New Start

Chapter two

By the time school starts Harry is less worried about Ginny and whether or not she was just crazy to call him gay or not, and more worried about teaching children. He had spent a good part of the last few days planning the school year and looking over everything that was usually asked in OWL and NEWT level examinations as well as in the other end of years examinations and planned topics for each of his seven grades and approximately how long he planned to stick with one topic and even what lesson is to cover exactly what parts for the first topics for each class and he is very proud to be this prepared for his class. He might still make some changes since from the second year on every grade will start with a quick and easy multiple-choice test to see how much they have learned so far just to make sure they know everything they should have learned in previous years because he'd rather not let anyone leave this school unable to cast a Protego like that wizard who apparently had applied for the job as defence teacher.

Harry is sitting next to Neville during the welcoming feast since the four heads sit evenly divided to both sides of Minerva. After that comes the new teacher and Harry is just glad that he could easily talk Neville out of handing him the position as head of Gryffindor which he seems to have for a few years now. He really doesn't want all that much responsibility right at the start and fears that it would come with additional paperwork. He watches the students being sorted and can hardly believe that he used to be that tiny but then again, he was on the smaller side if he remembers correctly, still, it seems hard to believe. Once he is introduced the school is deathly silent for a moment before all the students cheer for him, well, all but Slytherin. He wonders if that is because they fear him to be prejudiced against them or if they hate him, but he doesn't say anything about it now and just hopes that he can get them to like him a little too or at least respect him and not out of fear.

The next morning Harry is nearly too worried to eat his breakfast and hears Malfoy chuckle "Don't tell me our saviour fears a bunch of kids?"

"I don't fear them Malfoy." Harry sighs, "I fear to fail them you douchbag. Especially since I've got fourth years Gryffindors and Slytherins first. Do you remember how we were that year? Last year with no big exams? Okay, the tournament distracted us a little but really, I bet those are the worst."

"Haven't seen sixth years." Neville sighs while Malfoy grumbles that he most certainly is not a douchbag, "Cocky after passing their OWL's and with a little too much spell knowledge if you ask me."

"Great, you do know I've got them right after that?" Harry sighs.

"Tough luck." Neville grins before adding, "But that way it can only get better after that."

"Great." Harry sighs.

After breakfast, he goes to his classroom and watches the kids tickle in while he reads a book until it's time to start. He has used a spell to let him know when the class should start and as soon as his book flashes red to let him know that he has to stop reading and start the class. He puts the book down and looks around before spelling the door close.

"Hello everyone," Harry greets. "First of all, since I don't know any of you and you don't know me, allow me to make some things clear. I will on occasion start the class with an overview of what we are going to do but not always because sometimes it might take too much time to explain or just be one thing that takes longer and that would be pointless. Today it does make sense so I will start by explaining some ground rules I expect you to follow in my classroom and some even outside, after that I would like a short introduction round where you will have to give me your name and what part of defence you can do particularly well, like that you're better in theory or one topic that you could do best or a spell you like to use and are good at. For example I think everyone here knows that I'm rather found of expeliarmus. While we are at it I'd like everyone to tell me what you still find difficult. And let me tell you now before I forget it if anyone ever laughs about anyone else having trouble with something that person will lose a lot of points and find him or herself in the hallway for the rest of class. After the introduction round, I have a multiple-choice test prepared with all topics from year one to seven." Hearing the outraged gasp, he quickly adds, "This will not be graded and yes I'm aware you are fourth years and just starting it meaning I expect you all to NOT be able to answer about 50% or more of the questions correctly and would like to ask you to not guess when you are not sure because this will not be graded. I'm simply attempting to find out each and everyone's individual knowledge and only will give every student in every grade the same test with topics from all seven years to find out if there is a student more advanced than his or her year mates because then I would pair that person with people that need more assistance during group work. Next class, we will then go over practical knowledge but as I said, I'd like to know how much you are capable of first. Now unless you have any questions about what we are going to do let us begin."

Harry waits to see if anyone has a question and a Slytherin girl raises her hand and after a nod from Harry asks, "How will it help the advanced students if they are paired with losers?"

