Familiar Stranger

Chapter 1: The Bookstore

It was mid-July, the summer sun had just hidden behind the hills, and Harry was looking forward to heading out on the town this evening. He looked himself up and down in the mirror, making sure he looked appropriate. He hadn't been out in a while.

He had written Hermione and Ron earlier that night, discussing his excitement for heading back to Hogwarts for their fifth year and answering the many questions they had asked. He heard all about Hermione's work with her mother on some sort of transcript and was brought into great detail about Ron's adventures with his family. This would be his last week staying at 4 Privet Drive before the Weasleys returned home and he could stay with them up until the school year began again.

He swiftly moved his hand across his slightly gelled down, dark brown hair to make sure that nothing was out of place. He walked down the stairs, being sure to not make any noise. Although the sun had set just minutes before he left, he could already hear the snores coming from his Uncle Vernon in the living room. He turned the knob of the front door slowly, knowing it would creak before opening, but it would be softer if he did it slow. Once opened, he hurried out the door, not much worrying about the sound it made as it shut, for it was dark enough that no one would see him fly on his broom through the night to his destination.

He sat on the thin broomstick and felt the wind against his face as he driften just below the clouds that were barely visible in the darkened sky, filled with light pollution, making stars impossible to see. He directed his broom slowly to the ground in the wizard quarters outside of muggle settlement, set his broom up against a building near an alleyway, and then disguising it with a small Disillusionment Charm. He began walking, and could feel the change in the air as he walked into muggle settlements, not protected by the charms at which the wizard quarters were.

He could hear the breeze ruffling leaves all around the sidewalk as he followed his directions towards the address of the bookstore he was planning on visiting this evening. Hermione recommended he start reading more muggle books like he did before he went to Hogwarts, and gave him a grand list of books to look about as well as the address to this bookstore.

He walked in, the smell of worn out pages and coffee hugged him, welcoming him in. He started to walk around, the looming bookshelves lining every wall and set up throughout the entire store overwhelmed him, seeing how many books there were to be read. He hadn't been to an actual bookstore that wasn't for textbooks needed each year at Hogwarts since he was a kid. And even then, the Dursleys barely let him look around. Now, however, he was free to spend hours searching for the books on the list Hermione gave him.

He ran his fingers against the bookshelves as he passed, feeling the different textures of the book covers. He began to search for the Mystery section, for the majority of books Herm had recommended happened to be within that category. He walked along the line of one shelf, seeing the sign reading "Mystery" above it, and he turned the corner to find another person searching through this section. His almost white blond hair caught Harry's eye immediately, and his black jacket resembled one he had seen in previous years.

"Malfoy?" Harry asked, quite confused. The boy turned around to reveal the jawline and moon grey eyes that Harry knew so well.

"Of course, Potter. Why wouldn't I happen to run into you tonight?" He asked sarcastically, turning back to the books.

"What are you doing here, you live quite a ways away." Draco turned around once again as Harry spoke looking annoyed.

"Mother is visiting someone in town. Now, can you let me read through these titles in silence?" And without leaving Harry a moment to respond, he said harshly, "Thank you," and turned around once again to look through the books.

After but thirty seconds without speaking to one another, Harry noticed one of the books on his list sitting directly next to Draco's gaze.

"Um, Malfoy?" He said, tapping the Slytherin in front of him.

"What now Potter?" Draco, obviously annoyed, flicked Harry's finger off his shoulder.

"One of the books I am looking for, well, it's right in front of you. Might I grab it? Then I can leave you to your peace." He said, mockingly.

"What book is it?" Asked Draco, brushing aside Harry's comment.

Reading off his list, he stated, "Postmortem, by Patricia Daniels Cornwell."

Draco sighed, "Alas, Potter, I am sorry to say that is the exact book I was looking for this evening." He said in a deeply sarcastic tone while removing the book from it's position. Obviously, it hadn't been the book the blond haired Slytherin entered the bookshop that evening for, but just to spite the Gryffindor, he took it and began walking away.

"Give it here Malfoy." Harry angrily stammered.

"No, I don't think so, I am just going to go check it out. Care to come with me Potter?"

"You prat." Harry said beneath his breath, hoping it would rile Draco, but he just continued walking towards the check out area. Harry let it go and went back to search for the other books that he read off of Hermione's list. He moved from section to section, only able to find six of the ten books on his list.

Suddenly, outside the bookshop's window, he saw the Slytherin start walking away, book in hand. That wasn't even close to the most surprising part. Harry saw the vivid image of Draco's arm wrapped around another man's waist. Harry recognized him, but he couldn't place where from.

Harry pushed the image to the back of his mind, and walked over to the check out. Once the books were in his bag, he started to leave when he heard the Slytherin's voice from outside say, "I think I dropped my watch, give me a minute," but Harry kept walking towards the door, and at the exact same time he opened it to leave, the Slytherin walked through it, running directly into him.

The Slytherin rubbed his head while the Gryffindor resettled himself from a dizzy feeling.

"What was that for, Potter?"

"Hey, I didn't do that one purpose, you were the one who ran into me!"

"Potter, I swear, if you start this-" Draco was cut off by the same boy outside the window Harry had seen him with before.

"Draco, darling, we'd better be getting on soon or we'll be late." Draco's face went white as a ghost.

He grabbed Harry's collar, pulling him but inches away from his face, and stared intensely into his eyes, "Not a word about this, Potter, you hear me?" He dropped his collar, which Harry readjusted, and walked away quickly with the man standing outside.

Harry stood there, shocked, before regaining his ability to think. He walked out of the store and back down to the wizards quarters to find his broom. After unveiling from it's charm, he mounted it and began flying slowly over the buildings down below. There were fewer lights than before, and the wind was softer.

Had Malfoy been with another boy? Ran through Harry's mind, confused about the events that had just unfolded in that bookstore. And had he heard the man right? Did he call Malfoy darling?

He couldn't figure out why he cared so much, but he decided not to think about it much longer. He couldn't wait to get home and write this incident down in a letter to Hermione and Ron, but realized what Draco had said. Not a word, Potter.

Not a word.