Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter® is copyright J.K. Rowlings. HARRY POTTER, characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of Warner Bros. TM and © 2005. This fan fiction is provided for entertainment purposes and in respect to J.K. Rowlings and the talented cast of the Harry Potter films.
A/N: This is inspired by the old film 'Groundhog Day' – if you haven't seen it, a man gets stuck in a time loop, repeating one day over and over. He eventually re-evaluates his life and changes his ways, so he can break the loop he's stuck in. The basic concept is applied here, I have got poor Draco stuck in his own time loop.
Sorry for the delay in posting!
Groundhog Day – Time Loop
Draco woke at 6:30am, it was an ordinary day. Thursday the 2nd February, he didn't know that this day would be vastly different to any other day he had at this damn school. He had returned to Hogwarts to repeat his seventh year.
He had never had such a boring year at Hogwarts before. He basically kept himself to himself, he still socialised with Blaise, Pansy, Theo and Greg. But they mainly discussed homework, he didn't connect with them personally. He felt like an outsider to his own group of friends, like they were only putting up with him out of pity.
So he withdrew in on himself, and rarely opened up to anyone. All eighth years had called a truce, so he didn't even have Gryffindor baiting to entertain him any more. He studied diligently and worked really hard to achieve excellent grades, he had enough going against him, he would have to have near perfect grades to get a job. He was sure most would still find an excuse not to hire him; even though the only reason was the ugly mark on his left arm.
He had never gotten back into Quidditch after his sixth year, and had no intention of getting back on the team this year. He felt guilty that he had the opportunity to play at all, some people from their year weren't so lucky. Many lives were ruined and changed during the war, and he couldn't help but feel responsible for it. So he refused to have fun - as such, he didn't want his fellow students to hate him.
He had already endured comments such as. 'I can't believe scum like Malfoy get to return to school when so many GOOD people can't.' He just ignored them, silently agreeing with them. He knew he was very fortunate to still be alive, to have his parents, to still be allowed to attend school, and to escape Askban. He knew it, but if he told people he was thankful and grateful, they wouldn't believe him anyway. So he kept quite, just ignoring everyone but his small group of friends.
Even he thought his dad should have at least been sentenced to Askban, but he was pleased to have him free. If only for his mothers sanity, she wouldn't have coped well if he was locked in a cell and she were alone.
Draco was still haunted by the war, the battle of Hogwarts and still dealing with the consequences of his actions. He tried apologising but most people refused to believe he was being sincere and he eventually gave up. At least most students left him alone, just whispering and throwing the odd insult. Yes he was a shadow of his former self, but his former self was a jackass anyway. Draco didn't miss being that version of himself. However he had no idea who he really was, so he was stuck in limbo trying to figure it out.
He certainly wasn't the quiet guy he was acting at the moment. He figured he was somewhere in-between, not the cocky, arrogant asshole he was before, but not the meek quiet loser he was now. He was still him after all, still opinionated, still snarky and still demanding – yet he held back.
A few things he knew for certain however were, one: he was gay. He preferred men and that was one constant in his life he knew would never change. Two: he didn't believe in the old pureblood shite any more. Even his father realised he was a fool for backing a lunatic and basically knew he was the downfall of the Malfoy family.
His father was shaken by the loss of Severus Snape, they were once good friends, he was even Draco's godfather. His mother had lost a sister, but she wasn't as grieved by this, in fact she had started up a strenuous correspondence with his other Aunt. She had previously been cast aside for marrying a muggle-born wizard, but his mother had soon realised that there were more important things to care about. Such as love, family and making amends – instead of old grudges. They had nearly lost it all, so they appreciated that they had another chance.
Draco was glad his mother was happy, he just drifted through each day, keeping his head down. Maybe when he left school he could lock himself in the Manor and work from home.
He heard the other occupants start to stir, so he got up and headed for the bathroom. On the way back out he bumped into Blaise and some random Ravenclaw seventh year.
Blaise looked surprised to see him, "Oh sorry I thought everyone was still asleep."
Draco rolled his eyes, "I'd get her out of here before Pansy catches you." he warned.
Blaise turned to the girl, "You'd better go. Thanks for last night."
