Chapter 3- enemies of friends are enemies
Harry woke to find the familiar interior of the Gryffindor dormitory. He wasn't exactly sure what had happened after his fight with Draco or how he had ended up in the Gryffindor dorms; but as he laid in the four poster bed he felt empty and at the same time refreshed. He hadn't let himself cry like that in a very long time. He would have however, preferred if anyone else BUT Draco had been the one to see him cry like a young child. now Malfoy had something even more -than what he could have gathered in the last seven years- to hold over his head. Getting the will, or rather, courage, to get out of the four poster bed Harry realized that everyone else in the dorm room had already gotten up.
Harry looked over at a neatly made bed that should have been Ron's, if he had still been here. A stinging that he knew all too well burned into him, but instead of the pain resonating from his forehead, it resonated in his chest, a pain that couldn't simply be explained by a dark lord or a horcrux being hidden inside of him. Harry dressed himself in the first things he could put his hands on from his trunk and went down to the common room to find that it was as empty as the dorm. Finding peace in the silence Harry sat on the couch and stared into an already made fire, a fire that Sirius wouldn't be contacting him through anymore. Staring into the red and yellow dancing flames the fight between him and Draco played back in his mind. Why had Draco claimed to be unarmed, didn't he carry his wand everywhere? And why, why had he felt so, relaxed as he cried in the blonde's arms. Draco had spoken to him as Harry cried, holding the brunette's wrists firmly, at first, but Draco's grip had relaxed after a moment and his words seemed intent on soothing him... Shaking off the thoughts Harry stood and made his way to the great hall, no doubt that was where the entirety of the Gryffindor house was.
Entering the Great Hall Harry looked up at the ceiling; the sky that is was mimicked was clouded with pale grey clouds, a typical October sky for Scotland. Harry was surprised that it was still candles and not pumpkins, unless Harry had the date wrong. The floating candles were without flames as they hung suspended in the air, the extra light wasn't needed due to the sunlight pouring through the large window at the end of the hall. Students sat scattered between the four tables some reading books or writing, others eating what was left of the morning meal. Harry caught the sight of a young redhaired wizard shoving a spoon piled high with what looked suspiciously like pudding and the twinge of pain was back. Had Ron been here, Harry was sure he would have been over there trying to talk the young wizard out of his pudding. Harry looked around the great hall once again, his eyes landing on a loan wizard, with bright blonde nearly white hair. It really was odd that Malfoy had gone from King of Slytherin house to probably the least wanted student, but then again Malfoy had explained everything that had been taken from his family; power, status, pride. The Malfoy's were likely just as low if not lower than the Weasley family on the totem of purebloods.
Harry sighed and headed towards where the depressed looking Malfoy sat. All of the hushed conversation and clinking of spoons and forks went quiet Harry glanced around, not sure why it had suddenly gone quiet to realize everyone was watching him, or rather his action; was The Boy Who Lived really about to talk to an Ex-Death Eater, not to mention the son of avid Voldemort supporter Lucius Malfoy? Malfoy looked up and held the same expression as everyone else in the great hall, utter shock. Harry looked across the table at Malfoy and could barely speak above a whisper. "So it's really a truce then? between you and me?" Harry spoke, a silent question of whether or not Draco would be using what had happened last night as blackmail or if there was really going to be a truce.
Malfoy took a moment to look around the Great hall, eyes shifting away from him. He looked back up at Harry and nodded. "That is what I told you." Harry turned to look at all the students watching them, and all at once the main hall returned to normal, though the hushed conversations were now all about the pair of wizards. "Don't feel so obligated Potter." Draco spoke before standing, glancing around the hall once more, trying his best to look as Slytherin as he could then left. Harry stood looking down at the spot Draco had been sitting for a moment before sighing, turning to follow him. "Harry!" Hermione stood looking at him then glancing around quickly, dropping her voice to a more inside appropriate volume "I was about to send Neville to see if you were alright. I was worried when he came down without you to breakfast."
