Chapter Four: Meeting the Potential Roommate
By: Queen0fFantasy
Harry and Hermione sat down on the couch, already exhausted. They had just finished cleaning the apartment, every nook and cranny. (That meaning picking up Harry's dirty clothes and washing strewn about dishes…)
Harry checked the time. It was only eleven-thirty.
They still had thirty minutes to go.
Hermione walked over to the bookshelf, pulling out a book about spells when she suddenly gasped.
"What if it's a girl?" She said, looking squarely at him.
"What if what's a girl?" Hermione ran her fingers through her hair.
"Your new roommate! We didn't even think about that."
Harry had thought about it, but it didn't seem like a big deal. So what if it's a girl? He already has a girlfriend.
"I guess we'll just have to see who shows up..." Harry says, feeling just the slightest uncomfortable.
Hermione grunted, but then agreed. He couldn't help but notice a little blush lining her cheeks.
One nap and thirty minutes later, Harry woke up to the soft chime of the doorbell. He leapt off the couch, shaking Hermione awake and went over to the door.
Harry turned the knob and swung the door open, and what he saw at the would change his life forever.
Draco Malfoy had his hand up mid-air, like he was just about to knock. Draco parted his lips in surprise, brow furrowing.
"Malfoy?" Harry said, filled with confusion and surprise. Hermione gasped.
Draco started laughing dryly.
"Well, what a surprise..." That really set Harry off.
He hadn't seen Draco since the war. They hadn't left on a good note.
Harry threw an arm on Draco and pushed his back to the wall. He took his wand out of his pocket, putting it against Draco's throat.
"What are you doing here?" Harry said, exasperated.
"For Merlin's sake, Potter. Calm down. I'm not here to hurt anyone." Draco said.
They both looked each other in the eye, sizing one another up.
Harry noticed that he had a faint blush against his pale cheeks. Draco looked more...grown than before. His jaw more square, cheekbones more sharp. Face more narrow… His silver grey eyes startling against his soft, white blonde hair…
Why in the world does he care what Draco looks like?
Harry loosened his grip on Draco, backing away.
Draco straightened his button-down shirt and took a deep breath.
"Why are you here, Malfoy?" Harry said a little breathlessly.
Draco smirked at him. "I'm here for the roommate ad. I saw it in the phonebook."
Hermione went rigid beside Harry.
"Why in the world would you of all people need an apartment?"
"Well Granger, the Ministry let me off the hook. They did take my money though, so now I have to provide for myself. The stupid, crummy apartment that they gave me is quite a let down..." He said frowning.
"Anyways, I need a new place. I wanted to come to check this place out and see if I have enough pounds to afford it. But if I knew that you two owned it I wouldn't have come..."
Harry snorted. "Well, we wouldn't have let you come."
Hermione looked confusilingy at Draco.
"Why did the Ministry let you off the hook for what you've done?" Her voice trembled. Harry could tell she was remembering the last playouts of the war. He was too.
Draco cast his eyes downward, putting his hands in his pockets.
"I don't know. I guess the Ministry thought it was all my parents fault, for bringing me into it. They're not wrong, but I also took up the mission. " He looked at Harry and Hermione.
"Taking up the mission to kill Dumbledore? Yeah, that was some heroic thing to do." Harry said angrily.
Draco's eyes became stormy but he kept a calm complexion anyways. But was that guilt behind the storm in his eyes?
"I wasn't the best person at the time, as you know."
"Wasn't the best person Malfoy? You tried to kill people." Harry took a step towards Draco. Suddenly Draco's body shifted and he stood holding his wand out.
He looked dangerous to Harry, starke blonde hair hanging over grey eyes.
"Expelliarmus!" Draco's wand came flying out of his hand and Harry looked over to Hermione, her wand was out and she was staring intently at Draco.
"I was putting my wand down, Granger." Draco looked at Hermione.
He put his hands up, surrendering. His eyes fell on Harry, reading him intently.
Draco's mouth was drawn into a frown, brow furrowed.
"Well I see I'm most definitly not welcome, so I'll be on my way." Draco turned and started down the corridor.
"Wait," Hermione turned her wand on him again. "I need some questions answered Malfoy. "
Draco paused and looked at her suspiciously.
"Sit down." Hermione ordered, a fierce look in her eyes.
Harry didn't have a clue what was going on.
Draco sat down, arms crossed over his legs.
"First question, have you been telling the truth? Oh, and you better answer these questions correctly, or you'll be turned into a ferret again." Harry could see discomfort in Draco when Hermione mentioned turning him into a ferret.
Draco sighed. "Of course I've been telling you the truth. Why would I lie?"
