A Change Of Seasons

Harry and Draco were having a wondrful time, no two ways bout it. The cinema complex had been everything and more then they had expected, and it was actually on Peter's suggestion that they had decided to in the end, see the film Moulin Rouge, and the word fantastic couldn't even describe it. Harry and Draco secretly thought that Ewan McGregor was spot on handsome, James and Peter oddly enough failed to make any comments afterward even though Michael couldn't stop going on bout how Nicole Kidman was absolutely georgous. Draco didn't say anything to Harry on this, but after all these months hanging round their new best mates, his sharp eyes were beginning to pick up things bout James and Peter, but he had nothing more then just suspicions to go on.

After the film ended, everyone was feeling peckish, and this new cinema even had a refectory, so while they sat eating they finished going over their plans for the rest of the day. Harry had spotted a sweets store on the drive up, so he suggested they make a quick diversion and pick up some things they could maybe sneak in later that night, even though he knew James's mum was on a this wholefood thing after having taken a holiday to America and seeing the women there. Not that she was any way bad looking, she wasn't even heavyset, but like most women, she felt the need to improve herself if she could, and James's house now was littered with various gymnasium things, along with all the good things in life like crisps and sweets and biscuits were now out the door. The diversion to the sweets shop then was definitely a good idea.

"Knowing your mum James, I bet we're going to end up with carrot cake or some sort of rubbish for your birthday!" Peter said in mock groan as they left the sweets shop.

"Oi great, just ruin my birthday why dont you, you insufferable git! Well thanks to Dan we atleast will have some afters now to sneak in tonight! Good thinking mate!" James said beaming proudly at Harry, and threw a punch on Peter's shoulder.

Harry grinned, "Figured there was no need for all of us to suffer you're mum's cooking James." It was an old joke now bout that, though his mum did cook well, again it was all wholefoods, and definitely on the wrong side of the boys tastes.

As they got back to James's house, a nice semi-detached unit bout a kilometer from Harry and Draco's own house, Peter told them to go on him without him, that he'd be back round in a bit.

"I've got to return the car to my mum so she can go to work okay? I'll have her drop me back round in bout half an hour I think, so dont eat all the sweets without me!" Peter said grinning at James who made a mock innocent look.

"Oh go on then, I'll be back. Bye!" Peter called waving his arm out the window, and everyone else waved back then went into the house.

"Mum! We're back! We're going to my room so call us when dinners ready okay? Peter will be back here in bout half an hour, so let him in will you?" James called out but halfway up the stairwell they got stopped.

"Oh James, I am really sorry bout this love but your dad has to work late tonight. He got shifted down to the casualty so he's not going to make it for your birthday dinner." she said irritated. James's dad was a doctor over at hospital, and though mostly he had set hours, sometimes if emergencies came up they would shift him round, apparently that was the case tonight.

"It's..that's okay mum, I understand." James said giving her a forced smile. "Just remember to listen for Peter allright? We'll be in my room." and without saying anything else, the four of them continued back up the stairwell to his room. Noone said anything to James bout his dad, they knew he was slightly disappointed, but really there wasn't anything they could do for him, so they left it at that.

Harry and Draco loved James's room, it was everything they wished their own room back home was, and in a small way, reminded Harry alot of his old room at Hogwarts. His bed was queensized though, but had red curtains pinned up round it that could be taken down if need be. He said it had been a family heirloom, his grandmum and greatgrandmum had brought the bed to England from Russia, and it was made of sturdy cherry oak, with black brass trimmings, and had carvings round the headboard. James had ended up inheriting it when his parents had decided it wasn't big enough for them any longer, and they had gone and bought a kingsize instead.

His room also had posters, tons of posters of West Ham on them, various players in assorted poses and whatnot, reminding Harry yet again of the way Dean always loved to hang up his West Ham posters. Draco was use to these muggle pictures by this time, not even giving them a second glance, not to mention he really never did get the hang of the muggle football game James loved so much, preferring Rugby to football, of which Peter and Michael also liked more.