"Five points from Slytherin for using the word loser." Harry says gaining a glare from all Slytherins. "And to answer your question, teaching others will not only let you yourself review your knowledge and practise what you know but also teaches you to teach others which is something I learned in this school in a similar way and intend to use now. It also helps you understand each other and teaches you to work in teams which is an important part of defence since the best defence is always with a team to back you up. To do that you need to learn to work with others and to help them improve their abilities because the better your partner, the better your team and the better your chances of surviving a fight. Are you satisfied with that answer?" Since she isn't complaining he just goes on and looks around for a moment and sees a Gryffindor boy snickering at the girl that just lost 5 points for using the word loser and such says, "Five points from Gryffindor for laughing at a classmate! I think I already said that I will not condone laughing about something someone can't do that also goes for laughing about getting in trouble or anything really. Feel free to laugh with your classmates even about me if you wish but never laugh about one of your classmates, this is the first and last time I'm saying this, next time you're outside! As you might have noticed, I do not condone bullying. I hate the words Loser, Freak, Muddblood, git and many others along those lines. I also absolutely hate Prejudices. And before we misunderstand each other, I mean all prejudices." Here he looks at the Gryffindors. "I guess everyone knows that I won't allow prejudice against Muggleborns but at the same time I will not condone it against Slytherins! The house of Slytherin is very noble and brought forth some very good and talented witches and wizards Professor Malfoy the current head of house as well as Professor Snape who was head of the house Slytherin in my time as a student here both have saved my life and without either, Voldemort would not have died at my hand at least not when he did and I probably would be dead now instead. If I hear anyone say they, as a group, did this or that, you will see me very angry and believe me you do not want to see that! If you feel that someone did something unfairly towards you I want you to use their names, not they! I also will not prefer either house. I might have been a Gryffindor in my time but that is a long time ago," and here he leans closer, "And for your information, the hat did want me in Slytherin at first. I could have gone either way and I consider myself half of both especially since there were Slytherins that saved me and a Gryffindor that betrayed my parents. You see, there were good and bad witches and wizards from either house. And I'm sure from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff as well. Right now, all I see are students that I'm supposed to teach and I will not give a damn about the colour of your tie or whatever else shows what house you're in. If you work hard, I assure you I will do my utmost to get you all to pass with as good marks as possible if you are lazy, I will not pamper you. I will warn you should you be close to failing but I will not force the knowledge down your throats. However, I would like to tell you something that I once upon a time said to my own classmates before the war started. We might be just students, and yes, I still include myself since I haven't stopped learning and I believe the day I stop learning will be the day I die since we will always keep learning. But let me begin over. We are all just students, but every great wizard of our time has started as nothing but what we are now. Voldemort was a student of this school as was Albus Dumbledore and I sure as hell was one as well. If I managed to become good enough to get my name into the history books before turning 20 why shouldn't each and every one of you have the potential to do the same? That doesn't just go for this subject. Potions masters like Professor Malfoy who perfected the wolfbane to the point of curing lycanthropy and is teaching in this fine school, he was a student, I can even vouch for that since we were school rivals and so I certainly noticed him around as a student. The minister of Magic, she too was a student once upon a time. Hey, I can even vouch for that too. I admit I have not seen Albus Dumbledore as a student since he might have had to go there on a dinosaur considering his age but I'm sure he was a student at some point" He hears some chuckle a little and is glad that they start to relax again. "I know that not all of you want to become an Auror and might not want to spend all their time for this class and maybe even plan on dropping it after your fifth year but I'd like to know that no one leaves this school unable to protect themselves at least a little bit. Everyone should stand a chance should you by chance run into some dark creature or be attacked by a dark wizard or witch. I want to know that my students won't leave my class unable to cast a Protego at the very least. Now that I think I made clear what I expect of you, let me tell you what I believe you should be able to expect from me. If any of you has any trouble with their homework, my door will always be open for you. If any of you feels unprepared for a test when I announce one, come to me and I'll give you advice. If any of you has any trouble be it with the subject, another teacher or student or even just suffers from a broken heart, you can come to me. Though I admit that I'm probably not too good with love troubles. I kind of suck at giving advice on that. But I can forward your problems to someone that I believe is adequate to help you! I know I'm not a head of any house but I want to be here for you if you feel the need to talk to someone. Part of that is because I truly believe the war could have been prevented, had a poor orphan that used to go to this school found a teacher with an open ear and willingness to help him."

Some look confused until a Gryffindor dares to raise a hand and ask, "How could helping one orphan have prevented the war."

"Said orphan was a half-blood wizard who was raised in a muggle orphanage. The other kids in the orphanage were cruel to him and the minders too busy to help. From what I gathered, they were also too busy to stop his retaliation for the bullying. He learned during his time there that you needed to show your strength to survive and that was proven when he was sorted into Slytherin, and this is not against that house it could have happened anywhere for one reason or another, and some of his year mates probably had to be thought not to mess with the muggle raised child, who by the time was named Tom Marvollo Riddle." Harry spells the name onto the board. "If Albus Dumbledore who already taught in this school had quickly removed him from such surroundings and helped him to find a better home, or at least shown some help when the boy repeatedly asked to stay during the summer as well as all the other breaks because he didn't want to go back there, than maybe said boy hadn't changed his name." and here Harry spells the letters to rearrange themselves and gets the gasp he expected. "I'm not saying that it could have been prevented for sure. Tom, or Voldemort as you know him, made his own choices. If every neglected or abused child would turn out like him we'd have a serious problem! But let me tell you, if anyone of you needs aid, you can come to me at all hours. I might be your teacher, but as such I'm also responsible for assisting you. I'm not saying I'll be your best friend or that I'll ever exchange beauty tips with the girls," Again he gets some chuckles, "But if you need help from a grown up in any way, I will be there for every student in this school, no matter the house. Understood?"

