A/N: My apologies for not getting this out sooner, but my beta is in the middle of finals and hasn't had time to beta it. She DID put off studying earlier today so I could get this out to everyone before Monday. SO please be sure to thank Lady Violet for all her hard work!
Chap 10 is about a third finished so I am hoping to have it to my Beta's by Monday and Beta'd by the end of next week. But it's Christmas and no telling if I will actually be able to accomplish that! Enjoy!!!
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Chapter 9
Harry was thinking about Draco. Really, how could he not, when the boy in question was sitting directly across from him? In fact, they had been sitting in companionable silence for nearly an hour.
Harry had started out just trying to clear his thoughts of his recent, quite disturbing, dreams. Dreams which featured the blond Slytherin who sat not more than a meter in front of him. But Harry had found that somewhere in the last hour, his thoughts had drifted from his dream Draco to the live one.
The last 15 minutes or so, Harry had been discreetly watching his longtime school rival. It seemed that Draco was also lost in some inner conflict. What stunned Harry was that he had the distinct impression that he, himself, was the focus of Draco's inner turmoil. The sidelong glances in his direction were a dead give away.
At this point Harry had several choices. He could completely ignore it, whatever it was, and pretend that none of this was happening. He could also wait and finish talking this over with Hermione and Ron.
Harry cringed, remembering Ron's reaction that had caused him to leave the compartment in the first place.
Or, he could fall back on his Gryffindor courage (or stupidity, depending on how you looked at it) and just confront him now.
Harry frowned, deep in thought.
It was just Draco, no Crabbe or Goyle…
Then again, they could show up any minute…
And of course, Ron and 'Mione were probably looking for him as well…
But then, he might never get another chance…
"Why aren't you being such a bloody git?" Harry blurted out, suddenly shattering the perfect silence.
Draco visibly jumped at the outburst.
Surprise, confusion, and fear rippled swiftly across the blond's face.
Draco scared? But it was gone in an instant.
"Whatever do you mean?" Draco responded with a sneer that was obviously forced and insincere.
Harry pondered that 'forced' sneer for a moment, "I think you know exactly what I mean."
Draco stared at Harry; his internal conflict warring violently across his face, but yet still almost too subtle to notice. Harry realized that most people would have never seen it. To them it would have been Malfoy's normal expressionless mask, but years of bickering with his schoolmate had taught him to read Draco's face perfectly. What should have been disturbing news was more of a surprise. A surprise that seemed to leave a warm, fuzzy feeling somewhere inside him.
Harry decided he had nothing to lose by charging forward, he *had* been placed in Gryffindor after all, "So why *aren't* you being a git anymore… Draco?"
Draco's face and eyes shot up, as if pricked by an invisible pin. They had never used each other's first names, ever. Draco seemed to bring his inner debate to a close, making his decision with severe finality.
"Ever wake up, … Harry, and realize everything you thought you knew, wasn't really true?"
But Harry was interrupted before he could open his mouth to respond.
"Attention students, we will be arriving in 15 minutes. Please prepare yourselves for arrival."
Harry looked at Draco.
Draco watched Harry.
"I should…"
"Yes, I suppose…"
"It was…"
"Odd." They both finished at the same time. Both caught the other's eye and cracked a grin, a grin that would have been invisible to anyone else.
Harry stood up and quickly left. He wasn't sure what had just happened, but he found himself very glad it had.
He managed to slip back into his compartment before Ron and 'Mione returned.
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Ron and Hermione reached the compartment just moments after Harry had. They were, needless to say, quite surprised, to see Harry already there.
"Where the bloody 'ell did you come from Harry? We just searched the whole train!" Ron blurted out the very moment he spotted Harry seated inside.
Hermione, much more in control of her surprise than Ron merely pursed her lips together and took the seat directly in front of Harry.
"Harry, we're really sorry for upsetting you earlier, we were *only* trying to help. Well… *I* was, Ron-"
"I was being an arse." Ron interrupted.
Hermione and Harry both looked up at Ron in shock.
"I don't like Malfoy. In fact, I hate him, despise him, loathe him. But I was being an arse for letting the mention of his name get in the way of what you were trying to tell us."
"Ron…" Harry started.
