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Chapter 2: Shocked into Silence
The three stared in mute silence at the figure standing rigidly at the door.
"If it isn't the perfect Golden Trio. I must say, I was quite surprised to see-" Malfoy trailed off, seeming to spy the still shocked looks on their faces, his eyes darting to and from each of their faces.
Harry quietly observed the other boy. His normally immaculate, slicked hair was tousled and messy, not unlike Harry's own in a sense. Malfoy was wearing… no… Muggle clothes? Harry struggled to keep his face blank and impenetrable while his thoughts raced. He stared at the blonde with new intent, taking in the torn jeans and tight, black shirt. As it was, it took Harry a moment to realize that Malfoy had started talking again.
"Seems you've all finally gone off your rockers," he sneeringly intoned, his eyes glittering with what Harry would have once called malice. "What's got your knickers in a twist? Still moping over your boyfriend, Potter?"
Taken aback by the sudden change in the conversation, Harry finally spoke.
"What are you talking about?"
This time, Harry could read the emotions sparking in Malfoy's silver eyes. As the blonde spoke, Harry spotted fleeting signs of amusement racing through them.
"Honestly, Potter? Cedric. Your boyfriend."
"Shut up, Malfoy," ground out Harry.
"Have it your way. Well, I'm not surprised." he said, turning sharply to face Ron, "Got something going with the Weasel instead? He waited expectantly for a reaction from the redhead. When none seemed to be forthcoming, Malfoy frowned and pulled out his wand, pointing at Ron and muttering, "Electricitas!"
Ron jumped up and yelped as a shower of yellow sparks flew out of Malfoy's wand and skittered across his skin, making his hair stand on end as the static electricity fizzled around. "Why you…" Ron hissed, reaching for his wand.
"Ron!" Hermione darted over and grabbed his wrist. "Don't, Ron." she muttered, trying and failing to give the amused Malfoy a sufficiently angry glare. "You know he's not worth it," she proclaimed with half-hearted conviction.
Now Malfoy looked extremely confused. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but snapped it shut again just as quickly. He leveled his gaze at Harry. "Have fun this year, Potter," he spat. "Because it might just be your last chance."
With that, Malfoy spun around and stalked down the corridor.
They spent the rest of the trip in silence.
"Bloody hell!" muttered Ron, as he pressed his hair down yet again. "My… 'effing… hair… won't… stay… flat!"
Hermione rolled her eyes in exasperation as the trio clambered into a carriage, trying to escape the rain. "It's no big deal, Ronald! Are you a wizard or not?"
"Oh… right," Ron said, a look of dawning comprehension spreading across his face. Harry merely shook his head. "Aguamenti!"
Water spurted all over Ron. It didn't help that he was already fairly wet from the pouring rain outside.
"Damn…" he muttered dejectedly.
While Hermione helped Ron dry off, Harry started thinking again. If he looked at the collective details, all the small discrepancies in Dra- no, Malfoy! In Malfoy's behavior and appearance, everything they had heard earlier started to make a ton of sense. First of all, why would Dra- Malfoy wear muggle clothing? From what Harry knew of Lucius Malfoy, there was no way that the pureblood would allow his son to wear anything but 'proper' wizarding robes. Then, there was the state of his hair. Malfoy had slicked back his hair for the whole of first and second year, and even during third year it was always impeccably neat. Now however, his hair looked messy and limp, as if Malfoy couldn't bring himself to care about it anymore.
Harry sighed and scrubbed his eyes with one hand. So if Malfoy had changed, what was he supposed to do? Harry supposed that he could confront Malfoy about it… no, that would never work. It sounded almost as if Malfoy was trying to stay in character, and Harry couldn't just blow his cover by revealing what he knew. Harry was sure that Malfoy wasn't faking this. Everything in this queer imbroglio screamed to Harry, telling him that what he thought was right. Just… what did he think, exactly?
Dumbledore could help… or not. Harry liked the Headmaster, but over the years he had seen a calculating look underlying the twinkle in those eyes that made him wonder if the old man actually saw him as a person, and not just a tool to defeat Voldemort with.
Perhaps he could call a public truce with Malfoy. It would make things easier for the pair of them anyways. If they didn't have to worry about petty rivalries and such, then Draco and him could be… friends? Well, maybe not friends, exactly, but allies at the least. Which brought Harry's thoughts to something else.
How exactly was he supposed to do this? Slytherins and Gryffindors weren't friends. They barely tolerated the other's presence.
Harry started when the carriage finally jolted to a stop and he quickly scrambled out the door. Hogwarts, he sighed mentally, looking at the school fondly. As long as he was here, he was safe. He was home.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione hurried up the steps to the Great Hall. Slipping on the step, Harry's wand flew out of his pocket. It bounced and rolled down to nearly the bottom of the stairs. Harry groaned and turned around.
When his friends made to follow him down, Harry smiled at them. "It's alright, guys. I'll meet up with you in the Great Hall. Save me a seat, will you?" They both smiled at him and agreed before rushing back up the steps.