The walls were blue, with blue carpeting, but it was the kind of carpeting that you could sink your feet into and get lost in, unlike the worndown carpeting that the boys had in their room back at the bungalow. He had a desk for his schoolwork in one corner, which currently had his rucksack on it, and a night dresser on each side of the bed. On another wall was James's entertainment area as he put it, with the telly, a gift from his parents on his 16th birthday, his VCR, a brand new DVD player which he'd gotten last night from his aunt for his birthday, his playstations, Dreamcast, N64, and his CD player. James's dad spoiled him cause he wasn't always there when he'd have liked to be, and it certainly showed in his room.

Everyone flopped down on the bed as they came in then, and discussed what they would do for the rest of the evening. Half hour later they still hadn't come up with much when Peter walked in, a grin on his face.

"What do you have to be so cheery bout?" James said throwing a pillow at him, which Peter promptly ignored for the moment.

"Oh nothing, but I think I have an idea what we can do later on tonight after you're mum and dad go to sleep." he said slyly.

"Oh come on Peter, dont be a prat, just tell us allready will you?" Michael said jokingly, punching him on the arm so he nearly dropped the package he was carrying.

"Oi, ow, quit it you git! Fine, fine, well, sometimes it pays off to have a dad who owns a film store I suppose. Nicked these out of the back before he could stop me, not that he'd care anyway. Figured it would make the evening go a bit better, after all now James, your 18 now, so....voila, enjoy!" Peter laughed now and threw the package to James who caught it midair.

Unwrapping the package James, and everyone else gasped in surprize, then laughed in amazement. Only Peter could have thought up something like this gift, even if they were a bit well, embarrassed by it.

"Gods James, I mean...unreal! Swedish, French and American ones...wow the good stuff! But I cant believe you did this, whoa!" James said between laughing and grinning.

"Well never say I didn't give you anything eh? Happy birthday mate." Peter said with a chuckle, then nearly turned bright red as James came over and gave him a hug. "Bah, quit that, you're going to give everyone the wrong ideas!" he said gazing up in the air while the others only laughed harder.

"Personally I think you two make a cute couple." Draco said grinning, then winked at James, who turned bright red himself this time.

"Oh really, and you're one to talk are you Tom? I think Michael over there be more then happy to help you in that!" James said recovering and threw a pillow now at Draco.

"Nah, I think Michael's still too much in love with Nicole Kidman if you ask me!" Peter said with a grin, and for the next hour the boys bickered back and forth tween them bout who thought who was better looking.

In the end, it was a toss up between Julia Roberts, which nearly made Harry and Draco gag, and Nicole Kidman, along with several others. Draco noticed of course that only females were mentioned, and was glad, for he really didn't want to think Harry would think anyone was as perfect for him but Draco, and he would have been happier to know that Harry was thinking the same thing in reverse. It was only Draco apparently though that seemed to realize yet again that James nor Peter really offered up suggestions on other females, leaving only Michael to do most of the talking.

"Boys! Dinner's ready! Make sure to wash up beforehand please!" James's mum called up the stairwell, and doing as she asked, they washed up and headed downstairs.

James's little sister Sarah was allready at the table when they got there. She was 10 now, and was beginning to develop the 'I hate my big brother' attitude allready, but rightly so. James was a trickster, in all forms of the word, and the brunt of his tricks usually ended up with her. They were eating at the dining room table since there was so many of them, and she chose a seat as far from her brother as she could get, even if it was his birthday and he'd promised both her and his mum that he'd behave, still she wouldn't trust him.

"Oh come on Sar, not like I"m going to slip a newt into your food or anything, I swear!" he said innocently, causing all the boys to grin. Harry and Draco had heard the tales of last years birthday dinner, in which James had apparently done just that. Sarah only shot him the 'if looks could kill you'd be dead' look, and with a hmph, sat down at the table closest to her mum.

