Straight on 'Till Morning
Today was Draco's sixteenth birthday and he wasn't excited at all. At this age, aristocratic male children were expected to pick a bride the day after their birthday. There was one problem, Draco couldn't see himself with a wife.
It was now night and Draco had his two best friends staying over on his request. Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini were always by his side, he even told them about not being interested in the opposite gender and they said they weren't either. All three of them sighed in relief that day, but agreed to tell nobody else as the world was homophobic.
Pansy Parkinson was a special kind of person. She is the sweetest and most bubbly when you get past her cold exterior. But if you get on her wrong side, you may not live to see another day. Her hair leisurely sat on her shoulders; it was the darkest, mysterious colour close to a crimson purple. Her features made her look pug-like, but she looked cute. Her height wasn't much, she had to look up at almost everyone.
Blaise Zabini was an entirely different story. He wasn't cold on the outside or the inside, but that is what made him scary. Even when threatening someone he is tranquil, even Draco and Pansy shivers. Surprisingly, his family was very rich: this is shocking because of his background. The boy is half Italian, a boy of colour, and is the only male in his family. Somehow, all Miss. Zabini's Husbands die, and she is left with the money.
Today was a special day for Pansy, this was the first time Pansy Parkinson snooped in Draco Malfoy's room. In his pillow case was an old, tatty diary, a string to lap over the books edge. "Ooo, what's this?" She ushered Blaise over to see with her. They both read the first page before Draco exited the bathroom and snatched the book away.
"What is that Draco?" Blaise questioned, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"It's nothing, forget it." He replied maybe too quickly.
Rolling her eyes, Pansy lunged for the book, "Can you at least read us the second page? I want to know more about this Harry Potter!"
Tentatively, Draco peeled the book from his chest and explained, "When I was young, my mother would tell me stories of a boy named Harry Potter, who lived on an island called Neverland- second star to the right and straight on till morning." He sighed, glancing out the window because Draco thought he saw something, "she told me about this evil Captain, Tom Marvolo Riddle, or Lord Voldemort, who was looking for immortality and pixie dust so he can fly. She told me about Harry Potter."
He steadily sighed again, "How he was the kindest soul with the purest of hearts, and always tried to do the right thing. She said that even once, he helped two pirates leave Neverland so they could have a family and join the Muggle world- our world. Muggle means people who do age."
"Draco, you do know it is make-believe, correct?" Blaise snorted but stopped after a female hand collided with his head.
"That's the thing!" Draco clicked his fingers, "I feel like it's real somehow. I just get the sense it's there. It's tangible, but just out of reach."
"Draco darling," Pansy placed a hand over his, "has it occurred to you that maybe you think it's real as an escape? We know you don't like it here, so this is just your escape to somewhere that there isn't any pressure." Draco thought for a bit, maybe she was right. Maybe, Draco only longed for it to be real; his escapism.
"Yeah, you're probably right." Draco sat up to open his window on the scorching hot summer night.
The trio quickly fell asleep to the sounds of the soft wind hitting the glass, the low hoot of an owl and low chatter from outside the window that all three found oddly soothing. This may be a good time to mention Draco is a light sleeper ever since an incident that happened when he was home alone for a week while his parents were on a business trip. He could feel someone close to him and it scared him shitless to say the least. First reaction, Draco swung his fist and leapt up, startling Pansy and Blaise to bolt up- Pansy from a bed and Blaise from the floor.
"That's certainly a way to greet someone you've been writing about." The boy smiled brightly to Draco. The boy in question had enchanting forest eyes, that shade of green should be illegal. Clothing was different to what Draco would normally see. Normally, it was brown or black suites, or a simple slim or frilly dress plus maybe a hat or cane. This boy had a regal, royal red cape, golden patterns sewn in. His shirt was cut short by his leather trousers and he had a thin, dark oak sash around him. His boots were not clean or polished, they looked like they ran a thousand miles already in a poor condition. The perfect eyed boy had messy raven hair, sticking up every which way, and his glasses didn't help with the glow of his eyes either.
"Wait, you!" Draco gasped, jumping on his bed to meet the person face to face, "You're Harry Potter!" He whispers shouted.
"I'm dreaming, please wake up." Blaise grumbled, falling back against the pillow.
"If you're dreaming then we share a pretty insane imagination darling." Pansy tried to drag him up right.
"Oh no honey, if we shared the same imagination, you wouldn't look at me the same." Pansy was tempted to let Blaise drop against the floor, but instead helped him up then stepped far away.
"Too much information!"
"Ok, are we going to focus on the elephant in the room?" Draco said, gesturing with both hands to Harry Potter.