No one says anything and Harry spells his table clear of everything that was on it and replaces it with a huge parchment and spells a quill to draw the desks in the classroom. "Now if you want to rearrange how you sit during the year, do it now because in about two minutes those sets will be final until I learned all your names and let me tell you, I have to learn all the names of all the students and I'm very bad in memorizing names and it might take the better part of the year. I fear there is nearly no point in learning the names of the sevens years since I might manage to learn them about a day before they leave meaning you might be stuck with your seat for the rest of the year." He waits a moment and some whisper to each other and change a seat but most stay where they are and once everyone is settled again he says, "Now I would like each of you to first give his or her introduction in the way I said before." He listens and while the spelt quill adds the name to each desk Harry personally writes down the spells they said they can do on a green post it and the one they can't on a red one and then he sticks both onto the drawing of their desk with their name on it. Once that is done he hands out the tests, he had prepared one of them and then duplicated it using magic. "Don't forget to write your name on it." Harry reminds them after handing them out since he had forgotten to mark a space for that and is unwilling to guess later who wrote what, he just makes sure that no one is too occupied with the questions to remember to write his or her name on it.

Once that is done the next class goes in a similar fashion just that both Slytherin and Gryffindor lose a few more house points thanks to the rivalry that he's trying to nip in the bud, at least during his classes. After that, he has lunch and then a second year Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw class and by the end of that is only annoyed with all the talking during class. The rest of the day passes similarly and Harry is glad when the day is over and he sits at the head table this time picking a different seat and is surprised when Malfoy sits next to him, "I see you survived the first day."

"Barely." He grumbles, "Why did no one ever tell me how annoying it can be to have half the class trying to answer before they were called on?"

"We had Hermione in our classes." Draco shrugged. "We thought you knew!"

Harry is about to come to her defence but then sighs, "I guess I get why Snape was exasperated with her on occasion, especially if he had a Ravenclaw class before that!"

"I don't get why they are nearly always with Hufflepuff, they like to whisper to each other." Draco grins.

"There are exceptions," Harry says reminding himself not to be prejudiced against anyone and that does include no Ravenclaws this or Hufflepuffs that.

Draco just grins, "I know." It is quiet for a moment while both eat their dinner but then Draco says, "I heard something interesting today."

"And what would that be?" Harry asks.

"One of your Gryffindor fourth years asked if I really saved your life." Draco says, "I set him straight that you saved mine and not the other way around."

"Then do me the favour and set it straight again that I couldn't have saved your ass if you hadn't lied to your crazy Aunt about who I am." Harry points out. "You did save me."

After that Harry just raises from his seat since he is already done with dinner and gets back to his office and start correcting those tests only to silently curse himself about giving them in the first place but starts to correct all and ads for each student what they are good or bad at on the post it's on their drawn desks. He's still working on that and sitting on the ground to have more space for that when Minerva comes into his office asking, "Is that chair not to your liking?"

"Oh hi." Harry grins sheepishly, "the chair is, but the desk is too small. But I guess that's my fault for using parchment that is as big as the desk, should have used a slightly smaller one but I thought this way I have more space on it which I do need."

"What exactly are you doing?" She asks.

"Making notes about what each student can or can't do and then duplicate what is on those post it to make a chart to find out what topics most have problems with and what most can do well." Harry explains. "I've had three classes that I did this test with and I'm done with about half of one of those."

"I see you're very dedicated." She smiles, "I'm sure it will be easier once you know the classes better and if you stay for a second year you won't have to do this for all classes again since you'll know all but the first years."

He smiles, "Already trying to talk me into staying for a second year?" Harry grins, "I did sign up for five years if I read that correctly."

"Yeah but there are ways to get out of it as we both know." She sighs. "One being to resign with three-month notice meaning you could leave without telling me why if you want to. I had four do that just because they wanted to prevent falling prey to the curse."

"I'm not planning to give up that easily." Harry grins.

"Yet." She says, "But I do hope you will stay. I think this is the first year since I'm headmistress that I had not a single complain from the kids about the defence Professor. I mean it is only the first day but still, usually, they start coming right of the bat. Not that it was ever a surprise none of them was particularly good."

"Well, let's hope it stays quiet." Harry grins. "I'd hate to do this for nothing."

"I'm sure you'll be fine." She says smiling and then leaves.

A little later Kreacher shows up for his daily report telling Harry that everything was quiet at the Black-house and Harry just asks, "Can you help me with something? I have a list with all topics I want to teach during each year and I just finished checking what the students that start the fourth year can do or can't do from everything that I'm teaching during all seven years. Now I'd like to ask you to copy everything from year one to three and add for every topic how many and who can't do those and who is good at them in theory okay? After that I'd like you to see for year four topics who already know the theory for one of those topics. Can you do that?"

"Kreacher can do that." The elf says and snips its fingers to get parchment, quill, ink and the list Harry had mentioned and a little later both are at work. Harry also writes praise under every test he checked as well as a tip what topic he or she should study and a book where they can read up the theory about it. Something he can copy from the list about extra reading material from the Hogwarts Library that he had begged Hermione to make for him and now he has for every topic some books he can suggest thanks to his very own walking library named Hermione.

He is rather proud when he manages to finish most before he starts his rounds and even more pleased when he can get it done before the day is over. The next day Minerva asks him how far he got with his paperwork.

"I admit that I had Kreacher help me out with the overall class review but thanks to that, I'm done." Harry grins proudly but the smile doesn't last when he sighs, "and today there will be more of that!"

"Maybe, but I find it very admirable that you go through so much work to have a thorough understanding of where exactly every student is." She smiles.

