AN:I felt the weird temptation to write a Harry Potter/Glee AU and no one stopped me. It's just a little quick story I wrote on the bus, so please don't expect anything special.
How to get a Warbler
"Regionals," Mr Weasley said in a joyous tone. They haven't lost regionals three years in a row. "Nothing can stop us!"
"Are you sure of it, Weasley?" Lucius Malfoy, the chief of McKinley's cheerleader team, was standing at the door, looking at the members of New Directions with despise in his steely eyes. "I bet as the reigning national champions you'll be glad to hear the one and only person who made it possible for you to walk into this classroom with something more than the stinky smell of failure for once by letting you use my extraordinary boot camp techniques, is now in charge of one Dalton Academy singing group, namely: the Warblers."
"What?" an outraged mix of whispers run through the room. It was one thing to fight Malfoy on McKinley's ground, but taking it so far to coach another choir… Unbelievable.
"What are you talking about, Lucius?" Mr Weasley seemed equally shocked. His good willed heart couldn't understand the Cheerios' leader actions.
"It's economy, Arthur, something you should start thinking about too in the age of global crisis, especially if you lose and I'll have to ask our dear principal to cut your budget… again."
…
"I still can't believe he actually did it," Hermione said, as they sat down in their favourite cafe.
"We should have seen it coming, right? It's not like his mercy could last forever," Ron Weasley, Mr Weasley's youngest son, sipped on his espresso and put an arm around his girlfriend.
"We'll have to do what we usually did - our best," Harry said and fell silent, no longer paying attention to his friends.
It was easier said than done. The Warblers were always good, but this year… It would be even harder to beat them. And as much as he loved some nice competition, there was something bothering him.
Tom Riddle. He has never met someone like him before. Tom was so handsome and tall and charming - if he only wanted to - and his voice was like some kind of remedy; it could probably cure cancer. They've met in a music store, when Harry was looking for a vintage edition of Gellert Grindelwald's first solo album, the famous "Black Phoenix". Apparently Tom was looking for it too, because their hands touched over it, leading to one of the embarassing "I saw it first" quarrels. In the end Tom gave up on the CD if only Harry agreed to go for a coffee with him. How could he not agree? It didn't end then - the whole summer felt like some weird Grease rendition without cars and pregnancies. Or maybe it was more like West Side Story? Harry was able to imagine what his friends would do if they found out he was dating a Warbler… Hermione would sing Anita's part in A boy like that, he was sure if it. But was he really the one to blame? Until September 1st he was unaware the person who was seemingly the love of his life was also some kind of deadly singing enemy. He should have ended it then, when he saw Tom in Dalton Academy uniform. Didn't he know already what dating a Warbler was like? Draco Malfoy tried to mess with his head to make him break and lose the regionals the previous year.
But he couldn't give up on Tom. He was different or at least Harry hoped so.
"Ginger, Rabbit and… Scar," somebody said, stopping beside their table. Harry looked up and saw no one other than his secret boyfriend. "What a pleasure to see you before the unenviable defeat makes an imprint on your already miserable features. See you tomorrow, losers."
Harry wanted to say something, but Tom has already left.
…
"Sorry."
"I'm sorry."
"I didn't mean it."
"It's not what…"
His phone was buzzing all night, but Harry couldn't make himself pick it up.
…
It felt weird to know that Tom was probably sitting in another classroom getting ready for his performance. Harry felt stangely empty. Not that it mattered that much, he only had to win the regionals to feel better. He hoped defeating Tom would lift his spirit. In the end Tom occurred to be even worse than Malfoy.
Draco never made fun if his scar. And Tom was the only one who knew about its real origin, he didn't share his secret even with Ron and Hermione. They were still sure his scar was a mark left after a car accident, but Tom knew the truth - the scar was made by the very same person who killed his parents and didn't have time to kill him before the police arrived and arrested him.
It hurt. He though Tom was different.
His friends were around, but he didn't notice them. He wasn't sure how did he end sitting in the audience beside Neville Longbottom.
The Warblers were the first to perform. He regretted not staying backstage to avoid seeing Tom, but it was too late now.
"They've changed their songs," Hermione hissed behind his back, but she was hushed by another comment:
"A soloist? It's not really their style, right?"
"He's totally hot though," Lavender Brown whispered and Harry finally looked up.
It was Tom of course, standing on stage all alone in his stupid Dalton uniform. He surely was looking fine.
"One look, dark room…"
He knew this song.
"Coffee at midnight…"
Was it… meant for him?
"You can hear in the silence…"
Was Tom really looking at him or was he imagining it?
No, no, no, he couldn't give up because of this cliché attempt of saying "I'm sorry" with a song.
"You are in love."
Or maybe he could?
…
Harry wanted to wait after he was done with his own show, but apparently Tom had another plan.
"Harry," he stopped him when the New Directions were coming out of their changing room, "I'm…"
"… sorry. Yes, I know. I've got all of your messages."
"But you didn't reply? I thought you came across some finger-cutting-maniac and were unable to reply? You know how many psychos are roaming the streets of Lima these days?"
"I know," Harry said bitterly. Was Tom doing this on purpose again?
"But I've prepared a song just in case," Riddle said, smiling slightly, hopefully.
They were silent for a moment. Harry felt the lingering gaze of his friends. He wondered whether they were pissed off already.
"I won't sing you anything about bad blood if that's what you are worried about," he answered finally.
"What about the strangely suiting I knew you were trouble?"
Harry couldn't help laughing slightly. He turned around trying to hide his smile and walking towards the stage. It was his turn to play with Tom's feelings for a little bit longer.
But once again he was defeated, because someone grabbed his arm and turned once again. Tom was standing way too close and Harry was sure the New Directions added two plus two already. And as if it wasn't obvious enough, Tom leaned towards him and kissed him lighly, probably debating inwardly whether Harry will or will not punch him in the face. But it was nice kissing Tom again and for once he didn't care that much about winning.
If it's the Warblers' tactic to grab the victory for themselves, it's definitely working, Harry thought to himself and smiled again.
AN: If he existed, Lord Voldemort would kill me because of this Taylor Swift song, we all know it.