Harry snorted. "It wouldn't be the first time."
Hermione continued on. "Next Question, why were you so harsh to us at school?"
Harry could've sworn he saw Draco flinch.
"Well, um, simple. You were annoying and turned down my offer of becoming my friend."
Harry quirked an eyebrow. "So your pride got in the way, is that what you're saying Malfoy?"
Draco's jaw clenched. "You could say that."
Hermione rolled her eyes."Alright, next question. Have you even changed at all, Malfoy?"
Draco seemed to turn very serious, very fast. He set his eyes on her and put his chin up.
"Yes, Granger. I have."
Hermione looked unconvinced.
"Explain."
Draco crossed his legs and folded his arms.
"Let's just say I don't have to act like a selfish git now that I live alone."
Harry decided to dig deeper.
"The one and only Malfoy calling himself a selfish git? I'm not saying it isn't true..." Malfoy frowned. "But I'm left speechless."
"Well Potter, let me explain this to you in more detail. I've decided to let my old habits go and continue on a better path. A path that doesn't involve me or my parents fearing for our lives every second of everyday. Or that involves me attempting murder." Draco cast his eyes downward.
"I don't want to be that scared little boy anymore. Especially when I'm starting to feel a pinch of peace for once in my life. But that doesn't mean I don't regret what I've done. I'm not going on that path again."
Harry exhaled slowly. He knew Draco was involved in deep troubles, but he never knew how bad it was. He never really had a family to raise him while he was growing up, so he couldn't imagine how that would feel to have your parents threatened if you screwed up.
Harry always wondered what his parents would of done if they were threatened by Voldemort. If his life was threatened, would his parents would have become death eaters?
Would they go that far to protect him?
"I think I've heard enough. Go ahead and carry on now Malfoy." Hermione said, sounding softer than before.
Draco stood up and started walking, then paused.
"Hold on," He looked toward them and raised a hand. "You are not going to invite me in? I came here for a reason, might as well get my travel's worth." A smile played on his lips.
Hermione and Harry looked at eachother. She shrugged. Harry sighed. Typically their conversations.
"I guess it couldn't hurt." Harry said a little dryly.
"Well Malfoy, you better have changed."
When the touring of the apartment was all done with ,(of which consisted of Malfoy constantly critiquing the decoration and color scheme of every room,) they all sat down on the couch.
Hermione went to go make some tea, which left Harry and Draco alone.
Draco cleared his throat.
"This place is pretty nice, besides the bad paint job."
Harry rolled his eyes.
"Well, my prince, I'll have to change that for your taste."
Draco paused.
"Are you saying that I move in?"
Harry shrugged.
"You seemed to have changed, and you seem a bit lonely if I'll say."
Draco scoffed at him. "I am not lonely! You're the lonely one. Isn't that why you're looking for a roommate?"
"Actually, it was all Hermione's idea. " He replied in a low voice. "Malfoy, even if we did invite you to stay here, you have to promise that you have changed. I can't have you living here if your the same person you were three years ago, even a year ago."
Draco looked up at him and crossed his hands in his lap.
"I promise."
Harry nodded just as hermione walked in the room with the tea, along with some biscuits she made earlier.
Harry grabbed a biscuit, offering one to Draco. They both thanked her for the food and she politely answered back. Honestly, this wasn't going as bad as Harry thought it was. Draco did seem like he changed.
Harry liked this new change a lot. If he didn't know Draco before, they probably could have been good friends.
They all sat in silence as they ate and sipped tea. It was all somewhat peaceful to Harry. He could definitely get used to this.
Harry cursed himself. This was Malfoy he was talking about. Draco Malfoy. But Harry couldn't help but feel like this was right. Maybe he could give him a chance, he could always kick him out. This was his apartment after all.
Before he made any rash decisions first, Harry needed to talk to Hermione.
"Er, Hermione. Could you maybe come out to the hall with me?"
She nodded her head and they left Malfoy nibbling on a biscuit.
"What do you think we should do, Hermione?"
She started chewing on her fingernail.
"Oh, I don't know. This is Malfoy we are talking about."
"Well, he seems like he's changed. Maybe we should give him a chance. "
"Are you sure Harry?"
Harry couldn't be more confused at the moment, but what harm could this do?
"It's worth a try."
Hermione nodded.
"It's worth a try." She repeated.
They both made their way inside to give Draco the big news.
Author's Note:
Hi everyone! Sorry this chapter took so long, it was a little tricky to figure out how Harry and Hermione would be alright to have Draco moving in with them. Hoped you liked it! (Oh and if you were wondering, a biscuit could be otherwise known as a cookie!) Next chapter is on it's way!