Harry can feel Draco's eyes on him but just ignores him for the moment and enjoys his breakfast before the rest of the day passes mostly like the previous one apart from the first years who instead of doing a test have to tell more about themselves as a means of getting to know each other as well and makes sure that they find out who from another house has a similar hobby and even encourages them to interact about that towards the end of the class in the hope to help fight the overly strong rivalry between the houses.

He still has a lot of tests to correct for the first few days of his first week and is extremely glad when he sees one class for a second time. It's the fourth year Slytherin Gryffindor class that he had first and smiles a little that they are also the first to have a more practical class. But before he can do that he informs them that they will go over the test for a moment and then move to another room where they will all have to show him a number of spells that he has selected for each before they get the option to show him one more of their own choosing. He returns their tests and gives them some time to look over their answers. He corrected anything they should know and made a smiley face next to everything that is correct that he hadn't expected them to know. Once that is done he praises them all in general and asks if anyone has a question about his or her test and all seem to be pleased and only one Slytherin asks if he can suggest someone who can help with the topic she should revise since she already read those books and just didn't understand them and he advises a Gryffindor who did best on that topic and asks the Gryffindor to not say no out of principle because she's a Slytherin because some of his fellow Gryffindor might very well need some help on other subjects that are yet to come where she was already ahead and such he should make sure that his housemates won't get denied just because he denied her help.

Once that is done they move to the other room and he orders them to stand in a circle close to the wall and lets them all have a turn to do some spells practically, he already has a list for everyone what he wants them to try according to the tests they had written giving them a chance to show what they knew best in theory and worst as well as a few in between and after that they all can, if they want to, show one they want as he promised.

By the end of the first week, Harry had all classes at least twice and Minerva praises him since some parents already heard from their kids who is teaching them and what he did so far and are apparently very happy with the new defence instructor for their children. And she claims that it is a first for her to actually get positive mail about a defence Professor.

A few days later there is a staff meeting about the students in general to see if anyone might have had any trouble at home that they can help with, something that according to one of the older teachers is something Minerva started, as well as to discuss about Quidditch, when the games will be and who will referee those as well as setting the Hogsmeade weekends and who'll have to be down in the town to have an eye on the students and who'll be forced to stay in the school for the younger years and others that choose to stay behind and similar topics like the nightly rounds for the coming month. Harry is sitting next to Malfoy again and hearing a few snide comments about every student that is mentioned at any point during those discussions and to Harry's surprise those students include some of Malfoy's own Slytherin and he even compliments one Muggleborn seventh year from Gryffindor who, according to him, is the only one capable of brewing halfway decent potions.

During that meeting, Harry also suggests that a chess club or similar things should be started since that might help with inter-house communication. The other teachers all approve of that and they even suggest some more clubs including a book club to discuss different books as well as clubs for a few other games including soccer for the Muggleborns that would like to continue their known sport on top of the new ones. After that, he suggests a magical culture class to help the Muggleborns adapt to the transition into the magical community. While everyone does like the idea it seems tricky to implement right away since they will need to get that approved by the board of governors and then find a new teacher but Minerva is hopeful that it will be included next year since most board members are purebloods and will love such a class to be included as long as she doesn't mention that it will be designed to help the Muggleborns. Harry feels Draco's surprised eyes on himself when he suggests the magical culture class but once again ignores it. Later that night however they run into each other during their rounds and Draco says, "I'm surprised about your suggestion."

"You shouldn't be." Harry grins, "I was muggle raised and believe me, I wanted to know about the magical world but it was hard to learn. I'm not exactly a bookworm and there aren't many people that will tell a muggle born the traditional stuff. The main problem, to properly teach that class, will be that most magical people don't know enough about the muggle world to know what the Muggleborns don't know and the Muggleborns don't know enough about the magical world to know what to ask about! Like the differences in politics or even pureblood traditions and all that Lord this or that and similar things. It starts with the equipment. Muggleborns are very unused to write with a quill! To be perfectly honest most will never have even seen anyone use it. By now I know that it will improve the finer motor skills and since wand movement is done with the same hand it clearly will also be improved. But Muggleborns will just see it as medieval and not understand and as I said, they won't question every detail and just see the overall difference."

"Us, as medieval?" Draco questions, "They aren't even able to teach an owl how to deliver mail and they don't have a floo system."

"They have phones and email!" Harry points out with a shrug and grins saying, "and they have the internet."

"And what is that?" Draco asks his voice showing that he is certain all of those will be inferior to their methods. "I doubt any of that can get your mail to someone as fast as an Owl can."

"Well, it wouldn't be exactly the same timeframe." He says already seeing Draco preen and adds, "It be much faster. As fast as apparating."

"Impossible," Draco claims.