She blushed and headed out without looking back. Blaise turned back to Draco, "Don't see what it has to do with Parkinson." He huffed.
Draco sighed and decided not to get involved. Pansy finally gotten over Draco and had moved onto Blaise. Blaise liked her too, but both were actually worse than Granger and Weasley – at least they were finally together. Draco wished they would sort their shit out and just admit how they felt already.
Even Greg had started dating Millicent. Draco shuddered when he thought of what their offspring would be like. Theo was single but seemed happy to be so, he admitted he liked She Weasel and Draco tried to be polite. He couldn't see what was so attractive about her – she was just...just...well he couldn't pin point why he found her unattractive, but he did. It had nothing to do with her being a Weasley. As he actually thought they weren't so bad.
Theo was out of luck anyway, everyone knew She Weasel wouldn't settle for anyone but Harry Potter. She had her eyes on him since first year, much as Draco had. But Draco was realistic and knew that he would be lucky to meet a man as half as decent as Potter. Potter was straight, Potter was the saviour, Potter was the exact opposite to Draco in every way. Opposing houses, opposing sides in the war and even opposing sexuality. They would never fit together. Draco cut those thoughts off and headed to breakfast with Blaise.
Walking to the great hall from the new eighth year dorms, he walked right into someone when he was fishing for his timetable.
"Who stops in the middle of the fucking hall like a retard?" he complained.
He groaned when he looked up and saw Weasley red hair and an equally annoyed Ron glaring at him.
"If you watched where you were going you wouldn't have walked into me." Ron snapped.
Before he got into an argument Draco muttered, "Whatever," and walked around Weasley and continued on his way.
His day didn't get any better, Potter stared at him and then an idiotic first year was trying to levitate a jug of pumpkin juice, and it fell all over his lap. He didn't utter a word, but the look he gave the first year sent her running from the hall crying. Draco cast a spell to clean and dry his trousers, then headed for lessons. They were just as boring, his quill broke, he spilt ink over his notes and he zoned out and answered a question wrong.
Just lots of little things one on top of another, and once you put them all together he was having a really shit day. He couldn't wait to go to bed early and wake up and start again, hopefully tomorrow would be better.
After dinner Draco left his friends to head back to the eighth year dorms early, he noticed Potter up front – alone.
Potter looked over his shoulder when he heard footsteps, "Oh hey Malfoy. You seem fed up."
Draco always thought Potter was a nosy git, an attractive nosy git – but no matter how attractive he was, it didn't make up for his annoyingness.
"Yes fed up just about sums it up." with that he strolled on in front of potter and at a quicker pace.
He didn't want to get pulled into an awkward conversation with Potter. He knew Potter was only being polite out of some strange sense of obligation, to be the better person. But Draco couldn't stand the look in Potters eyes as he looked at him.
Draco felt like he was just working through the motions of everyday life. Wake. Wash. Eat. Class. Homework. Eat. Sleep, and repeat. He was worried about saying or doing something wrong and losing his chance he had been granted, he needed to complete his NEWTs. Some days he felt he was barely holding it together. But he would stop himself from the enviable break down, reminding himself he had nothing to cry about – not like so many others. He had no right crying, he caused this pain, he brought this on himself.
So when Potter looked at him and he felt a flow of emotion escape him, he would keep control until he could look away. He knew if he looked into his green eyes for too long, he would break down – he had no right breaking down to Harry Potter no less. Draco just avoided him as much as possible and was polite.
He was smiling on the outside, but screaming on the inside. He just wanted this day to be over, it was a long day. He showered, completed some homework and then went to bed extremely early and attempted to sleep off his sullen mood.
Draco woke early once again, this in it's self wasn't unusual he was always the first to wake. He woke and freshened up, once again bumping into Blaise and the same Ravenclaw girl.
He held back the eye roll, and quietly whispered, "Twice Blaise. This is getting serious between you two."
Blaise looked at him strangely, went to answer but Draco cut him off, "Like I said before. Get her out of here before Pansy sees you two."
Once Blaise was ready they headed for the breakfast table, Draco avoided reading the paper since the war, so he had no idea what the date was. He looked at his timetable, extremely glad that it was Friday.
"Care of magical creatures first, that should be...delightful." He drawled.
