Battle and Friends
I know a lot of people hate Draco (myself included), but this is a fanfic. You can just think of Draco as an OC with the same name, that's all.
….
Harry stood in the middle of the field. Not far from him, seated on a blanket, Luna, Astoria, Daphne, and Hermione were enjoying a peaceful picnic. They laughed, ate, and chatted without paying much attention to what was about to happen nearby. Grey stood watch, calm and alert—after all, he was the one who had brought them there.
Standing across from Harry was Draco Malfoy, a blond young man from a noble family whom Harry had met years ago during etiquette classes… classes from which Draco had been expelled after the school was accidentally destroyed by Harry's mother. Since that incident, they hadn't crossed paths again until the day Draco showed up at the bookstore with his mother. It had been right when Harry and Hermione were deeply focused on designing and improving their combat toys—also known as alchemical golems or magical robots.
Intrigued, Draco had approached with graceful steps and perfect manners, though not without a trace of nervousness. He had wanted to speak to them for some time but never found the courage—until he saw those strange battling automatons. His curiosity finally overpowered his shyness.
From that day on, Draco became Harry's official rival in golem battles. Hermione, on the other hand, had grown tired of constantly losing to Harry and decided to focus on more interesting pursuits. Malfoy's arrival, in that sense, gave her the perfect excuse to bow out of the competitions without guilt.
"Scared, Potter?" asked Draco, the wind lightly ruffling his blond hair as a proud smile spread across his face.
"Not even a little," Harry replied with a calm, confident expression.
"I sought out the best alchemy tutors to help me create my new companion. I hope you're ready to lose again," Draco said as he pulled a new golem from a box at his feet—a sleek, robotic-looking construct painted in metallic blue.
"Hmph… Last time was just luck," Harry said, unveiling his own golem, a gleaming red one with shiny metal accents. "Let me remind you, the score is 51 to 49, with 25 draws."
Meanwhile, the girls continued their picnic without concern.
"Boys are so childish," Daphne commented with a mocking tone, though not far from her sat an identical box, ready to unleash her own golem into battle and challenge both the loser and the winner. She was just waiting for her turn to "crush them both."
"Totally," Hermione agreed, flipping through the handwritten rulebook she had created. The rules had been developed over time as the golems evolved. As the official referee, Hermione had established many rules in response to unexpected situations—like when Draco brought a golem that shot fire from its hands, or when Harry built one that exploded upon defeat to take its opponent down with it.
Astoria had her own creation too: a graceful alchemical doll that could only dance. Luna's golem resembled more of a strange little creature—something closer to a pet than a warrior. Each of them interpreted alchemical creation in their own unique way.
Ever since Harry and Hermione had discovered how to create golems, they had improved their designs rapidly, thanks to the books from the Potter Library. Constructive alchemy—a nearly forgotten branch considered useless outside of combat or protection—was being revived through their playful creativity, inspired by the fun and imagination of the Muggle world. They had the knowledge (courtesy of the library) and the resources (thanks to Wanda) to make their ideas reality.
The chosen battleground was a quiet area in St. Catchpole, with no neighbors nearby—perfect for their strange magical matches. It was also close to Luna's house, and since Harry owned the land, no one would complain about the noise or the eccentric golem duels.
The battle began. Harry and Draco stood in position, shouting excitedly at their creations. The golems, powered by magical programming, moved on their own and fought automatically. The children could only cheer them on from the sidelines.
"Come on, you can do it!" Harry shouted with excitement as the golems—resembling robotic fighters—traded heavy blows, trying to rip each other's heads off. The first to succeed would be the winner.
"Come on!" Draco shouted just as passionately. Ever since his father had died, his old friends had drifted away, leaving him alone with only his mother. For months, he had felt isolated… until, half a year after the etiquette school's destruction, he walked into the bookstore and saw Potter again. From that moment, he had wanted to join him. He longed for real friends, even if it was hard for him to approach them. It hurt to remember how he, too, had once ignored Daphne for no good reason. Now he understood what that felt like.
So, when his mother planned a visit to Diagon Alley, Draco insisted on going with her. He knew Potter and the girls often gathered at the bookstore. His godfather had once mentioned the boy while teaching him potions, and Draco couldn't let the opportunity slip by. When he saw them with those fascinating golems, he couldn't resist getting closer.
He still felt a little guilty about Daphne, which was why he never asked to formally join the group or spend too much time with them. But taking part in the golem battles was enough. It made him happy. And for now, that was all he needed.
Suddenly, in the middle of the fight, Harry's red golem lost its hand. It wasn't due to an attack—it simply fell off. But underneath, a hidden surprise: a sharp, metallic spike. In one swift move, the golem lunged forward and stabbed Draco's blue golem through the chest, destroying its magical circuits and knocking it out of the fight.
"Hey! That's cheating!" Draco shouted indignantly.
"Of course not. There's no rule that forbids it," Harry replied with a mischievous grin.