"Nope." Harry grins. "You know how those two-way mirrors work right? Imagine millions of those. All with a different let's call it password as address code. Now E-Mails would be like writing on one of those mirrors before writing the password into a certain area and then send it off to the other mirror where it would be ready to read any time. It will also save it, so you could do a few clicks and read it make it disappear after reading once and reappear to reread it later. They even have machines that print that onto paper. They don't have mirrors of course but their machines that do something like that are called laptops or computer and even mobile phones can do that nowadays. And as the name indicates they are mobile and can be carried around in a pocket anywhere. Those mobile phones are mobile forms of the phones I mentioned. Because apart from writing you can dial a number, and they can be saved with a name meaning you only choose the person you want to reach and have the number that belongs to their mobile, and then their phone rings and once they pick up those two can talk to each other no matter where they are. Even if one is in Australia and the other here. Imagine the Muggleborns that grew up with such machines that don't work here because electrical things don't operate here. They are used to press a few buttons to talk to their parents no matter where they are and no matter the time and everyone can carry it around. I'd like to see you carry around a fireplace and attempt a mobile floo call! Granted they can't travel through it but they have the talking more mobile than we do. You see both worlds have things the other doesn't both magical as non-magical people have developed in different ways and both have things the other can't do. We can travel much faster and better but they can communicate in ways we can't and as I said they have internet."

"And what is this great thing called the internet?" Draco asks clearly curious and trying to hide it by sounding like it has to be inferior.

Harry thinks for a moment and then says, "Remember mirrors I used to explain emails? I said they could save more than one letter and you could look at them whenever and just have them hidden somewhere in between times remember?" After a nod, Harry says, "Now imagine a few hundred and on one of those you'd have all the pages of all the books in the Hogwarts library, on another would be all the pages of all the books in another library and so on. Meaning a hell of a lot of data as they call it. You could read up a lot if you had those. Now instead of going to that place and having to look through all of those mirrors, you could just take out your laptop or mobile phone and write a few words to let it know what you try to learn about like I don't know, information on a school, then the phone would look through everything saved on the internet, which is like a lot of computers or in your image the mirrors, and just show you those that have those words in it. If for example, someone had written Hogwarts they would get information about the books Hogwarts a history and where to buy it or even read about the school and where it is, about the houses the teachers how many students there currently are and things like that. Hogwarts isn't in it of course since magical stuff isn't known to non-magical people, but trust me that is just one of many ways you can use the internet. You can find direct pages of information like in books or you can even play games on it against people that are on the other side of the world, not Quidditch but chess works on it, you know board games and card games and there are other games you can't even imagine. We have nothing like that in the wizarding world. Again, we have things they don't but Muggleborns grew up with those that we don't have and would miss it as much as you would miss using your wand to summon a quill instead of getting up and get it yourself. It might seem insignificant at times but if you'd have to give it up forever, you'd miss it nearly every day. And as I said the internet is really something. Don't just underestimate muggles."

Draco is thoughtful for a while. "I honestly never knew that they had anything worth mentioning and never understood why Muggleborns even wanted to return to a primitive home without magic. I mean cooking above an open fire that is in the house isn't the nicest thing."

Harry just laughs for a moment trying to stop himself in case Draco thinks he's making fun of him but he still needs a moment before he can say, "Muggles don't do that for a long time now. They have electric heat and cook with that too, or with gas. They have a machine turn a button and an area on it gets hot and the pot goes on that. They also have something called microwave that can heat things up in just a few minutes. Draco, they all have those little mobile phones and computers that can give them all sorts of information and entertainment. You can also watch movies online or a TV instead of reading a book and still you think they'd cook over an open fire?"

Draco blushes a little and Harry smiles saying, "I think muggle studies should also be obligatory in the first year and taught by a Muggleborn. I mean, from what I heard from Hermione, muggle studies in our time was a joke since the witch teaching it hardly knew anything about muggle inventions or technologies. I believe the first-year purebloods should at least know a little about how their Muggleborn classmates grew up and maybe a few games that might be fun. I bet you would love a tv or a few video games."

"What's that?" Draco asks and blushes, noticing that he even sounded as curious as he felt.

"How about we try and get a day during a weekend that we can leave together and I'll take you on a little muggle trip through London and show you a little something. Like a cinema and an arcade as well as an internet café or public library, they have computers and I'll show you a bit on them so you'll see a little of what the internet can do." Harry suggests, "That is if you are brave enough to face the muggle world with me as your guide."

"I must admit, it does sound interesting, what is a cinema or an arcade though?" Draco asks curiously.

"You'll see." Harry just grins. "But I think we should go on and see if we find naughty students roaming the halls."

"Like you used to?" Draco grins.

"You were caught once or twice I believe!" Harry grins.

"Not as often as you," Draco replies.

"Guess what," Harry grins, "I was caught less than one percent of all the times I sneaked around!"

"Let me guess you're proud of that." Draco grins.

"Yep." Harry grins again and then goes on to do his round. He knows he could just use his map to find all students out of bed but since he knows that sneaking out is half the fun of being a student he decided to leave them a sporting chance. If he catches them he'll be strict but if he doesn't catch them without the unfair advantage of his trusted marauders map, then they shall get away with it.

