Disclaimer: I own nothing Harry Potter related

Chapter One - Harry's new life

Harry sat in solitude, a grin dominating the features of his average looking face. The only thing no average about this boy was the lighting bolt scar that graced his pale face.

Behind him he heard the dormitory door open and saw a slim line of light slowly grow towards him.

"Harry?"

Harry grinned wider, he knew that if he left to have time by himself he would be followed, it was just the pull he had on people.

"Yeah?"

"Hey, Mate. Do you reckon I could talk to you?"

Harry finally turned to face his best friend. Truthfully they had begun to drift apart. They both felt it, the difference was that Harry did not mind, he had plenty of people he could be friends with; whereas Ron would have been devastated if they did not remain friends as Harry and Hermione were all that he had.

Harry nodded in answer to his friend's question, "What's up?"

Ron sat down, fiddling with his thumbs shyly, not able to look at Harry as he talked, "Well, I'm not sure if you have noticed… but… well, I… I… well…" Ron stopped lamely. Harry grinned on the inside, he knew what Ron wanted to tell him and what he would ask but he liked to see him suffering trying to tell his best friend. It was entertaining for Harry.

"Well… we never talk much about relationships and that do we?"

Harry shook his head still smiling kindly.

"Well… I was wondering… do you find it, um… hard… to…to ask a girl out?" Ron went bright red, "But not just any girl… like a real special girl".

Harry raised an eyebrow to humour his friend, he knew exactly who this special girl was, and it had been obvious for years who he had really loved.

Ron's complexion darkened another shad, "I always assumed that you knew that me and-".

"Harry!" another boy ran into the room, a broad smirk on his face, "I've just seen Draco heading up to Snape's office and he said that the party is a go".

Harry grinned, "Sweet". He jumped up from his seat on the window sill and grabbed a jacket that hung off his bed.

"Can we carry on this conversation later, Ron?" he called as he headed towards Dean Thomas and the doorway.

"Sure", Ron sighed in disappointment. He was always second best to Harry's social life.

"Cool", Harry was out the door when he yelled back, "You should come, Ron", but he did not wait for a reply before rushing down the stone steps towards the common room.

Ron shook his head to himself; he had never found the Slytherin parties interesting. It was always just teenagers drinking and having sex everywhere. Frowning he got up and made his way to his bed.

Once in the common room, Harry found Dean and Seamus waiting for him.

"The girls have just run up to get changed", Seamus explained. Buy the girls he meant Hermione, Lavender, Ginny and Parvati. Hermione had relaxed more now that she had seen the death and destruction that the world had. She no longer held study so high above relaxing and enjoying life. She attended most parties and often got a little out of control but always got her work done.

Taking a seat, the boys remained in the common room waiting for their female counter parts.

Eventually the girls made an appearance in the common room.

"Man you girls can take your time", Dean complained.

Hermione scowled, "Just because we have good personal hygiene and we care about our appearance and you don't doesn't give you the right to complain about us".

Dean instantly closed his mouth, not wanting her to have another go at him. Harry however was too busy to hear Hermione's small rant as Lavender had automatically attached herself to Harry as if she were his one and only.

After briefly attempting to kiss him, she released him as he pushed her away explaining that he needed to speak to Hermione in private.

"OK", she scowled momentarily before running after her best friend as she and Seamus made their way out of the common room with Dean and Ginny.

"Ron came to talk to me tonight", Harry said as they began to walk after their friends.

"Really?"
"Yeah, and well… lets just say he wanted to talk to me about asking you out but got too nervous and started asking me about if I got nervous asking girls out… but not just any girl, that 'special' girl", Harry laughed loudly at his friend.

Hermione frowned but inside she felt happy. She had been waiting for a long time for him to grow some balls and ask her out.

"'Bout time though" Harry added as he finally calmed down after his laughing fit at Ron's expense.

Hermione nodded, she felt good knowing that at least things were moving now. Before this, she was unsure if he felt the same way.

---------------

"Draco, I was wondering if you would be interested in doing me a favour", Snape said barely audible. His voice stung with dislike.

Draco looked coldly at his headmaster. He did not like this man. They had, in the past, gotten along well and had belonged to the same social group, both had been burned with the mark of a the dark lord but Draco now sat him front of him not hiding the anger that possessed his eyes.

Draco did not reply to Snape's request, he merely continued to look at the man of authority, contemplating the consequence of refusal.

"I know why you stare at me with such anger, Draco", Snape continued after a long moment's silence, "However I'm not concerned with that as I have a proposition for you".

