September 24, 1995


8

Friendship is but another name for an alliance.

- Thomas Jefferson


"Oh, no," Draco says as Dray enters the library and heads over to sit next to Harry. He grabs his hand and leads him into the seat next to him, "You're sitting next to me this time." He glares as Dray shifts nervously in his seat.

"You're freaking him out with all your glaring," Harry says, across from Draco. "Quit it."

"He's always near you, cuddling." Draco says, lowly, mindful of Pince's wrath after the last time he freaked in the library. "It's pathetic."

"You cuddle with Harold all the time," Harry chuckles, "You cuddled with him this morning! I don't complain."

"Well, Harold isn't here, is he?" Draco says, petulantly, glaring at Dray who merely frowns in confusion, "It isn't fair if only one alternate is here."

"Don't be jealous, love," Harry says, fondly, as he turns back to where he was talking to Hermione.

Dray turns to him and smiles, brightly, "Nice to see you again, other me."

Draco sighs in irritation at the younger blond's politeness, his head leans against the palm of his hand as he rolls his eyes. Harry can't help the amused smile that forms on his lips at his lover's counterpart - the boy was indeed a Malfoy, only a nicer and carefree one. It was a bit cute.

"How many times must we go over this?" Draco asks with another sigh, he leans back against his chair, an annoyed expression on his face. "You're a Malfoy, people are supposed to be pleased to see you."

"Right, got it." Dray nods, seriously. "Should I...take notes?"

"Don't corrupt him with your rubbish about Malfoy's, Draco," Harry says, looking up at Draco who smiles sweetly. "He's probably freaking out because of all of this."

"The boy has no proper Malfoy upbringing," Draco says, "How much more can he be traumatized?"

"I think it's really cool, actually," Dray leans forwards and he pokes a finger at Draco's cheek, "I've never had such excitement in my life before."

"Well, that's an interesting way to think of it." Harry snorts, nodding his head.

Draco stares at him for a moment before he murmurs, "So, it is true."

"What is?" Dray asks in confusion, tilting his head to the side.

"That being in Gryffindor makes you both idiotic and disgustingly brave." Draco sighs, sadly, "I refuse to forgive you."

"Sorry?" Dray attempts, clueless, blinks at him. "Is being a Gryffindor a bad thing in your dimension?"

"Oh, yes," Draco drawls, "You're hanged if you're sorted there." Harry shakes his head at his lover's antics.

Dray huffs, "You really think I would fall for that?"

"It was worth a try."

"Yes," Dray said, crossing his arms, "I definitely like Harry better."

"Well, he is my better half." Draco replies with an amused smile.

"Alright, children," Hermione cuts in, heaving a long sigh. "Can we not argue? We are here for a reason."

"Hermione, I didn't do anything." Dray says, holding his hands up.

"Where is…Harry?" Hermione asks. "This is getting weird looking at two of you at the same time."

"Harold is on his way." Draco replies, leaning back against the stiff chair. "Do we have to meet here of all places?" He threw a glance around the library in irritation. There were students scattered around them, throwing curious glances at them once in a while before quickly turning away when Draco glared at them.

"I put up a ward around our area so we should be fine." Harry says.

"Harold?" Dray asks in confusion.

"Yes, you know - Harry Potter, Hufflepuff, ever my personal teddy bear and..." Draco smirks as he leans towards him and whispers in his ear, "Your soul mate." Dray widens his eyes before he pushes the older blond away.

"Do you know him, Dray?" Hermione asks, curiously, as the younger blond's face became a deeper shade of red.

"No, I've never met him before." Dray says, clearing his throat.

"Are you alright there, Dray?" Draco asks in mock concern, "You look a bit flushed."

"Shut up." Dray hisses in embarrassment.

"Not so nice, anymore, are you?"

"Hermione!" Dray pleads, looking at her for help as Draco bounces in his seat with glee, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"Don't provoke him, Draco," Hermione says with a heaving sigh, "How did I get into this mess?"

"I'm only trying to help," Draco says in delight, "You don't mind that he's your soul mate, right? You two have more than enough in common." he whispers as Dray hides his face behind his hands and Harry leans in, as well, curious.

"Now, now," Draco pulls his hands away from his face, gently, "None of that."

Dray groans before he looks down at his lap, mumbling, "I never even met him."

"You'll be head over heels for him in no time," Draco waggles his eyebrows, suggestively.

"He can't be my soul mate, can he?" Dray mutters, paling. "Oh, Merlin -"

"Oh, this will be fun." Draco grins, ecstatically.

Harry nods his agreement as he adds, "We'll fix it."

"No, please, don't." Dray pleads in panic.

"Don't worry your pretty little head," Draco says, patting him on the shoulder, "He may be oblivious but he will get the hint by the end of the year."

"Change the subject." Dray says, quickly.

"So, you two are soul mates?" Hermione asks, quickly, eyeing Draco's left wrist. "I recognize that as a soul mate tattoo, right? I've read about them. It's said that if you meet your soul mate before your eighteenth birthday than their names will be revealed to you on your wrist. It's fascinating since only 10% of the population ever finds their soul mates."

"Yeah, that's right" Draco says, flippantly, "But that's boring, let's talk about Dray's crush on -"

"Stop it!"

"Hello, everyone," Harold greets as he runs up to their table, out of breath. He clutches at his messenger bag tightly as he looks at them with a shy smile. "Sorry, I had to finish my potions essay."

"Quite alright, little me," Harry says, smiling, "Hermione and Dray, this is Harry Potter of this world. We just call him Harold."

"Nice to meet you, Hermione," Harold shakes her hand before he turns to Dray. "And you're Dray?"

