Title: Learning to Live
Author: AntarianPrincess
Rating: PG-13 to R eventually
Category: AU (no magic, no wizards)
Summary: Draco Malfoy, the rich, arrogant and most popular boy in school falls in love with a poor social reject named Harry Potter. Will he risk losing his reputation, his girlfriend and his popularity for his new love?
Disclaimer: The characters belong to J K Rowling; I just write for fun.
A/N: I'm new at this fanfic writing and I'm currently also working on a Roswell het novel with my friend so my updates on this might be a little slower than usual.
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Prologue
"Get up boy," came a shrill, ear-piercing voice that could be heard clearly throughout the house on 4 Privet Drive even to the small boy living in the cupboard under the stairs making him groan and turn over in the hard mattress that passed as a bed. The boy might have been 16 but years of malnutrition and abuse by his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had made it possible for him to easily pass as a 13 or 14 year old much to Harry's dismay.
Harry James Potter, the unpaid family servant to his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon and cousin Dudley, had the bright, big green eyes of his mother combined with the black, unruly hair of his father, both of whom had died in a car accident when he had been a little over a year old. To his credit, it was utterly miraculous that he had managed to escape with nothing but a bizarre lightening shaped scar that marred his face. It was a face too thin, too delicate, and too sharply defined by his chin and cheekbones to be conventionally attractive and certainly too childish to be considered handsome. But there were no true flaws in the face itself; the skin was clear and wholesome, the lips red and full, and the large green eyes alluring and expressive framed by long, inky lashes. The only defect of that slightly lessened the beauty of those big, misty emeralds were the cheap, black frames that hung in front of the bright, innocent eyes. It was a sweet face and even his aunt had admitted in one of her excruciatingly, rare generous moods that it was an arresting face. Indeed, one could not simply glance once at Harry Potter's face and forget about it afterwards; there was certainly something captivating in the open, sincere expression that served to betray his every emotion. It was a face that could be read like an open book, showing an innate innocence and goodness that not even the unspeakable harshness of his relatives could ever hope to touch.
Once again a voice sliced through the cold air demanding his immediate presence in the kitchen to cook the family their breakfasts. Deciding not to invoke his cousin's wrath this early in the morning, he slowly forced himself out of bed, hastily dressed and wearily walked down to the kitchen. After all, his absurdly obese cousin would be severely vexed if he were to come downstairs and not find a breakfast for twenty ready for him.
Too late. Dudley was already in the kitchen in a fouler mood than usual. Fortunately for Harry, Dudley had been forced into an extremely ill fitting suit by his mother in an attempt to appear more elite on his first day of school at Stonewall Academy and his anger was not directed at Harry but his mother who was currently trying her best to soothe him without any prospect of success. Ignoring them, he began preparing breakfast as his uncle sauntered into the kitchen roughing pushing past Harry without acknowledging him.
No, he was certainly thankful he wasn't involved in the Dursleys's ludicrous attempts at high society, though he admitted he would certainly have at least liked the attention. After all, any attention, even negative, tends to be generally welcomed to anyone who has been ignored for his entire life. Anyway, he strongly suspected that even with the considerable wealth of the Dursleys, nobody thought of his aunt or uncle as far as the aristocracy was concerned though he certainly wasn't surprised. The Dursleys reminded him of a character in Emma - something he was once forced to read for his English class- named Mrs. Elton. Absurdly eager to please and continually imposing herself on the gentry while constantly attempting to appear refined only to display completely ridiculous ostentatiousness, she certainly provided a most excellent example of the "new money": wealth without class or elegance. How perfectly this described the Dursleys.
"Dudley dear, remember what I told you. Lucius Malfoy's only son is in your class. Do try to make friends with him," Uncle Vernon urged his son for what had to be the hundredth time that morning to which he was answered with usual grunt. Harry did not know why his uncle simply did not record that on a tape and play it for his son at regular five-minute intervals.