Again Draco stared coldly, but now he was slightly more interested.

"You, I am sure, realise that it was my refusal to testify for your father that resulted in him being sentenced to life in Azkaban".

Draco nodded, anger and hatred filling him.

Snape smirked, watching his student getting angry at the mention of his father.

"Yes, of course you do". The headmaster stood and walked around his desk to be standing at Draco's side.

"If you do a duty for me, then I am offering my testimony of how your father turned against the Dark Lord in the final hours of the battle. And I will, of course, leave out that he did this, not out of pure remorse and a sudden growth of morals but only to ensure your safety".

Draco frowned at Snape; inside he questioned this man's motives and the price he would have to pay to shorten his father's sentence.

"What is it that you want me to do?"

"You are aware the Dark Lord spent much of his time in Albania throughout his life?"

Draco nodded, "That's where he went after he lost his body attacking Potter".

"Yes, but prior to this he spent much of his time there learning dark magic but also because of a magical artefact that was hidden there. When he was at school he learned of a magical object that once belonged to Rowena Ravenclaw-".

"The diadem", Draco whispered, remembering Harry Potter's attempts to find the item that had held part of Voldemort's soul.

"Yes", Snape was slightly taken back but continued, "He was informed that it was hidden in the woods of Albania and once he left school he went their in search of it. This information is not of a certain nature however, it is very likely, that he fell for a girl in a small village there".

Draco looked at his teacher questioningly, "Sir, what does this have to do with anything".

"If you remain quiet and allow me to finish then you shall find out", Snape spat.

Draco sat quietly, scowling but waiting for Snape to continue.

"I remember him telling me of a girl he once met. The only girl he ever seemed to care for, but he did not tell me where she was from. Now my research has led me to a small village that there were rumours that he had stayed in during his earlier life. In this village there is a set of twins whose parentage is cloudy. They are both of a magical nature and I have researched their history as deeply as I can go. However I have came to a dead end as no one ever knew who their father was. It seemed that their mother kept this secret well hidden, perhaps even from her children, I do not know. But I did know that since their mother is dead and no one else appears to know of their parentage that they are the only way to find out who they descend from and that the only way to find out of their knowledge would be to invite them to attend our school in their final year". He returned to his eat in front of Draco and sat in silence looking at him.

"So... you want me to...?" He now looked confused. He was unsure of where the conversation was heading.
"The pair has already been sorted into their houses. Bevan, the twin brother has been placed in Slytherin, while Sasha, the female has been placed in Griffindor", Snape grimaced at the thought of the arrogant house that had once been home to his most hated enemy, recovering he continued, "as I'm sure-", Snape smirked as if he believed different from what he said, "-it is obvious now what I want you to do. I need you to get to know the twins. Understand their background. They will talk much easier to someone they assume is a friend rather than a Headmaster they will barely know."
Draco looked at the ground, "You think... that... that... they could possibly the dark lord's children?" Draco had to laugh. It was ridiculous. The dark lord with illegitimate children?
Snape leaned forward, "Yes, I thought your feeble mind would not have the capacity to accept such a farfetched concept, however, do you not think it strange that Bevan's middle name is Tom and that Sasha has the same cold eyes that still haunt my dreams, even after the dark lords death", Snape leaned back, awaiting Draco's response.

Draco looked at his lap for a moment, not wanting Snape to see the interior struggle that Draco was having.

"I will do it", he said finally, "But my father better get out of Azkaban, Sir".

Snape smirked, "Of course".

---------------

"Here's the man of the hour!" Harry bellowed in a tipsy voice as he noticed Draco's appearance in the Slytherin Event's Hall.

Draco smirked as he saw Potter approach him. He knew the boy would not be able to resist a party and it gave Draco a chance to show off and show off how much better his parties were than the Griffindor's.

"Potter, glad you came", the briefly gave each other a manly, one armed hug, slapping each other's back.

"Haven't been to a Slytherin party in a while so thought id pop in", Harry joked. The friendship between his and Draco had begun when the pair had both been offered a joint head boy position. They had both turned it down as their social lives would have taken a back seat and neither wanted that. From there they had begun to bond and slowly became friends. However they were the most competitive boys in their year and often competed for girls, who could host the best party and who could get the other a detention.

"Yeah, I knew you couldn't resist coming to see if I had out done you", Draco laughed.

Harry shook his head but allowed Malfoy to have this one, "So you invited the Ravenclaws?"

Draco smirked, "Cho Chang?"

Harry nodded and smirked.

