Harry was at his place drinking a firewhiskey. He had just left Ginny's flat and thought he would drown in his self inflicted misery. All the other couples seemed to get along. And by 'get along' he meant speak to each other. Blaise and Ginny were the only ones that seemed to enjoy each others company. Draco and Hermione argued but it wasn't as hostile as it was back at Hogwarts. Pansy and Ron were the most interesting of them all. Pansy insulted him and Ron at her food when she wasn't looking.
But Harry was alone. Well, after the first five minutes. Daphne showed up only to ask about their future living arrangments. He begrudgingly agreed to living with her parents but then she left almost immediately. He took another large drink when someone started to knock at his door. He wondered who it was since he wasn't expecting anyone. When he opened it, he was surprised to see Astoria Greengrass. Without any greeting, she pushed passed him and invited herself inside.
"Well sure, come on in," he muttered, shutting the door. "Can I do something for you?"
Astoria made herself comfortable on an armchair and summoned herself a cup of tea. "I heard some unsettling news and wanted to confirm," she took a sip of her tea and made a face of mild distaste. "Are you and Daphne going to reside at our ancestral home?"
"I suppose so."
He saw her eyes narrow at him slightly.
"I know everyone thinks you're some great hero who delivered us from the evils of Voldemort," she rolled her eyes. "But I'll have you know that in my opinion, you're nothing."
Harry stood there wondering why this teenaged girl came into his home just to insult him. He opened his mouth to retort but was immediately shut down.
"Shut it," Astoria demanded. "Although I am loathed to have to be in your presence, it turns out you are an ignorant prat who can't see common sense."
Harry blinked several times, dumbfounded. Astoria was nothing like Daphne. She reminded him of Pansy even.
She crossed her legs and leaned into the back of the chair. She took a deep breath before continuing. "My parents were fine with Daphne," she told him. "At the beginning that is. After all, they could always have another. But then they had another girl, and that girl had an old family curse manifest inside of her. It caused complications, and my mother could no longer have any more children. So they had two girls."
She swallowed and was quiet for a moment, thinking of old memories. "Father was furious. Mother blamed me. I hear that my mother never touched me as a baby. Only the elves did."
Harry felt pity for the girl in front of him. She said things nonchalantly. But no one was nonchalant about those types of things.
"You know there were times my sister would hide me in the back of her closet. She's older than me, as you know, so she learned a few spells early. One that kept me well hidden. And she would never tell him where I was. Even when he hit her like a no good muggle… even when he cursed her like a no good wizard."
She took a deep breath and leaned forward to reach her cup of tea. She took a drink and made another face.
"There was a time Daphne had come home early from Hogwarts. It was her second year during I believe Christmas break. She came home to see mother sending me straight into the wall. I dislocated my shoulder that time. But Daphne being Daphne, picked up our three hundred-year-old vase that had been charmed by past generations and shattered it onto the ground. She paid for it the entire break. Her bedroom walls are saturated with her screams."
"My sister is the bravest hero I know. And I can never tell her that because the one time I did, she broke down like I've never seen before." Until now, Astoria wasn't quite looking at Harry, but this time she looked straight at him. "Do not let her live back home. She doesn't need to protect me."
Harry was stunned. "Who will then?"
"I'm at Hogwarts most of the year. She doesn't need to be at that place. She still protects me. She's still covered in bruises and cuts. There's a price to pay when you become a hero, Potter. And I need you to pay it for her and keep her the bloody hell away from that house and our parents."
He stood standing there, trying to remember her exact appearance. She never appeared hurt. She always seemed fine. Harry couldn't help the guilt he felt for thinking she was a snob. Perhaps she just wanted to protect her secret. Perhaps she was too scared to get close to anyone.
"Promise me," she demanded when he didn't say anything.
"She uses a glamor charm," he stated, figuring it out. "I promise. And I'll find a way to help you too."
He saw a flash of vulnerability, but it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. "Don't. I don't need it. Just worry about Daphne." She stood up. "I'd like to say that I'll be seeing you, Potter. But somehow I doubt that'll happen. Keep your promise," she walked passed him and showed herself out.
Harry watched her leave, feeling his heart clench with guilt. "Bloody hell," he said to the empty room. It took Harry all of three minutes to decide what he would do. He grabbed his coat and headed out with one destination in mind.
Draco Malfoy was lounging on the couch completely unoccupied with anything when an elf announced Harry Potters request to see him. Draco did not sit up and acknowledge him in any way.
"Malfoy," Harry said, growing impatient.
Draco groaned and rolled his eyes. "What is it Potter? I am quite busy."
Harry opened his mouth to ask him what he could possibly be busy with when he was just laying there but decided against it. "I have a favor to ask of you. If you assist me, I'll be in your debt."
Draco's eye narrowed just a fraction as he considered how this could benefit him. "I am intrigued," he announced, sitting up and facing Harry. "Go on."
"Okay," Harry said more to himself and then walked over. He dragged an accent chair over by the couch Draco was sitting at.
Draco scoffed. "Merlin, I can tell you were raised by muggles."
Harry ignored the jibe and took a seat. "You see, Hermione is muggleborn. She may not pick up on certain traditions and the like."
Draco gave him a blank stare and he mentally questioned the very little intelligence he credited him for.
"So I was thinking that Astoria could stay during her summers off and help Hermione. I know Hermione would agree once I ask so I suppose that just leaves you."
Draco leaned back into the couch and crossed his legs. He considered Harry for a moment and sorted through his thoughts before speaking again. "Let me get this straight," he straightened his legs once more and leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees. "You found out about how abusive the Greengrass parent are and I'm betting Daph tried to force you into living with her parents. Which I'm betting Astoria – who is my ex-fiance by the way- found out about that and made you promise to keep Daphne away. I bet you considered offering to allow Astoria to live with you but that would be uncouth. So you came up with the brilliant plan of using Grangers unfortunate background to weasel her into our house. Even though Granger is a know it all swot whose mother in law is the over critical Narcissa Malfoy. Is that about right, Potter?"
"That's right," he immediately answered, unashmed.
"That would never work," Draco shot his plan down and Harry appeared crestfallen. "Ginny and Blaise however, would be perfect. Blaise wouldn't mind, the Greengrasses could be convinced, and I'm betting Weaselette won't object."
"Oh that's splendid," Harry beamed, standing up. "That Zabini bloke doesn't seem half bad and Ginny likes him too."
Draco stood as well. "Potter," he called before Harry reached the floo. "Why do you care about Astoria anyway? I thought you were above helping rich pureblood slytherins."
Harry turned and had a serious expression. "She's just a kid, Malfoy. My family was abusive too and no kid deserves a life like that."
There was silence between the two young men. Two young men who spent their entire school careers fighting each other. Harry who was thrusted into the world and Draco who just made all the wrong choices.
"You know," Draco was the first to break the silence. "Blaise has a decent quidditch pitch. Astoria and Daphne are actually pretty good chasers too."
"Is that so? Hermione referees all the time too."
"I'll set something up," Draco said.
Harry nodded and then left through the Malfoy floo, heading to Zabini's house.
Just like there's many ways to say 'I love you', in that moment, Harry and Draco leaned that there were many ways to say 'hey want to become friends?'. Sure there were the traditional ways, such as, offering a friendly hand, defeating a troll, or creaitng a secret organization to fight against a maniac. But now Harry knew that, 'You know, Blaise has a decent quidditch pitch. Astoria and Daphne are actually pretty good chasers too' translated to 'Hey want to become friends?' and Draco learned that 'Hermione referres all the time too' was another way to say 'Yeah mate, we can be friends'.