"Referee!" Draco called out, turning toward the girls. Hermione stood up immediately, walking over with purpose while holding her handwritten rulebook.
"That's obviously cheating!" Draco protested as soon as she approached. "There aren't supposed to be any hidden modifications outside the legal physical frame of a fighter. That clearly breaks the rules!"
Hermione looked at him seriously, then began inspecting Harry's golem while Draco stood with his arms crossed, holding his breath.
"It's not an extra enhancement. It just lost a hand, and now it has a bit of a blade. I didn't break any rule," Harry said quickly, delivering the excuse he had prepared in advance.
"But there's no real-world body with a hand shaped like a spear!" Draco argued, frowning deeply.
"What if the fighter lost a hand in war? They could use a prosthetic, like a hook or a lance," Harry countered, his argument clearly rehearsed.
"Then that person would be using an illegal enhancement," Draco insisted, unwilling to back down.
"Technically, Harry's right," Hermione said in a serious tone. "There's no clearly written rule that prohibits it. It's a legal grey area. I think we need to fix that right now."
"Wait," Harry cut in, suddenly more serious. "What if instead of limiting the physical structure, we allowed external weapons? Swords, spears, stuff like that..."
Draco blinked, caught off guard by the idea. "What are you talking about?"
"Picture it. Instead of being restricted by the golem's frame, we could design them to wield swords, bows, spears—real warriors. Later, we could even control them ourselves with our wands, once we learn how. No more relying only on programmed commands," Harry said, excitement building in his voice. "We could create real combat golems, just like the ancient ones!"
Draco stayed silent for a moment, processing the concept… and then he smiled.
"You're right… so many possible combinations, different weapon types… it sounds amazing. I'm in!"
"Then, since that rule still doesn't exist—I win!" Harry declared with a smug grin.
Draco realized too late he had been tricked. "Hey—!"
But Harry raised a hand before he could continue. "Let's eat. I'm starving. Mum made something delicious for everyone. Want to join us?"
Draco froze. Normally, after a match, he'd exchange ideas for improvements and hurry home to work on his golem, eager for the next rematch. But this time, they were at St. Catchpole… and they'd prepared a picnic.
"Can I… join you?" he asked, his voice unsure.
"Of course. Come on—before Daphne decides to challenge me. She's a sore loser… and an even worse winner," Harry laughed as he packed his "illegal" golem into its box and walked toward the others, Draco and Hermione beside him.
Draco walked with them, a faint smile on his lips. It felt like, finally, he had won something more important than a golem match—the right to sit with them as part of the group.
…
After lunch with the others, Draco returned home. Dobby was waiting for him and brought him back with a polite bow. He arrived at Malfoy Manor still smiling, carrying the box with his damaged golem and a few materials he planned to use for upgrades.
"Hello, Draco. How was your day?" asked Narcissa from the entryway, her voice calm. Her eyes softened the moment she saw her son so cheerful.
"Mother, it was great! Harry cheated and destroyed my golem, so I have to reinforce its defense. But I already have an idea—I'll give it a shield… maybe even a sword. We're taking this to the next level! And we all had lunch together—his mum made sandwiches for everyone. Astoria fell asleep afterward, and Daphne tried to draw on her face, but she woke up and caught her red-handed..."
Draco spoke with excitement, his hands moving animatedly as he recounted every detail. Narcissa, who usually wore a composed, dignified expression, allowed herself a small, genuine smile at the sight of her happy son.
Lucius Malfoy hadn't been a terrible father, nor a horrible husband. He had been present, instructive, and involved. But his problem had always been his beliefs. For him, nobility and blood purity were paramount. He had never truly had friends—only calculated allies. Aside from Severus Snape, who became his friend during their school days, most of his circle would've betrayed him without hesitation if it suited their goals.
Lucius was a man shaped by war, extremist ideals, and a fanatical obsession with status. He had been a Death Eater, had committed atrocities, and continued serving Voldemort even after his supposed fall. And while that didn't stop him from being a functioning parent, it did make him a bad person.
Narcissa knew this. That's why, when everything ended, she made a clear decision: to leave that world behind. She joined the neutral side, severing ties with her old allies without hesitation. They weren't fighting for the light or the dark—but sometimes, the middle path is the wisest. And with the power the neutral faction held, neither side dared to threaten Draco or his family.
Especially not with Sirius Black having also joined the neutral camp—after parting ways with Dumbledore, whom he no longer trusted. And now that Andromeda had returned to the Black family as well, Draco had a strong, safe network of support—one free from toxic ideologies.
"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, Draco. But don't let it distract you from your lessons with your godfather," Narcissa reminded him gently, her smile both warm and firm.
"I won't. Harry even shared some potion notes with me. I'm sure I'll surprise my godfather next time!" Draco beamed as he set his mind to preparing his next great creation.
Next Chapter: The Weasleys Arrive – And Harry's New Wand