(Just Like) Starting Over

3

By the fourth hour of sitting in the park, Draco was growing irritable. "Do you have a plan to do anything in this grass square or are you simply planning on attracting every tick in the area?"

"Does the Wix world have ticks?"

"Obviously. We are simply more apt at dealing with them. And don't think I didn't notice you avoiding the question."

Potter rolled over onto his side. "I wasn't avoiding it. I was ignoring it."

"Oh, because there is such a huge difference."

"There is." Potter grinned wildly as Draco frowns down at him from where he sat leaned up against someone's fence next to where Potter laid out on the ground. "If you want to go back to the house we can but, to be honest, we'd probably end up hanging out in my room. I think it's better out here."

Draco wasn't sure how he felt about Potter automatically assuming that the two of them would be doing the same thing regardless of where they went but considering that he was currently sitting on the ground, he was in no position to argue the matter. "In that case, I suppose outside is acceptable."

"I should hope so, I prepared it just for you," Potter replies, voice taking on a haughty sort of tone. It was clear that Potter was mocking him.

Draco found that he didn't mind all that much. "I'll be sure to spread the word."

"That's actually really awesome 'cause we have this referral system set up where you can earn points toward your next stay with us."

This time, it's Draco who cracks. He breaths out through his nose, tilting his head back to rest his head against the fence. Potter turns back onto his back and folds one arm under his head. Out here, there wasn't really much to do. Draco was a little too old to play on the minimal playground set and even as a child, he'd never been on one before. His father had always deemed it far too unbecoming of the Malfoy name and his mother thought they were unsanitary. Which Draco understood given that none of the items in the park looked like they'd been cleaned in the last ten years but here he was, sitting on the ground.

His father would have an aneurysm.

It was kind of hot outside. Usually, Draco and his mother would be elsewhere for the holidays. France, the Alps, Italy. His mother loved to travel and Draco had inherited that from her. When he was younger, Draco had been almost jealous that he didn't tan the way some other kids did. He could spend days in the sun and never darken a shade. Harry, on the other hand, returned to school at the start of every school year looking like he'd spent every day of it in the sun. Tan and warm. From what Draco had seen, though, he did spend every day in the sun.

His mother had always warned him not to stay out too long in the sun and to remember to reapply his sunblock charm. Both the Blacks and the Malfoys were fair skinned and without the charm, Draco would have returned to school looking like a Weasley. Next to him, Potter seemed to be drifting off to sleep.

He grumbled when Draco nudged him with his foot. "You're going to burn."

"I don't burn," Potter replied, almost pouting as he rolled onto his stomach. His head turned toward Draco as he used his arms as a pillow.

"I find that hard to believe if you make a habit of sleeping in the sun."

"My magic won't let me."

Draco blinked blankly at the other. "What do you mean? You use a really strong charm?"

"I dunno any charms for that. I mean that my magic just won't let it happen."

"I'm not following. Magic doesn't really work like that," Draco says. He kept looking at the other despite the fact that Potter's eyes had slipped close again.