Harry retrieved his wand and started climbing the deserted stairs again when he spotted a flash of white out of the corner of his eye. "Wha-" he managed to say, before a figure came hurtling into him, toppling them both down the steps and into a huge puddle.
Harry angrily untangled himself from his attacker. "What the hell were you… Malfoy."
Malfoy managed to pull himself upright and give Harry his trademark sneer while simultaneously straightening his robes. "Potter. Your clumsiness amazes me."
"My clumsiness, Malfoy?" Harry asked, feigning astonishment. "Last time I checked, you were the one who ran into me!"
Malfoy just sneered down at him. Suddenly realizing that he was sitting in a muddy puddle, Harry attempted to stand and fell back down.
Wincing, Harry wiped his glasses with the back of his sleeve… which didn't improve their condition much. He looked up to make another retort, only to see the blonde looking down at him with an unreadable expression. Without a word, Malfoy stuck his hand out to him. Harry stared at the offered appendage, totally shocked yet again.
Wordlessly, Harry grasped Malfoy's hand and was pulled upright. With that, Malfoy quickly let go of Harry and turned, quickly walking back towards the school. Harry was left staring at the blonde's retreating back.
"Harry!" hissed Hermione, dragging him over to an empty spot at the Gryffindor table. "What took you so long?"
After dumbly staring at Malfoy's back disappearing through the rain, Harry had realized that he was standing in the pouring rain, at the bottom of a huge flight of stairs, and very likely late for the feast.
He had sprinted up the steps, panting and squishing his way up to the school. Harry reached the doors just as they were about to close; he slipped inside with seconds to spare, beneath the disapproving stare of Professor McGonagall and the curious gazes of the first years. He choked out an apology and had rushed through the doors to the Great Hall, which led to his current situation.
Harry took a seat with the eyes of the entire population of the Great Hall upon him. He glanced towards the Slytherin table and was treated to an icy glare from… who else?
Harry glanced away from Malfoy and up at the Head table. Professor Dumbledore was in his customary seat, eyes twinkling at Harry. Harry acknowledged him with a small nod even as he turned back to face his friends.
The sorting passed with no real incident (even Ron's customary "I'm starved! It takes longer every year!") did nothing to ease Harry's mind.
"Say," Harry muttered, leaning towards his friends, as the last of the first years were being sorted. "What do you suppose Malfoy was talking about on the train? You know, he asked if we were going to enter something."
Hermione hmmed and twisted around to look at Harry. "Don't worry about it, Harry. He's probably just trying to confuse us or something."
Harry grudgingly nodded and turned his attention to the front of the room. There was nobody left to be sorted, yet the Sorting Hat remained in the front of the room. Exchanging flummoxed looks with his friends, Harry watched as Dumbledore stood and spread his arms.
"Now that our newest students have been sorted, I have a very special announcement to make! It has come to my attention that a certain student's sorting was influenced by outside events. As we cannot allow sortings to be based upon anything but the individual themselves, we are lucky enough that we can be present for, in the first time in Hogwarts history, a resorting!"
The Hall immediately erupted into utter chaos. The controlled murmuring that usually surfaced when a startling announcement was made in no way compared to this. Even the teachers were staring at Dumbledore, disbelieving.
Dumbledore simply stood at the front of the hall, his damnable blue eyes still twinkling.
Harry looked at Ron and Hermione. "No. Way." he said hoarsely. All he got in return were two stunned faces looking back at him. He cleared his throat again. "No. WAY."
A second sorting? That was unbelievable. It had never been done before, so why would Dumbledore break the tradition for Malfoy of all people? Nothing made sense anymore.
The roar of the Hall still surrounded the three shocked friends.
Harry's head snapped to the side as he stared at Malfoy. The Slytherins were taking the unexpected news slightly better than the rest of the houses, but they were still in an uproar. Malfoy sat quietly amidst the protesting students, eyes fixed ahead on Dumbledore.
A loud bang silenced the students, yet some muttering continued to pervade the hall.
"Please, Professor McGonagall, if you would?"
Dumbledore held out a slip a parchment to the wide-eyed teacher. She visibly pulled herself together, and, taking the parchment, froze in shock upon seeing whose name it held.
Harry took at deep breath and watched as the Professor walked jerkily over to the Sorting hat. He knew whose name she would call…
"Draco Malfoy!"
AN: Heehee… poor little Draco! And Harry's too confused to do much right now… I spent way too long staring at the computer screen for inspiration on this chapter. Geez. But I got it out! Even if it took me two weeks to do it! Yay! *looks around and dances wildly* umm… or not. *hangs head, then brightens and looks up* Please review! They give me much needed inspiration for this… ^-^
You will review this chapter… *waves hand* No! It's not working! *waves arms frantically* Awww… Damn. Review still? Please? *gives sad look*
Alright! And chapter 2 is finally done! Rejoice! Until next time!
-Tiki