Blaise frowned at him, "Um no. We have Ancient Runes first." He corrected.
Draco shook his head, "Blimey Blaise did that girl fuck your brains out. Today is Friday the 3rd and we did Thursday's lessons yesterday."
Blaise looked over the table where Pansy sat, "Um no Draco it's Thursday 2nd today."
Draco was starting to get annoyed, did Blaise not remember the horrendous day they had yesterday. Especially him.
"Pansy tell him what day it is." Draco ordered.
She smiled at Blaise and then turned to Draco, "Are you okay? Did you sleep well?" She asked concerned.
"I'm fine. I slept adequately. Stop talking to me like a fucking mental patient. Tell Blaise it is Friday." He snapped.
Pansy looked apologetic, "Draco honey it is Thursday." She grabbed the paper from Theo and handed it to Draco, pointing to the date.
Draco saw in small black print the date: Thursday 2nd February.
He could have sworn yesterday was Thursday. But then again that was a day from hell, so maybe, just maybe that was a really vivid dream. He grunted and shoved the paper back to Pansy.
"I think I dreamt that we went through Thursday already. I even remember..never mind I'm clearly losing it." He quietly ate his toast thinking over what had happened.
If it was a dream, it was one hell of a dream as he had dreamt that Blaise had shagged that Ravenclaw girl and then this morning he did. So maybe he had a premonition. He hoped not, he had a shitty day yesterday – or in his dream, whatever it was.
Just then he felt ice cold liquid pour over his lap. Looking up he glared at a first year who had spilt the contents of a jug of pumpkin juice all over him.
He was furious. He cleaned himself up and continued his day, having a weird sense of deja vu and getting slightly freaked out that all of his dream was coming true. Down to him breaking a quill, spilling ink and bumping into Weasley.
Again in the evening Potter looked at him with concern and commented on how Draco looked. He was staring to feel freaked out, his homework didn't take as long as he felt like he had already done it. The answers came easy enough and he spent the rest of the evening writing to his parents and avoiding the eighth year common room.
When Draco woke again and the same process repeated itself, he was starting to get fucked off. It was a trick, or a curse. Something, yet no one else seemed to notice that Thursday was repeating itself over again. Draco was losing his god damn mind.
So when he went to the great hall he looked at the first year and sharply said, "Don't even think about levitating that jug of pumpkin juice. If you want it ask someone to pass it to you."
The first year blushed and asked him to pass it to her. Draco complied and was thankful that he avoided a lap full of juice. Today was looking up already.
He managed to avoid the various hazards that happened to him in his dreams, or previous repeated day. But the events that happened to anyone else, repeated themselves exactly. It was maddening – he wondered if he should say something, or try to break the weird loop that was happening.
Eventually Draco was ready to jump off the Astronomy tower, the Thursday from hell just repeated itself over and over. Draco had now liven through the day eight times and he was going insane. He tried no talking at all, to shouting, to staying in his room all day and trying to stay awake past midnight. Yet he always woke up and the same fucking day started all over again.
Draco had asked McGonagall if any potions or accidents had occurred. He explained that things were repeating. She eyed him strangely and said that yesterday was Wednesday, today was Thursday and nothing as far as she was aware had occurred.
Draco even went to the school nurse, she couldn't detect any spell damage, curses or potions. She declared him healthy and said that maybe he was overdoing it and needed to have fun with his friends to ease the pressure.
He didn't say anything to his friends, he feared that they would think he was losing his mind and that they would decide they no longer wanted to be friends.
So he continued to live the same day over and over, in one boring and dreadful loop. To pass the time he had decided to watch one person a day, and see if they held the key to break this time loop. He had repeated the same day for two weeks and so far had watched all his friends and then even Potter and his friends. He learnt a lot during his observations and knew he held a lot of information that would help his fellow students.
He spent his time re-evaluating his life and his friends life's. He wondered if he was in this time loop for a reason. Like he had to fix an injustice or help benefit those around him to break it. So with that in mind he was determined to get Blaise and Pansy together, and to do a little research into Potter and She Weasels love life, if their was a small chance then he would help Theo with his unfortunate crush.
Draco decided that evening he would start with Pansy.
- TBC -