw it back on,” Harry said through some bread.

Malfoy did so eagerly, letting the silky cloak hang from one shouklder as he studied the food on Harry’s bed. Harry was aware of Malfoy’s gaze on him as he picked on his piece of bread.

Malfoy sighed and moved toward his trunk. The black-haired teen watched as Malfoy opened it up grabbed a handful of little bags and threw them on the bed. They were snacks, from a pack of fancy-looking crackers to a few chocolate frogs that Harry was almost surprised Malfoy had.

Malfoy grabbed a chocolate frog and threw it at Harry. “I expect you to pay me back for this,” he said stiffly.

Harry rolled his eyes. “Thanks but I’ll stick to my--food.”

He threw the chocolate frog back to Malfoy who had a starnge expression on his face. His grey eyes slid over the leftover food Harry had brought up and he made a disgusted expression.

“No,” he said. “That stuff’s nasty. You don’t have to pay me back, just take it.” He threw the frog back along with a pack of crackers.

Harry took them slowly. “Thanks.”

Malfoy nodded stiffly and Harry turned to hide a grin.

They had eaten the small meal in comfortable silence. Harry could hear one of the neighbors downstairs talking to his aunt. Malfoy heard it to and a look of extreme dislike came on hs face every time he looked at the door.

“I don’t see why you don’t hate Muggles, Potter. They’re atrocious, and more so than what I thought,” Malfoy said to Harry with a curling of his lip.

Harry smiled, which made Malfoy blink in surprise. Fighting the urge to roll his eyes at the boy, he sat on the bed where Malfoy had slept the night before.

“They’re not all like that, just the Dursleys.”

Malfo looked at him with obvious disbeleif. “Face it, Potter, you’re surrounded by rude idiots.”

Harry raised an eyebrow, “No reason to go so hard on yourself.”

Malfoy stared at him coldly. “You know what I mean,” he said in a slightly impatient voice.

Harry sighed but nodded. “Yes, the Dursleys are gits, royal gits at that, but not all Muggles are like them.”

“Prove it.”

An annoyed breath made its way past Harry’s lips. “I can’t do that. You know I’m supposed to stay in the house so unless some Muggle comes here that actually likes me, I can’t prove it to you.”

The silence from Malfoy and the look on his face told Harry that he still did not believe him. Harry clenched his teeth.

“Alright, so I may not know many Muggles--” And half of them I do know do not like me, Harry thought but he shooed that thought away. “But there are good one, believe me,” Harry said with the best positive attitude he could come up with. He popped a cracker in his mouth and chewed it thoughtfully. Do I know any Muggles in the area that don’t try to stay away from me?

“Name some Muggle you know in this neighborhood,” Malfoy said crossing his arms.

“Well,” Harry searched quickly through the mental list of people he knew. “There’s…um, Piers Polkiss, Toby Snyder, Malcolm Morsh, Gordan Kleber--”

Malfoy interrupted Harry, “Name one that doesn’t eithier beat you up, hate you or stay away from you,” Malfoy said with a smirk.

Gaping, Harry shut his mouth. “What makes you think they beat me up or dislike me?” he said guardedly.

Malfoy rolled his eyes. “You looked like you were im pain when you were saying there names, Potter,” he said with a snort. “That kind of gave it away.”

Harry grumbled mentally and Malfoy snickered for a moment. “So,” Malfoy said all humor gone and a serious expression on his face.

Uncomfortable with the change, Harry shifted away and said nothing.

“Are you going to talk or hide? I thought you were a Gryffindor, Potter, but now you’re acting like a scared Hufflepuff,” Malfoy said with a sneer that Harry hated.

“There is nothing in the world wrong with being a Hufflepuff, Malfoy. They’re loyal and trustworthy, which is far more than what I can say for you.”

Malfoy looked torn between surprise and amusement. “You are avoiding the question Potter. Why does no one like you here?”

The reason was simple to Harry. Explaining it to Malfoy would not be easy, though. Living with the Dursleys was emotionally exhausting and painful for Harry at times. He had no friends here; no one wanted to be around him because to them he was an outcast.

To the neighbors he was a liar, messed in the head and a burden to his dear relatives whom were kind enough to take him in. Harry did not want to tell Malfoy that, it would be handing weapons to his enemy.

Maybe I can phrase my situation so that it will seem like I do not care. If I do not care then he cannot use anything I tell him agaist me, Harry thought.