The way Hermione spoke.. Harry frowned deeply. "You know, about last night." Hermione folded her arms and gave a half nod, her lips forming a straight line as they pressed together. "Draco carried you all the way to the Gryffindor common room. Luckily everyone else was asleep. I was worried, and Neville hadn't seen you after you left either. We were about to go to Professional McGonagall when we found Draco just outside the common room carrying you. Neville about had a fit before Draco explained everything." Harry glanced around once more, trying but failing to find Neville. Harry wondered why Neville would have been the one to have a fit. "You both have really changed you know…." Hermione said and Harry knew she wasn't talking about him and Neville,
"Where is Neville?" Harry asked and Hermione sighed as they both wandered from the Great hall and out onto the grounds. "He had to return to St. Mungos. Something about a need for more hands. He's one of the few ,you know, who finished while the school was closed. He was planning on taking Madam Pomfrey's position while she finished recovering." Harry had only been half listening as they came upon a sight not all uncommon, save for whom was currently the center of the Slytherin circle. Draco looked as if he had lost all motive to fight back as the several Slytherin boys-two Harry recognized as once were friends of Draco's Crabb and Goyle-had trapped him in the middle.
"Hey. Hey!" Harry called out to the group as he watched Goyle slam his fist into Draco's face dropping the blonde in a heap on the cold ground. Harry rushed forward and grappled at the group of Slytherins, getting in between them and Draco, pulling his wand once again, this time aimed at the group. Chortling as if what Harry had done was the most hilarious thing in the world the group closed in further. Harry felt Draco move and was just as surprised as the other Slytherins when Draco stood beside him. "Piss off" Draco said as strongly as he could, though Harry could tell his confidence had been shaken.
Losing interest, the group of Slytherin boys dispersed and Harry looked at Draco as he looked back. "You didn't need to get involved. I had it coming." Draco said as Hermione closed in on the two boys, "No one deserves to be treated that way." Hermione said in defiance, producing a handkerchief and dabbing Draco's once again bloody lip. "I treated you that way…" Draco said quietly and moved away from Hermoine's hand. "Well, you helped Harry yesterday. So, I figure I could give you a chance. If you excuse me, I have some issues with my classes I need to talk to Professor McGonagall about." She gave an excuse and quickly left Harry and Draco to their own devices.
"Want to go flying?" Draco asked after nearly two minutes of awkward silence and Harry smiled, "Yeah. But, I don't have a broom." Harry said, shrugging and made to leave without another word, Draco stayed cemented into his spot a while longer. "Potter!" Harry turned to watch as the blonde easily caught up to him, Harry just now realizing he could see Draco's breathe as he huffed lightly "We can take turns with the Nimbus 2001." Draco said, his silver eyes pleading with Harry to accept his offer. Harry nodded and the two turned to head to the Quidditch pitch.
Harry stood on the pitch, looking up at each set of three rings charred in some areas as no one had yet to attend to replacing the Quidditch rings, the castle had been in a much worse need for repairs. Harry's attention was dragged away from the rings as Draco weaved through and around them; the Slytherin seemed so much more in his element as Harry watched from the ground, especially because they weren't trying to knock each other off their brooms. Draco landed with a soft grunt and made his way to where Harry was standing on the pitch, holding the ebony broom out to Harry with a calm expression. "Come on take it for a spin Potter, I know you have always wanted to know what it was like on a broom like this." Harry had to admit that Draco was right, he -had- wanted to know what the difference was.
Harry took the broom from Draco and as soon as he was in the air it felt as if all his worries and pain were left on the ground. Being in the air felt right to him, it always had, the freedom of flying had made it a passion and in turn made him a great flyer. Draco watched Potter in the air, it was like watching a bird, and he really belonged up there; Draco crossed his arms as a grin crossed his face watching Harry maneuver around the rings as he had with much more precision. When Harry landed, his feet firmly on the ground he had a genuine smile on his face, and he hurried over to Draco clutching the broom lightly. Draco had seemed to drop his tough guy façade long enough to ruffle Harry's hair and laugh. Harry smiled back at the blonde and held the broom out to Draco "You know what, keep it. I probably won't be playing Quidditch anyway." Draco said pushing the outstretched broom back to Harry.
Harry stared wide-eyed and slack jawed at Draco. "Are you mad?" Harry asked and Draco laughed again as the two headed back towards Hogwarts, having wasted a better part of the day on flying. "Well, If I end up playing I can just get another one, if any of the Slytherin players even wanted me on the team again." Draco and Harry parted ways at the main entrance, both wanting to clean up a bit before the evening meal, Harry watched Draco head for the Dungeons, clutching the broom tightly, he had just received a gift from the boy who used to be his enemy...