A few weeks pass and it seems Harry's and Draco's nightly meetings happen more and more often. Harry isn't sure if Draco does it on purpose. Both have a different area to watch. But Draco's area is close to his, which could mean he's just walking back to a different side of his area or they meet in the entrance hall and see each other from across and then go towards each other for a chat meaning it could still be coincidence but Harry does find it strange how often they meet. He doesn't mind however since he enjoys the debates that range from muggle versus magical world towards different games or even quidditch teams all the way to politics and advantages to different teaching styles or even about students and on one occasion Romilda Vane and love potions since she had tried again but the house elves had warned Harry because he had asked them to watch what he's served for an attempt from her. At some point, rather early on, they even talked some more about Ginny and her idea about Harry being gay and how ridicules that is, just because he hasn't felt any urge to fuck her or any girl through the mattress doesn't mean he is gay right? Draco did agree to that but Harry can't shake the feeling that his grin at the time had been a little strange.

To be perfectly honest, after the first month Harry himself is walking around the border to Draco's area of rounds more than the other hallways because he too is looking forward to the discussions. Draco just always knows when to be supportive, like with Ginny, and when to go into a debate about pro and contra of a certain topic. Talking with him truly is exhilarating and Harry always has a huge smile on his face. He does slightly wonder why their rounds are always that close but he doesn't really care as long as he gets to talk to the blond and enjoy his company and after his second month, he even occasionally checks on the map before going to bed on nights where he didn't see him, just in case Draco is still out somewhere and he could still run into him. He isn't sure why, but he misses him every time he doesn't see him.

It takes three months into the year, and by then Harry has a firm grip on his students and who is good at what or needs help in other areas in his subject, when Hermione and Ron visit him for the first time. They had owled to ask if he has time a few times before but sadly he had been on duty for rounds but that time they all have time and Harry is glad when they walk in through his fireplace and smiles at them, even though a tiny traitorous part of his mind is sad that he won't be seeing Draco because of it. "Hi Harry," Hermione says and gives him a hug. "How are you?"

"Great and you two?" Harry asks before looking at Ron, "How are you enjoying my old post."

"Hate it." Ron grins, "You could have warned me about all that paperwork."

"I think I whined often enough to let you know about that." Harry laughs.

"And about you?" Hermione asks, "How are you getting on? I hope you are on top of your grading and paperwork here and that you prepare your classes properly and do you get along with the other Professors?"

"Everything is great Hermione," Harry assures her. "The first week was hard since I gave every class a test to see where they are since I never taught them but now it's much better than Head Auror and I get along with everyone, the students and teachers."

"That's good." Hermione smiles, "I was a little worried when I heard Romilda is a teacher with her having tried to use a love potion on you."

"Oh, she tried again." Harry grins, "But I have the house elves check everything I eat and drink and told her that should I get another love potion thanks to her, I'll contact Ron who took over as head Auror for me and have her arrested. She hasn't talked to me since and no more love potion since then. And just in case she does try again once more when some time passed, in the belief that I'll get careless, I have the resident potions master watch out for me and I'm sure I'll get the antidote quickly should she ever succeed." Ron and Hermione exchange a look when he said that last part seeing a gentle loving smile on his face. One he hadn't even had when talking about Ginny for a long time. But they just wait and see for now if there will be more signs.

The trio talks a little about teachers they had and school as well as the ministry since both Ron and Hermione are still working there. It's already getting late when there is a knock on the entrance to Harry's quarters from his office and he walks over to open it and smiles more than he had all evening at Draco "Hi, what's up?"

"I just had a meeting with Minerva and found out that we'll both have some time to leave the school next Saturday." Draco points out. "I wanted to ask if you're still good for that offer you made me."

"Sure." Harry says, smile still increasing, "I'm looking forward to it. When do you want to meet?"

"I'll pick you up here at ten in the morning." Draco's smile is rather a victorious grin, "That should give us plenty of time to enjoy ourselves."

"Okay." Harry says cheerfully, "I'll see you then."

"Okay bye," Draco says with a slight blush and a happy and still victorious smile and leaves not even noticing the other two-thirds of the golden trio that are inside.

Once Harry closed the door and looks at his friends he just asks, "Something wrong?"

"Are you dating Malfoy?" Ron just asks.

"Of course not." Harry says, "I just offered to show him around muggle London when we discussed the differences between the muggle world and the magical one."

"Harry, I know you can be a little, I don't even know how to say it friendly but anyway, the way Malfoy just looked at you, you're having a date with him!" Hermione replies.

"Don't be ridiculous," Harry replies, "I talked to him about not being gay and he said that he doesn't care if someone is male or female but still he knows that I'm straight."

"What exactly did you tell him?" Ron asks.

"Pretty much the same I told you since we talked about Ginny breaking up with me." Harry muses.

"Then he knows you're gay." Ron states. "He might know that you're not aware of it and give you time to figure it out but I agree with Hermione, you're having a date."

"This is Malfoy we're talking about." Harry points out. "He wouldn't even want to date me if I were gay!"

Hermione grins and says "Harry, we knew that you had a thing for the potions Professor before we figured out it's Malfoy."

"What makes you so sure that he is the Potions Professor." Harry grins, "Sure he perfected the wolfsbane but he also is very capable in runes and Arithmancy."

"Firstly, Romilda teaches runes." Hermione points out. "And secondly, you were already grinning like a loon in love when you talked about a Potions master having your back in case of a love potion being slipped to you and now you grin at him like a love-struck teen so yeah, we know he's the Potions Professor you're smitten with!"