Of course, everyone knew about the famous Malfoys. They were an ancient, established family, wealthy enough to rival and very possibly, surpass the royal family itself. But for all their wealth, all their power and all their prestige, they were easily one of the most hated families in England. They were well known to be utterly ruthless, merciless and insufferably arrogant. The family motto known to everyone who was anyone perfectly characterized the Malfoys: Let them hate so long as they fear. Malfoys never loved anyone except themselves and each other although one could not always be sure of the latter either. Fidelity was not a highly esteemed virtue within the family if the multitude of whores that always followed behind the Lord Malfoys generation after generation was any indication.
Harry did not honestly have high hopes for this new school either. Not only was the school sharply defined by the rich and the poor who resented them, (and Harry had no doubt which group he would immediately belong) but he was sure Dudley would soon establish his own gang of friends to torture Harry exactly like all his other schools. Well at least he had Ron and Hermoine, his only two childhood friends both of whom had moved to London a few years ago. He had been absolutely devastated when they had moved depriving him of all friendly relations with the outside world. They were the only two that had insisted on being friends with Harry despite Dudley's threat and he had been ecstatic to know that he would be reunited with them but this time, he would make sure Dudley and his gang left his friends alone. He still felt horribly guilty about the beating his two friends had received three years ago when they had insulted Dudley's friends.
"Come on boy, Dudley is not going to be late because of you," boomed Uncle Vernon's voice before he felt a razor hot pain in his right ear where his uncle had grabbed him and proceeded to shove him towards the door. The ride to school was silent except for Uncle Vernon's periodic complaining about how little he was appreciated which was not at all an unusual incident. When they arrived at the school another quick command was given to Dudley to win Draco Malfoy's favor when Harry suddenly spotted Ron and Hermoine waiting for him just outside the school. Quickly stumbling out of the car he ran over to excitedly to meet his friends, delighted as Hermoine's eager, cheerful voice greeted him. "Oh my god, Harry, it's so great to see you again. Ron and I were beyond happy when we heard you were moving here. Oh let me see your schedule," she screeched grabbing the schedule out of his hand while examining it with the barely suppressed enthusiasm of a child eagerly tearing open his long- awaited presents on Christmas. "Oh my god, Harry that's great. We have history together. Oh and physics," she nearly squealed, "that is definitely the best subject in the world. Of course, we get Professor Snape.but I'm sure you'll love it anyway." (Harry was by no means as certain if his barely adequate marks in science were any evidence.)
"God, Hermoine, only you could ever actually enjoy physics. I swear, you're really not altogether normal, you know that right? Honestly whoever invented such a horrible atrocity should be taken into the street and beaten senseless," Ron interjected with complete sincerity and Harry could not help agreeing even though he was generally a non-violent person.
"Ron," Hermoine sighed with complete exasperation as the three walked up the stairs into the school, "you just can't appreciate the importance of a complete education but I for one intend to be the top of the class this year. Being the salutatorian is really humiliating."
Harry had to admit that he was shocked to the point of speechlessness. Hermoine was not at the top of her class! Surely it revolted against all the natural laws of the universe. Intensely curious he quickly asked Hermoine who was the top of the class.
"Draco Malfoy," Ron spat out looking as if he had committed a cardinal sin worthy of eternal damnation as the two words rolled spitefully off his tongue, "though his father probably bribes the teachers into giving him the top grades. Not like the guy has any time to actually study after sleeping around the whole night."
Harry looked up utterly shocked. Ron had such an easy-going, loving nature and he had not thought it possible for his best friend to hate anyone at all let alone as much as it seemed he loathed Draco Malfoy. Of course, Harry had heard stories about Malfoy's insufferable pride and maliciousness towards those he considered to be his inferior but he did not honestly think anyone could be that horrible.
He was so completely absorbed in his thoughts, effectively shutting out the rest of the world, when suddenly someone slammed into his side nearly knocking him over with the sheer force of the collision. Absently rubbing his side, he heard Ron growl, "Watch where you're going, Malfoy you idiot."
So this was famous Draco Malfoy that had nearly just knocked him over standing in front of two goons - that were obviously his protectors - with an impossibly smug expression on his face. Harry half-turned -opening his mouth- to face the boy, intending to show him exactly what he thought of the Malfoys when suddenly the words died on his lips as he looked up into Draco's eyes. Into the most beautiful silver mist he had ever beheld in all his sixteen years.