Harry climbed the stairs to the Gryffindor common room then up to the boys dormitories finging Neville had returned from St. Mungos. "Hiya Harry. Hey isn't that-?" "Yeah. Draco just gave it to me. We went flying down on the Quidditch pitch this afternoon and he told me to keep it." Harry smiled as he looked at the ebony broom clutched in his hand. Neville stood motionless and silent for a time only staring at the broom in Harry's grasp. "Are you sure that it is smart to accept anything from Daco? How do you know he didn't put a hex on it or something?"
Harry leaned the broom against one of the posts of the four poster beds in the Gryffindor dormitory, the black broom seeming out of place with all the red and brown of the dormitory. "I'm not sure." He said plainly and turned his green eyes to Neville. "I suspect, as I was flying with it just fine right before he gave it to me, that he didn't hex it." Harry said and shook his head slightly. "Harry, he's-" "drop it Neville. Draco isn't like that, the war changed him as much as anyone else. You just, don't understand." Harry said and left the dormitory quickly before Neville speak any further.
Neville followed after Harry, giving a moment to put some distance between the two of them. Neville made it to the common room in time to watch Harry go through the doorway behind the singing woman, a confused and concerned Hermione watching from the couch, a book open in her lap. "Is everything alright?" Hermione asked Neville as he approached her and occupied the space next to her on the couch. "Have you noticed how much time Harry has been spending with Draco?" Hermione closed the book, keeping the large tome on her lap. "I think it's good for him, both of them. "I'm not so sure." Neville said and sighed. "He's just different." Hermione's eyebrows knitted together. "He was different before too Neville. I don't think we have anything to worry about. Come on, let's go down to the great hall."
Hermione seemed convinced that the Gryffindor and Slytherin spending time with each other was good for both parties, Neville however, was far from convinced. Neville had never really trusted any of the Slytherins, and Draco Malfoy least of all. Neville and Hermione walked in silence as Neville contemplated in his head. The silence between them had been broken as the sound of loud chanting grew louder as they got closer to the great hall. "Fight! Fight! Fight!" Hermione and Neville sprang forward towards the open door of the great hall in time to find Hagrid pulling a rather pissed off looking Harry from a rather pissed of looking Slytherin. Had it been just the year prior Hermione would have been surprised that the Slytherin Harry was fighting wasn't a certain blonde.
"Zabini." Hermione snarled through clenched teeth. "Hagrid." Hermione lurched forward as the great bearded giant looked at her. "Oh hello Hermione, I just pulled Mr. Potter here off of one Blaise Zabini." Hermione opened her mouth to retort as a witch in black robes moved past her quickly.
Professor McGonagall looked anything but pleased as she eyed the two boys. "I am very disappointed in you Potter. and you too Mr. Zabini. 50 points from each of your houses for fighting. I want both of you in my office after supper, for detention." Zabini clenched his jaw but made no move to retort, the usually level headed Harry though had other ideas. "Zabini was threatening Draco!" Harry spouted and pulled away from Hagrid, giving a silent apology to the half giant. "He was saying that one of the Slytherins should just put him out of is misery, Even though the war had ended he was still a traitor." Harry glared at Zabini. McGonagall looked around the group of students to find a dejected Malfoy standing in silence.
"Is that the truth Mr. Malfoy?" McGonagall asked and Malfoy didn't raise his eyes but nodded. "An additional 20 points from Slytherin for threatening another student." McGonagall said and looked at the two boys. "And i will be sending an owl to your mother Blaise as your actions and intolerance will not be tolerated within these walls." McGonagall said hastily and turned to leave the great hall, her black robes flowing behind her.
"Professor! Professor!" Harry ran to catch up with Professor McGonagall, she stopped and turned to Harry just outside the door to the Headmaster's office. "I have already given my punishment Potter i will not be changing my mind." Harry shook his head. "I wasn't going to ask about detention Professor. I was wondering, if maybe Draco could be moved to a different house? Gryffindor." McGonagall was taken back by Harry's request but quickly recovered. "Perhaps." McGonagall said and turned to the eagle in the doorway. "Lemon Sherbert." Harry was left with that, a one word answer to all the nagging questions he still had, about Malfoy, about the way the blonde was being treated; and even more so the question of them -Harry and Draco- could there be such a thing as a truce between the long time enemies?
**AN: For those of you who have seen the first chater of this story on the website called , YES, I did load it there as well. I however m unable to add a continuation or another chapter there as the website can not find my fan-fiction. BUT thank you all for messaging me about it to make sure my work was not being plagerized!**