Chapter one: Meeting the Dursleys

Draco Malfoy looked around at the neighborhood he and Dumbledore had just Apparated into. It was a quite neighborhood, where all the houses looked the same. They were all white colored squares with a large car in the drive and brilliant green lawns that showed signs of meticulous manicuring.

It was disgusting in Draco's opinion. It was horribly Muggle and simply sickening.

Draco shot a glance at the wizard beside him. He wore bright purple robes with bright silver moons and stars twinkling and shooting across the fabric. Doesn't he just blend in? Draco thought ruefully.

He, himself, was dressed in a pair of fine tailored black trousers, which hugged his muscular legs, a clean and firm pressed white button-down that accentuated his finely toned abdomen and a pair of expensive leather shoes on his feet. His silky white blonde hair had grown to a nice length to where it brushed playfully across his broad shoulders.

The blonde pulled his thoughts off of his companion's and his own appearance and back to the situation at hand. Dumbledore seemed to be surveying the neighborhood. For what, Draco didn't know. After a few moments Dumbledore seemed to be satisfied with his surroundings.

"Come, Mr. Malfoy," He called to the boy as he made his way up the cement walk of Number Four Privet Drive. He mentally grimaced as the old wizard placed a hand on his shoulder and lead him up to the door.

He couldn't believe he was in this situation. His father was in Azkaban, his mother had gone mental and was hardly, if ever, sober and he was sentenced to a summer staying at the muggle home of his worst enemy, Harry Bloody Potter.

Why hadn't Draco been allowed to stay at one of his friends' house? Well isn't that the question of the day? Draco had no idea and he wasn't likely to get any answers anytime soon.

Draco followed the man up to the front door, tugging his trunk behind him. Dumbledore knocked sharply on the door and the pair stood in silence waiting.

A knock sounded at the door and sixteen-year-old Harry Potter was up and out of his seat at the breakfast table before his uncle could even tell him to open the door. He knew that Dumbledore was coming today.

He had received a letter the week before from the Hogwarts's Headmaster telling the boy that he would pay him a visit on June 23rd at precisely 10am. Harry didn't know why the Headmaster was coming but he had hopes it was to take him away from Number Four Privet Dive.

Harry threw open the door and his jaw dropped. On his doorstep was not only the ageing wizard but also Draco Malfoy, Slytherin sex god and heir to the Malfoy fortune.

"Good Morning, Harry" Dumbledore greeted his favorite student, his blue eyes twinkling merrily. Harry just stared dumbly at the blonde boy who accompanied the headmaster.

Draco was a bit uncomfortable under Harry's green-eyed gaze, but he didn't let his Malfoy mask slip.

"What's your deal, Potter?" He glared back at the other boy. Draco's icy tone seemed to break through to the stunned boy.

"Uh…nothing." He said lamely. He turned his attention back to the Headmaster. "Um, why don't you come in Professor Dumbledore?" He said moving to allow the two in.

Dumbledore smiled at him as he moved past him, Draco sneered and pushed past the still shocked boy. Once the two were in the house Harry shut the door behind them.

Draco followed Dumbledore into the absolutely tiny house. It was vastly smaller than his own home. In fact, he would even say that the whole house was smaller than his rooms back at Malfoy Manor.

Harry led them mutely toward the sitting room. Dumbledore, who once again placed his hand on Draco's shoulder, stirred him toward a cream-colored couch where he sat and signaled for Draco to be seated next to him.

"Who is it, boy?" A booming voice called over the sound of thundering footsteps. Draco was sure that the whole house shook with the tremors. A few footsteps, if you could call them that, later and a huge man was standing in the doorway. He had a round purple face with a thick black mustache and very little neck.

His small eyes found their way directly to Dumbledore and gave him a look as if he was a slug on his couch rather than the most powerful wizard in the Wizarding world.

"It's Professor Dumbledore, Uncle Vernon. The headmaster of Hog- my school," Harry informed the beefy man from his spot in an armchair by the fireplace.

"Ah, so you've come to take him have you?" Uncle Vernon asked, hope written across his face as he sat on the couch facing Dumbledore and Draco.

Harry also turned curiously toward the old wizard eager to hear his answer.

"I am afraid not," Dumbledore said and Harry's face fell. If Dumbledore wasn't here to take him away then why was he here?

Harry's question was put on a hold as his Aunt Petunia made her entrance. She stuck her horse-like face into the room, craning her extra long neck to see her husband on the couch.

"Vernon?" she asked nervously.

"Ah Petunia dear, come here." Vernon called to his wife, obviously thinking there was safety in numbers. Though Draco didn't know Vernon very well he could sense the trepidation radiating off the man.

Petunia sat down next to her husband on the couch. Harry's aunt was a very thin woman. The juxtaposition between husband and wife was rather startling.