"Let me finish," Ron said cutting him off. "If you think that Malfoy might play some part in keeping you alive, well, I don't like it but I am not stupid enough to let my feelings for Malfoy get you killed. Besides anyone helping to keep you alive can't be *all* bad."
Harry's jaw dropped.
Hermione looked like she had just been told she had aced all of her N.E.W.T.'s. She was positively beaming from ear to ear.
Harry managed to pick his jaw back up and use it to speak, "Ron, I don't know what role Malfoy might play, but I do think that he at least deserves the chance to show us how much he may have changed. Let me tell you two what just happened…"
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The Great Hall was abuzz with friendly chatter. All the returning students enjoyed this time prior to the first years' arrival, using it to catch up on friendships and summer adventures.
The chatter was something of a dull roar considering nearly all 400 students were talking at once. All 400 voices rose to an excited pitch, trying to out-boast another with tales of summer escapades.
Which was why it took three tries for Dumbledore to get everyone's attention, once he did, he was faced with several hundred, very confused, faces.
"Attention everyone, I realize this is a bit unusual, but I have a quick announcement before we bring the first years in to be sorted. This year we have started a new program. It is an 'Elective Studies' course for young witches or wizards who for one reason or another have been unable to attend school. We have five such students joining us tonight to begin what we hope will be a very successful program.
"These five students will be entering as 7th years, so as I bring them out would you all please make room for them at your tables."
As he spoke five young boys came from seemingly no where, somewhere unseen behind the teacher's table.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all quite sure that there had never been an entrance to the Great Hall back there before, and shrugged the odd appearance of the five boys casually. They had long since learned that as soon as they thought they knew everything about Hogwart's, they would be confronted with proof that they didn't. The unusual entrance of the new student's only reinforced this knowledge.
What really had Ron and Hermione's attention was Harry's stifled gasp and comment following the entrance of the new students.
"That's *them*!"
"Who?"
"The student's I saw in my dream."
"Oh my… I suppose that means it was true doesn't it?" Hermione whispered in a tone that conveyed the seriousness of that revelation. Before they had only speculated that it could be true.
But Harry didn't respond, for Dumbledore had begun to speak again.
"Barton, Trowa… Hufflepuff!"
The tallest boy stepped forward, and paused as he tried to determine where he was supposed to go.
Dumbledore made a gesture in the direction of the Hufflepuff table, of whom were all still looking a bit confused. Seeing Dumbledore's gesture in their direction seemed to prod a few 7th year's into action, and they stood up and made some room at their table. The teenage boy, Trowa, made his way to the table gracefully and seated himself with an air of confidence. His cool demeanor was surprising considering all eyes in the room were studying him like a potion's experiment. There were a few greetings and welcoming pats on the back, but overall there was still a very stunned silence.
"Chang, Wufei… Ravenclaw."
Another boy stepped forward, stiffly, this one shorter, of an average height. He had a very distinctly oriental appearance, which they would later be able to categorize as Chinese.
The 7th year Ravenclaws having a lot more time to adjust to this unusual occurrence, stood and made room, gesturing for the new student to come join them. The serious looking teen made his way over and a small ripple of conversation raced across the hall.
However, it was quickly halted by Dumbledore's voice ringing through the air, "Maxwell, Duo … Slytherin."
A boy, who almost didn't appear to be a boy, stepped forward. There was a very angry scowl painted across his face. He most definitely did not look happy about something. But even with the angry scowl his face, his features still appeared almost elfin. He also had an impossibly long rope of hair draped carelessly over his shoulder.
At first none of the Slytherins moved, then there was a rustle of movement at the very end of the table. Draco stood. He made some angry, impatient gestures and both Crabbe and Goyle moved down several seats.
The boy by Dumbledore saw this and made his way over, obviously still quite upset by something.
"Winner, Quatre … Hufflepuff."
This time, in less shock, the Hufflepuffs cheered and remembered to stand.
A girl, beside the boy named Trowa, moved over kindly making room for Quatre to sit beside his friend. Quatre, who himself was on the short side, could just barely be seen bowing to the girl and then the other students.
The Gryffindors were shuffling restlessly. None of the new students had been sorted into their House. They all gazed at the one boy left, however, they weren't entirely sure they wanted *him*.