Dinner was good, even if it was vegetarian lasagna, and for afters, like predicted, James's birthday cake was indeed, carrot, to the boys dismay. Putting up a smile though, James made his mum feel happy bout it, commenting on how good she was looking and all that, while his sister ducked out the moment the candles were blown out to go watch her new Atlantis tape she'd gotten as well last night from her aunt.

The boys thanked Mrs. Alton, James's mum, for a lovely evening, and they retired back up to his room, hoping the rest of the family wouldn't be up too late, and for the next few hours till they did, occupied themselves with assorted things. James and Harry split off and took up a chess game, while Draco got challenged by Peter for a game of draughts, while Michael watched some shows on the telly, all of them sneaking in some crisps and sweets here and there, then eventually they heard Mr. Alton come home.

A few minutes later the door opened, and Mr. Alton stuck his head round the corner. "Well then, here's the birthday boy..or rather I should say man!" he said grinning and walking into the room. "Hello boys, everything going well? Sorry I had to work late son, you know how it is sometimes."

"Hey dad! Yup everything's fine. It's allright, I know, bet your pretty beat though, you going to go nod off?" James said giving his dad a hug.

"Fraid so son, have to be up early again to check on some patients. Oh, everyone at the casualty said to give you good wishes. And Marge gave me these to give to you, just dont let your mum catch you with them." he said giving James a conspirital wink and pulled out a bag of chocolates.

"Wow, great, thanks dad! Tell her I said thank you will you?" he said quickly hiding the chocolates in his desk draw for the moment.

"Will do son. Mum and Sarah allready heading in so dont stay up too late, tomorrow night I have off at hospital so I'm taking the family out to dinner okay?" Mr. Alton said giving James a grin, then saying goodnight, headed back out, closing the door behind him. Everyone knew what that meant, if Mr. Alton was going to take them out to dinner, it wasn't going to be a wholefood place, that's for sure.

Half an hour later, after making sure that everyone else was indeed sleeping now, the boys pulled out the films Peter had brought over, and popped the first one into the VCR. They didn't say much during it, cept a few placed comments on how people could actually do those things, and by the end of the third tape, everyone in the room was blushing so hard they barely could speak. Peter had seen tapes like that before having had to work now and then for his dad in the shop, but none of the others had before, and needless to say, all of it was quite an experience for them. Even Peter for some reason ended up blushing at some of the 'things' on the tape, considering that on the last tape he hadn't known that it wasn't going to consist of just females.

Even though Harry and Draco were by now, quite 'experienced' in this area, seeing it on a telly with the other boys round had a much different effect persay, and both boys found it nearly impossible to keep their hands off each other, among wanting to do other things. Noone was apparently much in the mood to discuss any of the films either, opting instead to turn in for the night. Since there wasn't enough room in the bed for all of them obviously, Michael ended up sleeping on one side of the bed, Harry and Draco on the other, and James and Peter in the bed. Draco inwardly grinned at this arraignment, thinking that it was the perfect set up, atleast for 2 of the people in the room.

As the boys settled in, soon enough Michael was asleep judging from the snores coming from round the other side of the bed, and Harry and Draco knew that in the bed above them, some definite whispering between the two boys was going on, though they couldn't hear what. Risking the fact that Harry figured Peter and James were occupied, he snuggled a bit closer to Draco, drawing him into his usual position against his chest, and heard Draco sighing happily against him.

Since they were face to face, Draco decided to risk whispering to Harry what he thought bout the situation with James and Peter.

"Honestly? You sure Tom? I supposed I didn't even notice, but then how could I when you're near me love." he whispered back in a loving voice, if not a bit husky from the videos still fresh in his mind.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure bout it, I've seen how they look at each other. Reminds me alot of well...us." he said with a low chuckle, his voice equally husky yet.

