This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Word Count: 1131

Title: RUN

Note: OOC Harry, Slytherin!Harry. If Harry didn't choose Gryffindor, and had made friends with Draco in first year.

Warnings:

Beta: Nutmeg44, justalittlepositivitea, Herochick007

Quidditch League:

[Team]: Ballycastle Bats

[Position] Seeker

[Theme]: Cowardice

[Theme]:

Quidditch Supplies

[Prompts]:

[Theme]: Book Club

[Prompts]:

[Theme]: Pokemon

[Prompts]:

Summary: Harry doesn't choose Gryffindor and yet ends up in an eerily similar predicament- a certain murderer still wants him dead, what is a Slytherin to do?

The small boy walked up to the Sorting Hat, so nervous he didn't realise the whispering that started up in the great hall.

"Interesting, very interesting," the hat began to speak into Harry's ear. "I see a thirst to prove yourself, a lot of ambition as well, you might do well in Slytherin…" the hat continued.

"Well, most of my friends are in Gryffindor," Harry replied.

"But Slytherin would help you on the way to greatness…" the hat insisted. "It's all here, in your head."

"Slytherin doesn't seem all bad," Harry agreed, thinking of the nice boy in Madam Malkins that introduced himself as Draco Malfoy once the trio reached the castle.

"Precisely," the hat started and then announced "SLYTHERIN!"

"Draco, what in Merlin's name am I supposed to do now?" Harry said, running his hands through his messy black locks as he paced the Slytherin common room.

Draco was sitting in an armchair, looking pale, but a lot more reserved.

"How can you be so calm!" Harry shouted. "You-Know-Who wants to kill me! Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

"Harry, keep your voice down," Draco said, paling further. "You know the walls have ears." He gestured all around them. Harry knew he was being stupid, a lot of his fellow house mates families were affiliated with Voldemort before his downfall, even… even Draco's.

Suddenly, Harry went mute for a minute, clearly thinking about his options. "I need to talk to Hermione and Ron, they will know what to do."

"Those idiots?" Draco replied.

"Draco, you know I don't like that," Harry said.

"Let me tell you what the two of us should do, pack our bags and run, as far as we possibly can."

"I couldn't possibly- you remember what Dumbledore told me," Harry insisted. He stopped paced, and sat down on a couch beside the fire, looking around the room decked out in green and silver.

"Fine, go ahead and face him, but you will die, and I won't be around when you do."

Despite Draco's advice against it, he spoke to Ron and Hermione the next day. He met them at the breakfast table, and the single Slytherin slid in between them as if he did it every day. He never much cared for labels, despite the power being in Slytherin had given him.

"Morning," Harry said with a forced smile. "Can I talk to you both after breakfast?"

"Of course, Harry," Hermione said. "I'm already done, and so is Ron- isn't that right, Ronald?" She elbowed him when he didn't reply, and he swallowed his food and nodded.

"Yeah, sure mate."

"Um, good," Harry said, his gaze flickered to his table, and his eyes met Draco's. Draco shook his head dramatically. Harry needed to agree; it did seem like every time he went to the Gryffindor two, they ended up with trouble.

The three of them walked out of the Great Hall and to the entrance of the castle in silence. Harry's heart was racing like a beating drum. How would he even begin to tell them the terrors that the wizarding world was about to face? How could he tell them that he wasn't the hero they expected him to be.

"Mate, you look as pale as Malfoy," Ron said. Ron still had a problem with the Slytherin, but had managed to swallow his retorts when Harry was around. Harry was pretty sure they still called him a ferret behind Harry's back.

"It's complicated." Harry said.

"Start with what happened with Cedric," Hermione said softly. "Is he - Voldemort- really back?" she stuttered over the word, but still said it.

"Hermione, shhhhh, don't say that name," Harry said, looking around as if he expected the Death Eaters to descend on them right there on the castle grounds. He tried to stop himself from pacing as he said it.

"Yes, He is back."

Hermione gasped, and Ron went pale. "But mate, does that mean?"

"Those things about the prophecy, yes," Harry completed, nodding despondently. "But the thing is, I can't face him. You guys know as well as I do it was all a fluke, I'm not special, the only spell I have is Expelliarmus, and that sure isn't going to do anything against a powerful dark wizard like him."

"Harry, you are special, he marked you as his equal, remember?" Hermione attempted.

Harry was starting to realise that Draco might be right. They expected him to fight. His friends wanted him to die for a cause that could lead to the death of millions of Wizards and Muggle borns alike.

He went through every possible option. He told them to run, and they refused. Hermione and Ron were dead set on staying here.

"Harry, Dumbledore is the only one He ever feared. It is safest for you here," Hermione said.

"I can't stay here, I am putting a target on the backs of all of you, Hermione, don't you understand? It would be worse for you, if they…" Harry couldn't imagine it.

"Stay," Ron said. "It's what's right."

'Do I stay here or run? Do I save myself or die for strangers in a fight I never chose for myself?' Harry thought to himself later that night. He sat up in the owlery with Hedwig, stroking her white feathers.

"Harry, come to bed." He heard Draco's voice before he saw him.

"How did you know I was here?" Harry asked.

Draco raised his eyebrows. "Really, Scarhead," he joked. "This is your favourite hideout."

"I suppose you're right." Hedwig gave Harry a small nip and flew up into the rafters and out the large window to hunt.

"So, the Gryffindor's made some valid points, did they?" Draco said as they started back to the dungeons. Harry just nodded.

"I didn't choose this," Harry said softly.

Once they reached the entrance to the common room they both paused.

"Then why should you fight?" Draco's voice held something more than usual, a softness he wasn't familiar with.

"I shouldn't have to," Harry agreed. Harry leaned closer to Draco, seeing his perfectly gelled hair had a steek that fell across his face. He pushed it behind Draco's ear, not even thinking about it. He saw a pink tinge in Draco's cheeks. He was so close to him, he could almost touch his lips. 'Would Draco kill him?' Harry thought fleetingly before he kissed Draco.

Draco returned the kiss with fever and they broke apart, breathless. "Run away with me, Harry."

"Yes," Harry agreed, pulling Draco closer again. "We will run."

Dear Ron and Hermione,

Don't try to find us, I made my choice. I hope one day you will understand the height of the situation. I am doing okay, living hidden is tough. I miss both of you.

Love

Harry.