He was of average height, with a messy mop of dark brown hair that rivaled Harry Potter's. Unlike Harry however, his hair nearly completely covered his eyes. Not that anyone was complaining about that. The boy's eyes were currently glaring in the direction of their table. Cold, blue steel eyes that were emitting a glare that made Professor Snape's glare look cheerful.
"Yuy, Heero … Gryffindor."
This time the hall's whispers began immediately, only the Gryffindor's remained quiet.
No one in 7th year got up. There was a long pause before finally Harry stood, much to the surprise of Ron and Hermione. Neville, who was on the other side of Harry and opposite Hermione, made a frightened whimper. Harry made a gesture for Neville to move down as Heero approached the table.
When Heero finally stood before Harry, Harry held out his hand.
"Hello. I'm Harry, Harry Potter. Welcome to Gryffindor."
Heero looked at the outstretched hand for one pregnant moment before grasping Harry's hand. "Hn." And then he sat down in the spot vacated by Neville.
More might have been said, but McGonagall was bringing the first years in for the Sorting Hat Ceremony.
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As soon as Dumbledore finished his beginning of the year speeches and announced the start of the feast, the Great Hall erupted in conversation. Everyone straining to meet the new students.
"Shit! Did you just see that?" Duo burst out. "The food just *appeared*!!!"
The entire Slytherin table turned and stared at him. Looks that clearly stated, 'Are you stupid?'
"Whoa, tough crowd."
Draco was the first to speak, "Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." He said, holding his hand out.
Duo, already gnawing on a turkey leg, reached his free hand over and shook Draco's hand enthusiastically.
"MMMrph… Nice ta meet ya…" he said around a mouthful of food. Then he suddenly stood up, turkey leg still in hand.
"Where are you going?" Draco asked, in a mix of surprise and disapproval.
"Over there to that table," Duo said pointing in the obvious direction of the Gryffindor table.
"You can't do that!" Draco spat out with a very visible look of disbelief and horror.
"Oh yeah? Why not?" Duo asked, looking at Draco with one eyebrow raised.
"Well, they're … *Gryffindors*"
"Uh, yeah, … and?" Duo said, still not seeing the problem.
"Slytherins do *NOT* socialize with Gryffindors," Draco responded, as if stating the obvious.
"Really? Well, now they do." And with that Duo made his way over to the Gryffindor table.
"Yo, Heero, gimme some room bud," Duo half-crowed across the hall, coming up behind Heero. Heero grunted, but made space, pushing Neville even farther down. This left an opening between Heero and Harry.
"He can't sit *here*," Seamus cried out from a few seats down.
Heero turned and gave his patent death glare to the boy that had just spoken out. Seamus seamed to melt beneath the table under its intensity.
"Oi, you too? And why can't I?" Duo asked loudly, clearly annoyed.
"Y-you're a Sl-Slytherin!" Neville choked out.
Duo looked across Heero to where Neville now sat, "And? *Must* you remind me?"
Harry spoke up finally, "Why? Didn't you want to be in Slytherin?"
"Hell no, I wanted to be with Heero here," he said putting an arm around Heero. A gesture that should have been platonic appeared surprisingly intimate.
"Are you, … what I mean is, well, you know, … together?" Hermione whispered loudly, in a conspiratory tone, across the table.
"You mean boyfriends?" Duo asked, quickly picking up on her embarrassed interest. "Yep, we live together back at home." Taking note of the other embarrassed faces, Duo plowed forward, "You know, in the same bedroom, … in the same *bed*."
Harry sprayed pumpkin juice all over Ron, who was unfortunately in front of him, and started to choke. Quick to the draw, Duo smacked his back helpfully.
"You too, huh?" Duo snickered.
Heero jabbed Duo in the ribs, "Shut up, baka."
"Aw, Heero, you're ruinin' my fun."
At this point, Draco had made his way over to the Gryffindor table to try and reclaim his lost housemate.
Heero and Duo, although backs turned, seemed to notice his approach first.
"Hey there bud, wised up and decided to join me eh?" Duo actually moved and sat in Heero's lap, much to the utter disbelief of everyone around him.
"There ya go, now there's room for ya!" He announced happily.
The entire hall had gone completely quiet. *Everyone* stared at the unfolding scene.
Dumbledore chuckled from his place at the Professor's Table.
-End Ch 9