Dray stares at him, silently, his mouth gaped open as Harry throws Draco a confused look who merely shakes his head.

"It's nice to meet you," Harold says, extending his hand to the frozen form of the boy. "You're Mr Draco's alternate, right?"

"Err...I...w-well..." Dray stutters out, his face flushed.

"Oh, he's crushing hard." Draco whispers to Harry as he sits next to him.

"Already?" Harry asks, hushed, in surprise as he watches Dray's poor attempt at speaking. "It's like he's choking on something."

"Are you alright?" Harold asks in concern, "You look a bit peekish."

"Do you think we would be like that if we didn't have fighting to cover up the sexual tension?" Draco wonders aloud to Harry.

Harry laughs, "Most likely."

"So, we're definitely putting Dray out of his misery." Draco states, determinedly.

"They'll be snogging in the broom closet by the end of the year." Harry promises, solemnly, before he sighs, dramatically, "I wish you'd trip over yourself like that for me."

"Don't be daft," Draco scoffs, "I have more composure that that," He pokes Harry's chest as he adds, "Besides, you wouldn't find it as sexy as my confidence."

Harry hums, leaning forward to capture his lips in a kiss, Hermione quickly averts her gaze as a blush blossoms across her cheeks. "I wouldn't." he agrees as he pulls away.

"Did I do something wrong, Mr Harry?" Harold asks, after a moment, when Dray doesn't move an inch and merely stares blankly at Harold.

"Harold, I think you broke him." Draco says, pulling the confused teen towards him. "Give him some room."

Harold looks at him with saddened, green eyes, "I didn't mean to break him."

Draco pats his head as he shoos Harry away so Harold can take his seat, "He'll live."

Harry rolls his eyes as he stands and says, "Alright, guys, now that we are all situated, you must have some questions for us-"

"Why did you reveal yourself to us?" Hermione cuts in, hurriedly.

Harry clears his throat before he says, "Well, it's only fair for our counterparts to know that another version of them is here and -" He gives her a pointed look, "You're my best friend in my world. I trust you."

Hermione looks taken aback with the answer. "I don't have any friends."

"Yeah, dude, I'm the closest to her and she doesn't even call me a friend." Dray says, sadly, shaking his head.

Draco stares at him as if he's never seen something like him before. "Did you just say dude?"

"We need you, Hermione, if we will be pulling this off." Harry says, softly.

"What are we pulling off?" Harold asks, with a frown.

"In my world, Hermione and I created a dueling club, of sorts, called Dumbledore's Army, or DA for short." Harry explains. "I taught students how to defend themselves since we weren't learning anything with Umbridge."

"So you want to recreate that here?" Hermione asks, hesitantly, "With us."

"Yes." Harry says, simply, "The more students who know how to fight, the better."

"But...why?" Hermione asks.

"You may not believe it but there is a war going on behind these walls," Harry says, "And soon, Hogwarts won't be safe. It'll actually be sooner than we think since the Ministry is corrupted. I really have no interest in fighting a war for Dumbledore but I will help Harold in his mission to save his parents."

"My Harold deserves some happiness." Draco adds.

Harold's eyes widens at the statement before he whispers, "M-me?"

"Yes, Harold, you see," Draco leans forwards, "Harry has this stupid hero complex that literally incapacitate him - hindering him from refusing those in need of help." Draco finishes as Harry rolls his eyes, exasperatedly, "It's both admirable and annoying."

"Thank you, Draco, for the analysis, " Harry says, giving him a tiny smile, "As I was saying, we can't trust Dumbledore or his little Order minions-"

"So, you want minions of your own?" Dray asks.

"No, I want you all and anyone else to help me get Harold's parents back."

"I'm in." Dray says, earnestly.

"Don't be so needy." Draco chastises, rolling his eyes.

"I'm interested in learning new spells." Hermione says giving a nod. "So, I'm in for now."

"Anywhere Harry goes I'm dragged along so I have no say." Draco says, giving Harold a reassuring look who looks overwhelmed.

"I'm obliged to tell you that this will be dangerous, you're putting your life in danger and you might die." Harry says, sternly, looking at each fifteen year old in turn. "This isn't child's play."

"It wouldn't be fun if there wasn't a risk of dying." Dray grins, excitedly

"You get off on this, don't you?" Draco says, laughing.

"It's a risk I will take." Hermione nods.

"Good, now, the next part is tricky. This club we will be forming is our army so, you must only invite those who you deem trustworthy," The teens nod their heads in understanding as Harry adds, "Then, we will meet up in a week."

"Where?" Hermione asks.

"I'll let you know a day in advance."

"I think we need a new name." Draco says. "We are not Dumbledore's Army or his puppets."

"Yeah, but I'd like to keep DA for short." Harry replies.

"How about Dimensional Alliance?" Harold suggests, excitedly.

"I like that." Dray nods, immediately.

"Oh, Merlin, " Draco mutters, rolling his eyes as Dray pouts at him.

"That's a good idea; we'll use that if we can't think of anything else." Harry nods, thoughtfully, "I think that's it, it's getting close to curfew so we should all go to bed." They all nod, rising from their seats and collecting their belongings.

"Wait!" Harold stops them as they make their way to the exit.

"What is it?" Hermione asks.

"I-I just wanted to say thank you... it's not all about me but...thank you for helping me." Harold says, softly, lowering his gaze down to his shoes. He bit his bottom lip in worry. "I don't want to be a burden."

"Nonsense, we want to help you. That's what friends are for." Dray says, looking at him adoringly. A blush forms on his cheeks as Harold gives him a shy smile in return.

Harry and Draco share a devious smile.