The pair of them stared at the newcomers. The silence was awkward for everyone but Dumbledore who seemed to be humming soundlessly to himself. After a few more moments of complete silence the house gave a huge shudder.

Draco's eyes widen. Is it an earthquake? He thought nervously as the shaking continued and worsened with each passing second. He looked around wildly to see if anyone else was at all concerned with their impending doom.

None of the other occupants of the room seemed to notice. Suddenly the sun was blocked out by a massive blob of flesh and…well more flesh.

Draco looked at the blimp that was now standing in the doorway. He guessed it had once been a boy before it mutated. It had straw-colored hair that was plastered to what was presumably its head, small blue eyes and a very pink and ugly face.

At the sight of the grotesque thing that was Harry Potter's cousin Dudley a look of utter disgust flashed across Draco's face before he could replace his mask.

He was sure no one had seen, they were all distracted by the new arrival but Harry had seen. He gave a small wryly smile.

"What are you smiling at, boy?" His uncle barked at him. The smile quickly disappeared.

"Nothing Uncle Vernon." He said tonelessly. Draco was a bit shocked at Harry demure behavior.

Dudley made his way fully into the room and squashed himself in between his mother and father. With his whole family there beside him, Vernon Dursley gathered enough courage to address Dumbledore again.

"Well, if you haven't come to take the boy, why are you here?" He asked rather rudely. Dumbledore however didn't seem fazed.

"Ah, well I am afraid I must impose on your hospitality once again." He said smiling apologetically though his eyes never lost their sparkle. "You see, Young Draco Malfoy here needs a place to stay, and –"

"No!" Harry interrupted jumping up from the armchair he had been sitting in. "Professor, you can't be serious!'

"Harry," Dumbledore warned, his eyes no longer twinkling. But Harry continued as if he hadn't spoken.

"Malfoy is the son of a Death Eater for Merlin's sake! He is my second worst enemy after Voldemort himself!"

"Harry, Sit down," The old wizard commanded, and Harry readily complied.

"I'm sorry, Professor," Harry said meekly looking at his hands.

Draco had watched the exchange with rapt interest. Harry's outburst was the only sign that it was in fact the Harry Potter he knew and hated. Harry's attitude around his muggle relatives was rather unsettling to the haunty Slytherin.

Uncle Vernon had also watched the scene with interest. If this boy was a bother to his good-for-nothing nephew, an enemy even, well then he was most welcome in his home.

"Well if the boy truly needs a place to stay…" Vernon said leaving off suggestively and relishing Harry's chagrin. "Then me and Petunia would be glad to take him in…for a small fee of course. Its hard enough getting by with this one eating us out of house and home." Vernon added turning back to the wizard before him and gesturing toward Harry as 'this one'.

Harry gave a snort and Draco would have to agree. Harry was positively scrawny compared to the rest of the Dursleys, except Mrs. Dursley of course. He was clad in a pair of sweatpants that were several sizes too big and a t-shirt that hung down to his knees. His black hair was, if possible, even messier and there were dark circles under his eyes.

He looked awful.

The twinkle had returned to Dumbledore's eyes. He pulled out a bulging pouch from his robe pocket and handed it out to the man.

"This should be more than enough to compensate for housing and feeding the boy." Vernon took the pouch and opened it greedily. "You are also expected to deliver them both to the Leaky Cauldron in London on September 20th. There you both will get a room and do your shopping in Diagon Alley and a car will take you to King's Crossing the next morning." Dumbledore explained. Both boys nodded in understanding.

"Right then," Dumbledore said and stood up in a sweep of robes. "I must be off,"

"What? Already, Professor?" Harry asked, looking alarmed. He was absolutely terrified of what would happen once Dumbledore left. Harry followed the older man to the door.

"Ah, I am sorry Harry but there are some things that I must attend to. Have a good summer and I will keep in touch. "He said with a warm smile and turned on his heels and walked down the walk. At the end of the cement trail, he looked both ways then Disapparated with a loud crack.

Harry stared at the spot where his professor had once been. He shook his head miserably. Harry's already horrible summer just took a turn for the worst. He closed the door and slowly made his way back to the sitting room.

The Dursleys had not moved from their spot on the couch. All three of them were surveying Draco with interest. Uncle Vernon was wondering what the blonde boy before him had done to make his nephew so adamant against allowing him to stay. Petunia was wondering how he got his hair and skin to be so smooth. And Dudley…Dudley was positively leering at the boy.

As Harry entered the room Vernon snapped his attention way from the Malfoy heir and over to the other boy.

"There you are, boy" He said. "Take the young man's trunk up to your room, He'll be staying in there with you. "

Harry nodded numbly. He knew there was no point in arguing, it was either share a room with Malfoy or spend the summer in the cupboard under the stairs. He walked over and grabbed Draco's trunk.

"Come on Malfoy," He said numbly and lead the other boy out of the room and up the stairs to his room.