"Hmm, well maybe we can help them out, like Remus and Severus did for us." Harry whispered, gently kissing Draco's forehead.

"Seems like ages ago now since then, doesn't it Tom. You dont think..." Draco whispered, torn between wanting desperately to make Harry his at the moment, and needing to voice his internal opinions.

"I'd rather be snogging, not thinking Tom...but what?" Harry whispered back sighing softly, unwilling to give up kissing Draco's forehead, but knowing if he went further where it would end, and knew it couldn't be this night.

"You dont think we're becoming to...well...to normal do you? With all of this?" Draco whispered, moving himself a bit to look into Harry's 'brown' eyes that seemed to be glittering in the light of the full moon that was streaming through the window.

"Normal? What do you mean...I think I'm normal anyway, if you call being in love with your brother normal" he whispered grinning.

"That's just it Dan, we're not brothers, we're friends...though the lovers side is definitely a bonus, but we're not brothers, we're not muggles either. Or did you forget what muggles were?" Tom said his voice barely even a whisper.

Harry thought on this for a moment before replying. "Honestly Tom, I haven't forgotten, but this is our life at the moment, and I'm not going to keep looking over my shoulder wondring when we're going to get caught. I'm going to enjoy it, for what it's worth. That allright with you?" he whispered back a bit irritably.

Draco sighed, perhaps this wasn't the right time to have brought all this up. He didnt' want Harry peeved at him, especially when his body was still aching so badly. He decided to give up then for the moment as a part of him was beginning to agree with Harry on this.

"Sure Dan, let's forget I even said it okay? I'd give up being a wizard anyday, as long as it's with you love." Draco said, leaning in to give Harry a light kiss on the lips, and felt Harry respond in kind.

"Gods I want you so much my heart. Blast Peter for bringing over those tapes!" he whispered in a husky growl, and risking it anyway for a few more moments they just lie there lost in each others kisses. However both of them knew that this wasn't the time nor place to act upon the definitely noticeable heating passions they felt. Turning round back to back so that nothing more could happen unexpectedly, each both started to calm down, each of them thinking along different lines of thoughts.

Harry's thoughts returned back home, not to Sirius, but to Hogwarts. To Remus and Severus, Ron and Hermione, and everyone else. He did miss them all, no question he did, and suddenly a part of him wondred if what Draco said was true. Was he really beginning to 'forget' the wizarding world and who he was? Here in the muggle world, he was just another teenage boy, and for the first time since he was 11, he wasn't the famed Boy Who Lived, crusader against Voldemort. Here he was just 'Daniel Patrick Brandon', a nobody, and that wasn't really a bad thing. He had friends here, as good as friends as Ron and Hermione almost, and of course, even if it was secreted, he had Draco. Here noone expected anything of him, and a very big part of him liked that feeling...maybe too much even. The thing that nagged at him though was, he could survive without the wizarding world now, but could the wizarding world survive without him? They all depended on him, and that was a weight that maybe, just maybe, he was almost tired of bearing.

Draco on the other hand, was thinking quite the opposite in fact. He didn't miss the wizarding world really a'toll, he'd had no friends there other then perhaps Severus Snape, and being apart from his father was defiantly a bonus. Of course, he'd never known what it must have been like for Harry all these years, having riled on Harry himself for all that time on how he was the 'Golden Boy', but somehow in a way he could understand why Harry might be angry at bringing it all back up. This was their life now, for how much longer remained to be seen, and knowing his father as he did, he knew his father wouldn't give up so easily. He would search for Sirius and the boys until he exhausted everything he could, or until either he found them, or was dead.

As they both drifted off deep within their thoughts, the only common thread to it all was clear. Neither of them would nor could have survived all this if it wasn't for each other, and that somehow their love for each other would get them through all this. Be it muggle world, or wizarding world in the end, they would have each other. Now, and forever.

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2002-03-04 9:20:36 AM