"Love-struck teen?" Harry asks before looking from her to Ron who is just nodding in agreement. "You both are mental!"

"Nope." Hermione sighs, "If you haven't noticed it now, I'll give you until the end of the year at the most until you'll know we were right. Possibly after your date which I'll bet my whole Gringotts-vault will end with a dinner, he'll probably claim it as a thank you for showing him around!"

"I rather think Harry will figure it out by the end of the date but yeah, Malfoy will want that dinner for sure." Ron agrees.

Harry looks sceptical from one to the other and then sighs, "How about I'll let you know how wrong you were via floo call afterwards?"

"You'll let us know how right we were via floo call and if it is getting late or you'll end up in his bed, you'll do that Sunday," Hermione replies.

"Gross" Ron moans, "Now I have a mental image of that because of you 'Mione!"

She just shrugs and says, "Lucky you, they are both good looking."

"Hey!" Ron complains.

"Oh get your knickers out of a twist." She grins and gives him a kiss to his cheek "I'm still in love with you and not either of them. I'm just enjoying the view."

"Why can't you enjoy my view? You know, your husband?" Ron grumbles.

"Who said I don't?" She winks at him.

Harry just groans and asks if they can change the topic and they start to talk about other things including Ginny starting to date the coach of her Quidditch team. Harry is wondering why he isn't more upset that it means she might not come back when she realizes that he isn't gay and even has a part of his mind wondering if he really isn't since he does enjoy Draco's company an awful lot. He even checks the map where Draco is after his friends left and before he goes to bed.

Until the Saturday that may or may not be a date, Harry doesn't see Draco once during the rounds and only has Draco ask him on Friday during dinner if they are still on for their date causing Harry to spit out his drink and have Draco calmly pad his back when he starts coughing and then Draco asks just as calmly "What's wrong or did you forgot the date to go muggle sightseeing we had?"

Harry just asks, "Date?"

"How else do you call it?" Draco just asks innocently, "It isn't exactly an appointment or a meeting? How do you call it when you go out with Weasley and Weasley because this is the same, isn't it?"

"Right." Harry just says and looks at the other Professors of which some are chuckling including Minerva who looks a little too pleased. "Yeah, I mean no I didn't forget and yeah it's still on."

"Good," Draco replies and continues eating like nothing happened while Harry's heart starts to beat much faster as before.

He had missed seeing Draco during that week and been looking forward to that may or may not be a date more and more. He even had floo called Hermione and asked her to find out some addresses for arcades and things like that as well as other interesting things for a wizard and she has already given him a list that is way too long to do everything. He picks out the most fun and interesting things starting with something mostly interesting and going more and more towards pure fun. He even talked to Hermione to meet up with them at some point to explain her mobile which she owns to occasionally talk to her parents who are obviously living in the muggle world.

The next day Harry wakes up early and starts to fret over his outfit. He isn't sure what he should wear and takes ages to pick simple black jeans and plain green button-up shirt as well as a warm black parker since it's getting cold. Draco is punctual and wearing what looks like a black suit with a silver tie and a warm coat and Harry smiles at him before asking him in and using his floo to get to the Leaky. From there they walk to a library where they meet Hermione who explains about the internet and shows them a few games as well as other things and explains her mobile phone. She even shows them that some muggle born had managed to start a Hogwarts chatroom that you can't enter unless you pass a test and said test is about different subjects from their school and you need a certain amount of points to get in. the questions are chosen at random and according to the age you had to give first and while possibly strange to a muggle, they wouldn't scream real magic is involved and rather think that it's some occult stuff that is asked there but only magical people can get in since it also asks for certain teachers names and things like that. Once in, the students can talk to each other during the holidays and help each other with homework too since they aren't as in touch with their classmates otherwise. Muggle parents are just too far from the magical world and even if living close to the Leaky, purebloods would never go to them or even be able to orient themselves in the muggle world and such it is hard to meet up with each other unless they can easily get to the Leaky on their own. This way they stay in touch with each other much easier.

Both Draco and Harry, who had no idea that existed, are impressed with it and Draco is even more impressed when Hermione shows them that she can get online with her android phone and Draco ends up playing a few of the games on it for a while until she shows him one on the computer in the library that is online. They stay a little longer than Harry had assumed they might and after that Harry goes with Draco straight to the arcade where Harry has to more or less drag Draco out to go to the cinema where Draco keeps mumbling about how on earth they manage to put a memory on view for others and Harry tries to explain that it's not a memory but make-believe film and in the end just tells him to ask Hermione how it works. He does find it rather cute to see his excitement about all of those things. Once that is done Harry goes with Draco to an amusement park for a little while and even though they don't have much time left they try a few rides just for fun and even get some pictures of themselves in a roller-coaster and Harry laughs at Draco's face in it who insists to go again and since the second set of pictures end up being slightly better they take some before Draco suddenly says, "How about I invite you to dinner as a thanks for showing me all that?"

Harry nearly freezes instantly hearing those words that Hermione had prophesied and momentarily thinks that for someone who hates definition she's really good at it. Harry just looks at Draco and sees his smile turning slightly worried since Harry doesn't reply positively right away and clearly noticed that something is up. Harry smiles a little with a blush and says "Sure, why not?"

