Title: Some Things Never Change
Authors: Claire Belbusti and Maeggy Summary: After the final battle at the end of sixth year, everything, and everyone, changes. How will that affect Harry and Draco when they spend the summer together?
Disclaimer: It's not ours...sad but true...
A/N: So, we decided to write a fic together, since we have been sending our readers to each other's stuff so much. Thus far we have this one chapter, but we have a lot planned out. Let us know what you think!! Feel free to email Maeggy at or Claire Belbusti at and we'll get back to everyone. We're like that.
"Are you sure we have the right address?"
Harry turned to look at his best friend, disbelief in his eyes. "Are you kidding me?" Over Ron's shoulder, he could see the fireworks display that was one of many battles occurring all over England. But that wasn't the issue at hand. "Ron, it's the Riddle House! You know, big scary mansion, on a hill, overlooking a graveyard...for Merlin's sake, I've been here before!"
The redhead dropped his eyes. "Just checking." They made their way up the gravel walk to the door, which was strangely unlatched. After a hesitant glance at Harry, Ron pushed it open.
It was dark inside, but Harry smelled something burning. "Ten galleons says she's upstairs." Ron looked at him with fear beginning to edge its way into his eyes. Perhaps beginning was the wrong word. It had been there ever since she had disappeared. Ever since that day in Hogsmeade, when she suddenly didn't arrive for dinner. Harry hadn't been there, he was loathe to interrupt Ron and Hermione's time together, the closest they got to dates. Yet, somehow, he was only now realizing how very worried his best friend was. He shrugged. "What? They're always upstairs." For all of the stressful situations he had been through, Harry had found that attempts to lighten the mood never worked, but he had nothing else to try.
They made their way up the stairs, wands out. Down the hall, a flickering light shone behind a door. They headed that direction, as quietly as possible. As they got close, Harry heard something., He concentrated on it, a whisper far away. "I know it'sss here. I sssmell it. A moussse for me."
He stopped in his tracks, catching Ron's sleeve. "Ron," he hissed, "I don't think we should-"
"What do you mean? We have to, she's in there." Ron stepped forward again.
"Ron, I'm telling you-"But the redhead reached out and opened the door. Harry knew what was coming before it happened. He knew what he had heard, the snake in the room. That snake could only mean one thing. He knew what was on the other side of that door, and it wasn't Hermione. Even as he registered it, he heard the familiar high pitched voice, "Avada Ked-"
Harry leaped on Ron, pulling him to the ground in the doorway and feeling the curse burn across his collar. "Damn it, Ron."
"Ah, Harry Potter. Once again." The voice made him flinch.
He stood and pulled Ron up. "Don't do anything stupid," he muttered out of the corner of his mouth. Then he turned to face Lord Voldemort.
"No beating around the bush this time, Potter. It's time to kill you, once and for all." The Dark Lord raised his wand, aiming at Harry. "Avada Kedavra!"
Harry felt his shoulder and hip hit the ground.
That wasn't right.
He pushed himself up and looked back over his shoulder, at the body on the ground behind him. He felt it rising up from his toes, a scream that rent the darkness around the Riddle Mansion.
"No!"
A loud noise woke him up. It took a moment for him to realize it was his own scream. He sat up, cast his eyes around the impeccably neat bedroom and swung his feet off of the cot. Percy was still asleep. The clock read 6:10. Suddenly, the memories of the last twenty-four hours at the Burrow came flooding back. He couldn't stay here any longer, not like that. He stood, quietly changed his robes and drafted a polite but firm note indicating that he was leaving and not intending on returning any time soon, That done, he apparated into the Forbidden Forest and began his trek up to the school.