"Oh right, I'm Harry Potter, nice to finally meet you." He smiled brightly again, and gestured his hand out to the two.
"Finally." Draco mumbled, catching everyone's attention, "You said finally, what do you mean 'finally'?" It wasn't that Draco was not jumping for joy inside at meeting The Harry Potter, but, somehow, Potter must know him if he said finally.
"Oh right! Well, I like listening to you read those stories. I've been coming every now and again to hear about adventures you dreamt up!" Harry said warmly.
"Don't you think that's a tad creepy?" Blaise whispered to Pansy who agreed, but didn't speak up as they've never seen their friend so happy.
"First of all-" Draco poked at the person as he flew above his head.
"OW! What was that for?" Harry asked, rubbing at the place Draco poked.
"Sorry, wanted to see if you were real." Draco messed with his fingers- a nervous tick, "Second of all, why now? Why not a year ago?"
"Erm... courage?" Harry questioned more than answered, but chuckled after. That laugh had Draco captivated.
"How can you fly?" Blaise exclaimed once he was finally rid of his sleepy state. That snapped Draco back to reality: he couldn't believe this was reality!
"All you need is a little-" Harry and Draco finished together, "Faith, trust and pixie dust." Draco smiled warmly to himself while Harry looked on with a fond expression, "You've also got to think happy thoughts!" Harry exclaimed, thrusting his hand in the air. "Give it a try."
"We're kind of missing a key element Mr. Flying expert." Draco said sarcastically.
"I was getting there, impatient brat." Harry sassed back.
"This is all good and dandy, but mind explaining how this is reality?" Pansy gestured pretty much everywhere.
"Honestly?" The three nodded, "No clue! Was there when I arrived. You'll have to ask the natives."
"Natives? There's more?" Blaise's eyes bulged.
"They call themselves Hogwarts for some reason, never questioned it, no need to." Harry explained, "You guys can... come back with me, if you wish to." His confidence dropped and Draco felt the urge to hug him.
"Yes!" Draco exclaimed the same time Pansy shrugged and Blaise gave a sheepish smile. "Come on guys! I know neither of you like it here." Draco turned to Pansy, "You have to marry some boy you'll never like and you have no say in it because you're the woman." She glared at him, "Not that it's a bad thing!" Blaise chuckled, "And don't try and tell me you like it here either. You know what your life is like... just please? I think you'll like it, mother told me the lost boys were attractive, and two of them are dating." Draco's attention turned back to Pansy when Blaise grinned and nodded, "And there's the Lost Girl."
"Single Lost Girl." Harry thankfully corrected, because then she agreed.
"I've never seen Draco this..." Blaise began.
"Adorably childish? Bouncing off the walls... happy?" Pansy smiled at her best friend.
"Yeah. Maybe this will be good for him."
"And us darling." Pansy nudged his side.
Blaise couldn't help but nod along, "and us."
It took a while for the three to conjure up a happy enough memory, or a powerful memory, but then they were flying with some sprinkles of pixie dust Harry may have taken from Luna. Outside the window, Draco freely soared in the London night sky. Pansy and Blaise were not as graceful, however, as they clung to the other tightly, never looking down. Draco felt so... free. To be free, that was Draco's favourite new feeling. Elegantly, he twisted through buildings, circled a cloud of smoke and lightly brushed his fingers in the water of the River Thames. Then came Big Ben. Draco had to stop on top of the building. When was there another time he would be able to do this?
Harry saw this and joined him on the top, Pansy and Blaise catching up. "You're good at flying." Draco jumped at the noise making Harry chuckle as he sat close to the boy.
"I've had years and years of writing about it." Draco smiled sadly at the floor; he left the book behind.
"Oh! Thanks for reminding me!" Harry fished out his pocket the book and handed it to Draco whose smile was contagious, at least to Harry.
"Oh, how can I ever thank you!" He sighed blissfully.
"I hear a good way to thank someone is a kiss." Harry suggested, leaning in. Oh no, Draco was panicking! He wants to, don't get him wrong, but Draco doesn't actually know anything about him. Sure, he's wrote and heard stories about The Boy Who Never Grows Up, but that's his and his mother's interpretation of him. Instead of leaning in, Draco kissed the boy's cheek and clasped his hand, helping him up and jumping off the building only to zoom back up, sending a gush of wind to Pansy and Blaise.
"Second star to the right and on till morning!" Harry exclaimed, tightening his grip around Draco's waist and then told him to hold Pansy's hand, "Close your eyes!" Harry instructed.
They were going to Neverland...