„These are the keys to your flat that you'll be sharing with four other people, this one's for your room and that's for the main entrance. I wish you a brilliant academic year and hope you enjoy your stay here at college!", the friendly girl at the reception has told Harry while handing him his keys and pointing out the direction to his college flat.
Coming back to London has been both a relief and a confusion for Harry until now. For one, because a year in America has not provided him the distance from the war's events he had wished for. And then, because now all the wizards seemed to be hunting him down like wolves with intent, so much that not even Ron has enjoyed hanging around with him lately.
And this is how he finds himself starting an education at a Muggle university, living at college with Muggles, because whatever weird and eccentric people he might meet here, they are sure not to shower him in gratitude, call him a "hero" and ask about his love life to print in the 'Evening Prophet'.
Well, maybe ask about his love life. But not for publication purposes.
Before Harry can open the flat, it is yanked open by a small girl with fierce, black smudged eyes and blue hair.
"You must be Harry!", she says and shakes his hand, "Come in!"
She ushers him inside and takes his duffel bag. "I'm Cora, nice to meet you. We'll be flat mates this year, thanks to the elaborative "arrangement of living spaces" the College Council has worked out."
She winks at him and nudges his arm before he can say a word. "You know, two freshmen, two tutors from second year to look over them and someone from third year to bitch about."
She laughs, and while her stream of words is overwhelming for Harry, he immediately takes a liking in her. She obviously likes to be prepared and on top of things likes Hermione (and well, apparently showing it, too), but is also easy-going and friendly, if not a tad weird. Someone everybody likes but who doesn't make a fuss about it, and that's what Harry was wishing for. Somebody... uncomplicated.
"Your room's at the end of the hall", she points out, "bathroom is over here, there's the kitchen and our 'shared space', with telly and all. I'm still waiting for Laura, the other freshman, but you can go and get friendly with Nate – that's Mr. Thirdyear – and Luke, the other nutter who is supposed to be tutoring you."
"Thanks", Harry manages to say finally and takes his duffel bag from her.
He walks over to the kitchen without the nauseous anticipation he felt before Cora had welcomed him. These are just nice people he is going to share a flat with. It's almost like his house at Hogwarts. Maybe even more like family, because nobody will snap pictures of him and ask for his autograph.
There is laughter emerging from the kitchen, so he inhales deeply and braces himself for a few moments of awkward introduction.
There are two blokes in the kitchen, a taller, blonde one in black skinny jeans and a gray cardigan, leaning against the sink and turned away from him, laughing about a joke the other in a deep blue hoodie has just told, who spots Harry immediately:
"Hey there, you're Harry, right?" He shakes Harry's hand. "I'm Nate, and this is Luke-"
"Luke!?"
The duffel bag slips from Harry's arm with a loud thump. The guy who was leaning against the sink has now turned to him, so Harry sees a haughty, pointed face with gray eyes, that are quickly schooled into an expression of polite indifference after a second of surprise and leave nothing to be mistaken: The person standing in front of him is clearly Draco Malfoy.
A Draco Malfoy who is casually drinking tap water, calling himself 'Luke', wearing his hair in a downright quiff and standing in a Muggle College Kitchen laughing about some stranger's joke, but Draco Malfoy nonetheless.
"Harry.", comes the uncomfortable, but somewhat warm response together with an awkward smile. And if there was any confusion, his voice rids Harry of what was left: This is Draco Malfoy.
"What are you doing here?", is all Harry can ask, maybe with a bit too much aggression than strictly necessary. Malfoy just blinks as if he has no idea what Harry is talking about and answers: "Isn't it obvious? I'm drinking a glass of water in..."
"Nonononono, what are you doing here?", Harry gesticulates wildly.
The pointed stare he gets from Malfoy this time is more level-headed and reminds Harry too much of something he wanted to rid his mind of forever.
"The same as you, I guess."
Unsure what to make of that, Harry blinks for a few moments just like Nate has been doing between them for their entire conversation.
"But I don't understand", Harry tries again, "why are you-"
Potter. He hears Malfoy's voice in his head without any inclination on Malfoy's face that he's talking to him. Leave it. We have company.
Harry slumps a little and looks guiltily at Nate again.
"So you two know each other, then?", Nate asks, confused.
"No.", Harry hurries, while Malfoy says: "Sketchily."
They turn to each other, both wearing a visible expression of well, it's clearly not my fault if our cover blows up written on their faces.
Sorry, Harry thinks. The fact that his occlumency skills are shitty does come in handy when he has to communicate with Malfoy, who can establish a link to his thoughts. Although the notion that Malfoy is currently snooping around his head is so devastatingly uncomfortable, he quickly smiles at Nate, adds: "He is right of course. I just thought it..., well, doesn't matter now. Anyway. See you later, yeah?" and makes his excuse with a little nod to his room.
Oh, this is just brilliant. As if any wizard turning up at his chosen safety nest wouldn't be bad enough, but does it have to be the one whose destiny he's been linked to in personal animosity since school days?
Don't worry guys, the rest written, just not edited yet.
Feel free to ask questions on the idea, comment on it or just leave your kudos. xxx