Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling and various publishers.
Ferretina: I hope you like this fanfic, it does contain Harry/Draco slash. Please tell me what you think in the comments. Enjoy!
Harry couldn't get him out of his head. Why would someone who clearly hated harry his whole life help him? Harry would even go as far as saying that he saved Harry's life. He couldn't figure out why. Why would Draco help him? When had he started calling Malfoy Draco? He shook his head. "Something wrong Harry?" Asked the portrait of Sirius Black hanging on the wall of the dining room of 12 Grimmauld Place, the house Sirius had left to Harry in his will. "Just contemplating returning for my eighth year at Hogwarts," he said, lying instinctively. He didn't want Sirius to know that he was thinking about Draco. "I go back tomorrow. The school has been entirely rebuilt." Harry decided to enjoy his last night of peace before his life became crazy again, so decided to try to put Draco out of his head.
Harry was on the train, half asleep, his previous attempts of not thinking about Draco had been a complete failure, resulting in a night of hardly any sleep. Ron and Hermione were oblivious to this. They were busy flirting. Ugh. You would think months after the war their romance would have cooled a little. Apparently not thought Harry, who decided to at leat attempt to get some sleep before the train arrives at Hogmead.
It didn't work. If anything Harry was more tired now than when he first tried to sleep. He was currently shuffling out of the train and hovering on the platform, which was currently much busier than usual, having another year on it. The carriages seemed to take forever to arrive, and when they did he lost sight of Ron and Hermione amidst the fast moving crowds. A lot more people would be discovering how the carriages moved, although that was hard to avoid considering hiw many died in the war. He resigned himself to an awkward carrige ride with strangers gawping at him. Nothing new he supposed. He got in one of theempty carriages and closed his eyes. He couldn't be bothered with this. He winced when someone else enters the carriage a few seconds later. He opened his eyes and stared. It was Draco. He had changed. He was a lot taller and his hair was longer, his jaw more defined and his eyes haunted. He had a long scar across his face, but it only accentuated his handsomeness. Harry guessed that was where the sharp chunk of wall had hit him when he pushed Fred out of the way. He had lost a lot of weight as well, but the little he had left had turned to muscle. Harry was dumbfounded.
Draco blanched when he saw it was Harry. How he must hate him after everything he did. And now to be stuck in a carriage with him. Draco was about to try the door when the carriage lurched and began to move. He was stuck. Harry was staring at him. It made him nervous. Normally he could read every emotion off Harry's face, but now his expression was unreadable. That was probably not good. Deaco shuffled nervously. The silence was getting to him. "I know it doesn't make a difference, but I didn't get a choice," he said, breaking the silence. "To be a death eater, I mean. But by the time I realised I had to fight for what I believed in it was too late." Harry didn't say anything. The minutes of silence streched into what felt like hours. "It wasn't." Harry eventually said. Draco still couldn't read the expression on his face. He would be lucky to survive this carriage ride. "You saved me, you gave me the wand to defeat Voldemort and you saved Fred." Harry held out his hand. "How about we use this year as a clean slate. Friends?"
"Friends." Draco said as he shook Harry's hand, not quite believing what was happening. It was more than he could have ever hoped for.
Harry was in his dorm once again. He felt like he was finally home. The feast had been great and watching the first uears get sorted into their houses no longer seemed dreary and boring, but more of a novelty. He was finally appreciating everything about Hogwarts, knowing that it was nearly lost forever. Ron was talking to him, telling him about Hermione. That was all he talked about nowadays, as if Harry hadn't been best friends with her for seven years. Being honest with himself, Harry hadn't really forgiven Ron for leaving him and Hermione when hunting horcruxes. Usually Harry found Ron's prattling annoying but right now his mind was elsewhere, on a certain blonde to be precise. The look of disbelief on his face when Harry asked for a fresh start, the way his shoulders hunched as he talked, unsure of himself. It couldn't be healthy, obsessing over someone like this, Harry decided, not that he could do anything about it.
Harry sat at the Gryffindor table at breakfast, watching Draco. He sat alone staring at his empty plate. It appeared as if all of his friends had abandoned him since he switched sides. Ron and Hermione were flirting again and quite frankly, Harry was getting sick of it. It was as if they didn't have time for him anymore, as if they didn't care anymore.
Harry had clearly been out of it since his return to Hogwarts. He hadn't spoken a word to them amd they hadn't even noticed. Oh well. Harry got up and walked over to the Slytherin table, suddenly feeling hundreds of eyes watching him. He sat opposite Draco, who hadn't looked up. "Hi," he said, causing Draco to look up.
Draco looked up to see Harry, who started when he saw his face, no doubt surprised at the bruising. Last night a group of his former friends had cornered him and used various hexes on him, calling him a traitor. He supposed it was to be deserved, he had fixed some of the hexes before walking down the hall only to be beaten the muggle way by a group of Hufflepuffs, calling him a dirty death eater. "Who would do that to your beautiful face?" Harry exclaimed and promtly blushed at Draco's curious expression. It wouldn't surprise him if Harry was mocking him. He deserved it anyway, for all the things he had done. "I mean, who would do that? The war is over." Harry explained, his face still red. Draco narrowed his eyes. It couldn't be. His childhood crush couldn't possibly be interested in him. Harry seemed to shrink under Draco's gaze perhaps he could. Draco smiled. "I don't mind if they take their anger out on me. I deserve it." Draco shrugged. Harry suddenly looked angry. Apparently this was the wrong thing to say.
Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. No one deserved that kind of treatment. What should he do? Harry pondered his options for a few minutes before coming to a decision. He grabbed two rolls of the table before shoving one at Draco and saying "Come on. Let's get out of here." He was conscious of all the glares directed at him and Draco.
They wandered around the grounds until Harry stopped by the lake. "Draco, can I ask you something?" He said, suddenly turning to Draco with heat in his eyes. "S-sure." Draco stuttered, suddenly nervous. Harry took a breath. "You said you had to fighht for what you believed in. What did you believe in?" Draco looked in Harry's eyes. He seemed almost hopeful. Draco hoped he wasn't making a mistake. "You." He stated before taking Harry's face in his hands and kissing him. He was about to pull back when Harry responded, deepening the kiss. Eventually he pulled back and looked into Harry's eyes. He saw happiness there. "I believed in you."