The next day, Charity and Severus decided to take Harry to the park as he had never been before. They all had a light breakfast of bacon and eggs before getting ready to go.
"Are you excited Harry?" Charity asks once they got in the car.
Harry nods and smiles at her from his car seat. Thomas and Oliver were also joining them today to help out with Harry. Secretly, Charity hopes that her oldest will relax and enjoy themselves as well. Harry was a bit nervous but also very happy to go. He always wondered what it felt like to go to the park. Petunia and Vernon had always taken Dudley and it had seemed like he always had a blast running around with his friends.
A few minutes later, the small family arrives at the park. Harry was instantly amazed. There were colorful slides, seesaws, and swings. There was also a large sand pit for the kids to play in.
"So Harry what would you like to do first?" asks Oliver.
Harry just shrugs. He was overwhelmed by all the choices and just had the boys pick for him. Thomas and Oliver both decide to take him on the slides first.
Being the caring boys they were, Oliver and Thomas didn't want Harry to fall off the slide so they had Thomas sit with Harry on the way down. Oliver went on the slide next to them. The entire way down, Harry giggles like crazy. Charity and Severus took pictures at the bottom. They were both so happy that Harry was having fun.
"Can we do da swings next?" Harry lisps shyly.
"Of course we can Harry!" Oliver agrees readily.
The three boys made their way over to the swings and put Harry in a child's swing. They took turns alternating between pushing him and swinging beside him.
For the rest of the day, the three boys all happily played at the park. Thomas even taught Harry how to play tag while Oliver set up plastic buckets to make sandcastles.
It was during the small group's second sandcastle that another small boy walked over.
"Hi," the blonde boy greets.
"Hi," Harry responds shyly after getting an encouraging nod from both Thomas and Oliver.
"I'm Draco. Can I play with you?"
"Sure. m' Harry."
The two boys, after getting over their initial shyness, end up getting along great and spending the rest of the morning together. Draco is kind and patient with Harry so the older boys are able to have fun on their own.
All too soon Severus's voice is carried across the semi-empty playground, calling his kids for lunch. He's happy that Harry is branching out and making friends outside of the family. Once all of the boys are seated Charity notices Draco hanging in the background. Probable waiting for Harry to go back playing.
"Would you like to join us for lunch, sweetie?" she asks kindly.
"Um," he looks around for a moment before going back to look at his shoes. "Sure. I-if it's okay w-with you that is," he quickly adds the last part.
"Come sit," she pats a spot between herself and Harry before giving everyone a sandwich and bag of chips.
In no time the boys are back to running around and having a blast. Before long Severus and Charity are packing up their things before calling the boys over once again. Harry follows his brothers at a sated pace with Draco standing next to him. It's obvious the other boy isn't ready to say good bye either. Charity can't help but notice how empty the park had gotten in the past few hours.
"Where's your family, sweetie?"
"My dad's at home," he answers twisting his thumbs.
"Do you live close?"
"Yes, I'll go now. Bye, Harry," he turns to start walking away but stops at Charity's insistence.
"No, no, that's not what I meant. Would you like us to drive you. I don't feel comfortable knowing that you're walking by yourself."
That's how Draco found himself sitting in Harry's parent's car giving directions to his house. He tries to keep his breathing calm and even, it wouldn't do to draw attention to his nervousness. If Draco's father had taught his son anything in life it would be that any form of weakness is bad and must be hidden.
At all cost.
I'm so sorry this was supposed to come out days ago but I just started college (it's amazing) and I tried to make it longer but I think this is a great place to end. If you read this before I started editing this is where you're going to start see a lot of changes that will help me get this book flowing.
Suggestions are always welcomed and fill free to PM me.