He isn't so sure it's a good idea at first but when Draco's worried face changes to a happy smile he is sure that it was right. He's just wondering why his heart skips a beat when he sees that smile only to speed up afterwards. Could it be that Hermione was right about his feelings too? Though he used to have this with Ginny too, it's been ages but it had been there when they started to date.

This time Draco leads the way to a posh restaurant in the magical world and Harry tries very hard to tell himself that nothing changed and he didn't just feel his stomach make a backflip when Draco moved an arm around his waist to lead him towards a table there and no he does not feel his knees give out when Draco smiles charmingly at him. He only wonders why on earth he even thinks that it's charmingly. He used to only think such things about Ginny.

It is rather quiet during dinner and Draco just smiles at Harry and enjoys seeing the confusion rise and the blush appear more and more often. It's clear to him that Harry finally notices that he enjoys Draco's company a little more than he should and congratulates himself for avoiding Harry for a few days to let him start missing their talks and then carelessly throwing in the word date to make his mind start working into the right direction during their date. Now Draco tries to eat as seductively as he can, licking his lips a few times or even moaning at the taste when he usually would never do such lowly behaviour but it seems to do the trick considering that Harry's blush increases even more. Harry also starts to squirm in his seat uncomfortably and Draco wonders if Harry's pants finally are starting to get tighter. He just hopes that he can do what Ginny clearly couldn't and wake some more primal interests in the young man who had clearly missed out on some major experiences in his teens and such is lacking in many areas and Draco is looking forward to teaching him those in detail.

Harry blushes even more at another charming smile from Draco and just thinks once again that Hermione should be called a seer considering that apparently, she was right. Every now and then he felt a twitch in his nether region. He was getting turned on by a man, more than he ever had by a girl, not that he had with other men before, but God did Draco look tempting just now. Harry hadn't wanted to kiss lips that much since his first kiss with Ginny. They stay silent while Draco pays the bill and they silently return to Harry's privet quarters via floo and once there Draco just looks at Harry and licks his lips again before saying, "I guess I should leave."

Harry keeps staring at Draco's lips for a few more moments not saying anything and Draco just waits for him to react one way or another and finally after what feels like eternity Draco gets the reaction he hoped for. Harry slowly, nervously really, approaches Draco, clearly with the intention to kiss him. Draco returns it with more enthusiasm before lifting the young man into his arms and carrying him, without stopping their kiss into Harry's bedroom. He notices that Harry still seems worried and nervous and that he will have to be patient, but he really wants to try and seduce his Harry.

The next morning Harry sits with only a towel around his hips and throws some floo into the fire before he puts his head in to talk to his friends who sit in front of their fireplace grinning and Hermione says, "Let me guess, I was right?"

"Nearly one hundred percent!" Harry admits, "I even thought that for someone who hates definition your prophecies for that day were pretty accurate."

"Oh please, those weren't prophecies, they were educated assumptions." Hermione explains. "More importantly, why just nearly one hundred percent?"

"I didn't fall into Draco's bed." He grins before adding with a blush, "I was carried into mine."

"Is he still there?" She asks.

"Yeah, asleep." Harry grins, "It was an interesting night I must admit."

"So, gay?" Hermione assumes.

"I don't really think so," Harry replies with a blush when he notices hands exploring his back and pushing away his towel, apparently Draco woke up. "I've never been this interested in anyone before but I did like Ginny and Cho before her, just Draco got me a tiny bit more interested and I did feel things for Ginny at the start that I felt last night I just hadn't noticed that it stopped at some point. I also think I'm just different and not as sex driven as others, though I did like it a lot. But I didn't feel like waking him and screwing him this morning which I know most guys would want to do. He just got to me yesterday and yeah, I think he could get to me again considering that he is pretty ambitious and cunning. If he wants my ass he's…..okay, he's definitely going to get it" Harry ads the end with a blush, Draco clearly enjoyed Harry's current position a little too much.

"Everything okay mate?" Ron asks.

"Yeah, just Draco is up I think." Harry says, "At least I hope it's him. I think I call you guys later."

"Have fun." Hermione grins while Ron groans and whines about bad mental images.

Later that day Harry and Draco reappear for lunch in the great hall and Harry sits down close to Minerva wondering if she did mess with the rounds to make sure they got talking. "How was your day? I heard you and Draco went to explore Muggle London?" she asks curiously.

"We did." Harry sighs, "And didn't you promise me not to play matchmaker?" He asks now certain that she does have a hand in it and wonders if Draco even planed some things with her or if she did it all on her own.

"Me? Matchmaker?" She asks innocently. "I would never dare to go against an agreement with my favourite Defence Professor. I only ensured to give my favourite Potions Professor some opportunities to realise his own feelings and then charm the one he liked. Is that really so bad?"

Harry just chuckles and shakes his head in amusement before saying, "You are becoming more and more like Albus every day. But it's fine, I was rather pleased with those opportunities myself."

"So I've noticed," She grins and asks, "Does that mean one of you won't need his privet quarters anymore?"

"Are you kidding me, Minerva?" Draco asks, "I could always use one of those as a dressing area since we can floo from one to the other without getting dressed. Do you know how many robes I always have to leave at home?"