Title: Compatriots Once Again
Author: LadyBelz
Summary: Arthur and Lucius have a surprisingly unique friendship.
Characters: Arthur Weasly, Molly Weasley, Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa Malfoy
Genre: AU Second Year One-shot
Rating: PG13 for language
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers, including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Notes: I don't remember when I wrote this. Found it shoved in a drawer when I was looking for something else, so I think I may have written it at work on one of my former overnight shifts some years ago.

~

Flourish & Blotts, normally crowded with students and parents gathering books for the new year, was doubly crowded this particular day. The news that famed monster slayer and six-time winner of Witch Weekly's Best Smile, Gilderoy Lockhart was there for a book signing caused females both young and old to crowd the place.

Harry and his friends had just escaped his clutches and were set to leave when they were stopped on the way out.

"Weasley!" snarled the blonde, still angry about the raid upon his home some days before.

"Malfoy!" came the angry retort.

The two adversaries glared at one another. One wrong move, one wrong word, and wands would most likely be drawn.

"Arse." came the whisper, no one sure who spoke it.

Just like that, wands were disregarded as fists came into play. All anyone could do was stare in shock as the two rolled about on the floor, throwing punches left and right.

That was until well-aimed "Petrificus Totalis" from two different directions froze the combatants into place.

Two sets of eyes, one gray, one blue turned toward the doorway where two very angry witches stood.

"Arthur William Weasley!" screeched the voice of his wife, Molly.

"Lucius Abraxas Malfoy!" came the more dignified voice of his wife, Narcissa.

Both women stared at the two men, glares so frosty they could have been in the Arctic. Draco stood on one side of his mother while Harry, Hermione, and the other Weasley children stood a bit behind Molly.

"Um ... hi?" Arthur grinned.

"Hello, dearest." Lucius tried, a pink tinge to his cheeks.

Neither woman was falling for it.

Rumor has it you could still hear the echoing shouts of the women all around Hogsmeade for nearly a week.

Through it all, Arthur and Lucius could only grin at one another - Compatriots once again.