"Yeah, of course I did boy. But I've got to go find my girlfriend. You haven't seen her have you", Draco scanned the slightly crowded room but did not recognise any of the people as his girlfriend.

Harry laughed, "Draco, you go through girlfriends so fast that I have no idea who your girlfriend is".

Draco smiled cheekily, "Let's hope I remember which one she is then aye? Else I could be in real big trouble". Without another word he left Harry and walked through the crowd in search of a tall, slim, dark skinned girl named Tanya. They had been dating for two weeks now and Draco did like her, it was just irritating having a girlfriend at times because if they caught you with another girl that was the end of your root on call.

"Draco", a cool voice behind the blonde boy made him grin.

"Tanz!" He turned and gave her a tight hug and then a gentle kiss on her soft lips, "Missed you".

"Me too", she replied, her voice more warm now. She even returned his smile.

"Come on, lets go say hi to everyone", he grabbed her hand and began leading her through the people dancing and talking in the room. AS the night worn on, Draco ended up losing Tanya, but it didn't bother him as he was drunk and did not feel like having a nagging girl attached to him all night.

On the other side of the room, Harry had finally spotted Cho Chang. She was with a large group of Ravenclaw girls but she had also noticed Harry and was smiling widely at him, blowing flirting kisses in his direction. Slowly Harry made his way over to her.

"Hey gorgeous", he said, leaning against the wall beside her.

"Same back", she purred, chuckling a little.

"How's your night?"

She shrugged, "Better now".

"Yeah?" Harry moved closer to her, placing a hand on her waist "Is that 'coz of me?"

Cho giggled and nodded, but pulled out of his reach. Harry, taking this as an invitation to move more her way, moved towards her more, this time placing both hands on her waist as he pulled her towards him. Kissing her roughly in the process.

Again Cho pulled away, "Harry!" she squealed. Giving him a surprise.

"What?" he replied.

"If you want me, you have to ask me out. I don't do random hook ups", she smiled sweetly.

Harry gapped at her.

She stared at him expectedly, "So are you going to ask me out?"

Harry frowned, "Yeah alright", he hated being blackmailed into dating a girl, but she was hot and he had liked her a lot in the past.

She smiled widely and turned to her friends, telling them her exciting news. Scowling Harry tried to pull her back by her hand but she snatched it away, turning back to him, "I will come find you later ok?"

Nodding in a bored way, he left her with her friends and headed towards the drinks table. On his way he glanced into a corner that had thin silk drapes and couches. Sitting in the middle couch was a very drunk looking Malfoy being entertained by the Patil Twins who were all over him. Laughing to himself at how Malfoy's girlfriend would react, Harry continued towards the drinks. .

Hermione was standing, talking to a boy near the table, instantly Harry smirked knowing he was going to sleep with some that night. Harry didn't recognise the boy she was with, though he noticed how intent on keeping Hermione's attention he was but he didn't care. He walked up to Hermione and indicated for her to follow him. Obediently she tailed her friend as he headed for the entrance door. Once outside in the quiet where they were alone, Harry pushed Hermione up against the wall and gave her a rough kiss which she returned without any emotional feeling. Wrapping her arms around Harry's neck and allowing him to put his arms around her small waist. He began kissing her ear and slowly kissed a line down to her chest. He then slipped his hands up her back underneath her shirt, reaching for her bra strap.

"Maybe we should go to your room, H-", Hermione moaned when they heard a familiar voice.

"What the fuck are you two doing?" The friends turned to see Ron dressed in a nice shirt, standing at the corner of the corridor they were in.

"Ron", Hermione screeched.

Harry sighed. He was most frustrated at being interrupted more than worrying about his friends feelings.

"Look, Ron. Hermione is single, I'm single we are just having a bit of fun. It doesn't mean anything. You don't have to worry about losing your friends", Harry explained calmly running his hand through his hair and waiting for Ron to accept this and move on to leave him with the girl.

"But… you know… how could…" Ron spluttered but didn't say what he wanted to in front of Hermione.

"I know what?" Harry played, keeping a straight face, not daring to look at a shocked Hermione.

Ron went red, remembering that Harry had taken off before he could explain his feelings for Hermione. Looking at his feet he shook his head, "Doesn't matter", he replied sadly, turning away from his friends.

Hermione did not want Ron to leave and be by himself so she quickly spoke up, "Hey, why don't we all just relax and go have a cup of hot chocolate or something", she looked meaningfully at Harry trying to show him that he had to look after his friend.

Harry scowled and followed without a word, it was one of the worst nights he had had in a while.