If he kept quiet any longer, Malfoy would know that he was keeping something from him. I can’t keep anything to myself anymore, Harry grumbled to himself. Maybe I am over thinking this, Harry thought. Not everything Malfoy does has a hidden motive…but he is the son of Lucius Malfoy who’s a powerful man and Death Eater.

“Is anybody in there?” Malfoy muttered as he waved his pale hand in front of Harry’s face.

Harry scowled but Malfoy’s teasing was deserved. “Come on and answer the question, Potter!”

“My aunt and uncle don’t like magic,” Harrry said. When those words did not seem enough to express his relatives feeling towards magic, Harry tried again. “I mean they really don’t like magic,” and he gave a little laugh while looking toward his bedroom door.

“Or anything that has to do with it,” Harry added as an afterthought. He did not think Malfoy would understand, but he was nodding.

“Some squibs I’ve none are like that,” he said understandingly.

Harry blinked. I guess some squibs would feel angry or scared toward magic. It must be terrible to be born from a magical family and yet have no magic, he thought with a frown.

“The Dursleys--my relatives--have made their dislike towards me obvious--”

“Why do they dislike you?” Malfoy asked catching onto Harry’s words quickly. He seemed innocently curious when Harry glanced at him.

It would be stupid to deny their hatred toward him. Malfoy had seen how they acted up close and personal. Although Dudley had been nice around him for some reason, Petuniah and Vernion made up for it with hateful glances and spiteful words.

“I’m a wizard,” Harry said as if that was answer enough. Malfoy waited for him to go on with a patient expression that was unlike him.

The black-haired teen blew air past his lips as he ran his hands through his hair.

“I was left on their doorstep in the middle of the night, Malfoy. With just a piece of paper explaining that my parents were dead and that, my relatives were expected to look after me. I probably wouldn’t be happy eithier if I was in their situation,” Harry said. “Aunt Petunia seems to have tried to distance herself away from all things magical, including her sister, my mom. Then I get shoved into her normal life and ruin it…surely you can see now why they don’t like me.”

Malfoy bit his lip and studied Harry. “I guess I can understand,” he said finally.

Harry relaxed a bit and nodded. Then Malfoy continued. “It doesn’t seem right for them to have guardianship over you, though. Who was the idiot that left you with them anyway?”

Harry choked a bit on his own spit. “Um, Professor Dumbledore,” he said.

Snorting, Malfoy stood and shook his head. “Figures,” Harry heard him mutter.

“Boy! Get back down here!” Vernon shouted making Harry and Malfoy jump in surprise. Malfoy threw the cloak over himself and followed Harry out of the room and down the stairs.

The neighbor was gone, but she had left Petunia and Vernon in bad moods, it seemed. “Petunia wants the whole yard weeded. I’ll show you where she wants you to start,” Vernon said and Harry saw Petunia blinking at her husband.

“Maybe you shouldn’t go outside, dear. The heat might have an effect on you. I think you might have a bug--you’ve been acting--” Petunia started to say.

“I’ll be fine,” Vernon said stiffly and Petuniah shut her mouth slowly.

Harry looked between his relatives, wondering what was going on. Vernon dragged him toward the door before Harry could think of anything to say. Horror suddenly overwhelmed him, though. “I have to stay in the house sir!”

Vernon did not comment, but just pulled Harry out the door. It was times like these that Harry wished he ate more. Vernon was three time stronger than him and he would not let go of Harry’s arm.

You must stay within the borders of the house; an attack is more likely if you are within their sight. Snapes words were ringing in his head. Repeating themselves over and over as Harry fought and yelled at his unresponsive uncle.

“Let go, Vernon!” Harry said loudly, hoping that maybe using his first name would make his uncle respond.

The wide man yanked Harry’s arm with strength Harry did not know he had. The teen’s arm twisted and Harry knew it was at least sprained as pain traveled up and down his limb.

Vernon had pulled him past over the walkway and into the middle of the yard. Harry leaned back but only hurt himself; Vernon would not let him go.

“What the hell are you doing? Let me go!” Harry looked around urgently and felt Malfoy’s hands suddenly pulling on his shirt.

Vernon pulled something out of his shirt--a coin, but not just any coin. It was a galleon. Harry’s eyebrows narrowed and he stopped struggling, “Where’d you get that?” he asked out loud.

Harry met his uncle’s eyes and his own green eyes widened when he saw how empty they looked.

Then the dreaded feel of his stomach twisting made Harry gasp. The coin was a portkey.

With a short popping sound, Harry, Vernon and Malfoy were whisked away.