Author: AntarianPrincess
Rating: PG-13 to R eventually
Category: AU (no magic, no wizards)
Summary: Draco Malfoy, the rich, arrogant and most popular boy in school falls in love with a poor social reject named Harry Potter. Will he risk losing his reputation, his girlfriend and his popularity for his new love?
Disclaimer: The characters belong to J K Rowling; I just write for fun.
A/N: I'm new at this fanfic writing and I'm currently also working on a Roswell het novel with my friend so my updates on this might be a little slower than usual.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Prologue
"Get up boy," came a shrill, ear-piercing voice that could be heard clearly throughout the house on 4 Privet Drive even to the small boy living in the cupboard under the stairs making him groan and turn over in the hard mattress that passed as a bed. The boy might have been 16 but years of malnutrition and abuse by his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had made it possible for him to easily pass as a 13 or 14 year old much to Harry's dismay.
Harry James Potter, the unpaid family servant to his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon and cousin Dudley, had the bright, big green eyes of his mother combined with the black, unruly hair of his father, both of whom had died in a car accident when he had been a little over a year old. To his credit, it was utterly miraculous that he had managed to escape with nothing but a bizarre lightening shaped scar that marred his face. It was a face too thin, too delicate, and too sharply defined by his chin and cheekbones to be conventionally attractive and certainly too childish to be considered handsome. But there were no true flaws in the face itself; the skin was clear and wholesome, the lips red and full, and the large green eyes alluring and expressive framed by long, inky lashes. The only defect of that slightly lessened the beauty of those big, misty emeralds were the cheap, black frames that hung in front of the bright, innocent eyes. It was a sweet face and even his aunt had admitted in one of her excruciatingly, rare generous moods that it was an arresting face. Indeed, one could not simply glance once at Harry Potter's face and forget about it afterwards; there was certainly something captivating in the open, sincere expression that served to betray his every emotion. It was a face that could be read like an open book, showing an innate innocence and goodness that not even the unspeakable harshness of his relatives could ever hope to touch.
Once again a voice sliced through the cold air demanding his immediate presence in the kitchen to cook the family their breakfasts. Deciding not to invoke his cousin's wrath this early in the morning, he slowly forced himself out of bed, hastily dressed and wearily walked down to the kitchen. After all, his absurdly obese cousin would be severely vexed if he were to come downstairs and not find a breakfast for twenty ready for him.
Too late. Dudley was already in the kitchen in a fouler mood than usual. Fortunately for Harry, Dudley had been forced into an extremely ill fitting suit by his mother in an attempt to appear more elite on his first day of school at Stonewall Academy and his anger was not directed at Harry but his mother who was currently trying her best to soothe him without any prospect of success. Ignoring them, he began preparing breakfast as his uncle sauntered into the kitchen roughing pushing past Harry without acknowledging him.
No, he was certainly thankful he wasn't involved in the Dursleys's ludicrous attempts at high society, though he admitted he would certainly have at least liked the attention. After all, any attention, even negative, tends to be generally welcomed to anyone who has been ignored for his entire life. Anyway, he strongly suspected that even with the considerable wealth of the Dursleys, nobody thought of his aunt or uncle as far as the aristocracy was concerned though he certainly wasn't surprised. The Dursleys reminded him of a character in Emma - something he was once forced to read for his English class- named Mrs. Elton. Absurdly eager to please and continually imposing herself on the gentry while constantly attempting to appear refined only to display completely ridiculous ostentatiousness, she certainly provided a most excellent example of the "new money": wealth without class or elegance. How perfectly this described the Dursleys.
"Dudley dear, remember what I told you. Lucius Malfoy's only son is in your class. Do try to make friends with him," Uncle Vernon urged his son for what had to be the hundredth time that morning to which he was answered with usual grunt. Harry did not know why his uncle simply did not record that on a tape and play it for his son at regular five-minute intervals.
Of course, everyone knew about the famous Malfoys. They were an ancient, established family, wealthy enough to rival and very possibly, surpass the royal family itself. But for all their wealth, all their power and all their prestige, they were easily one of the most hated families in England. They were well known to be utterly ruthless, merciless and insufferably arrogant. The family motto known to everyone who was anyone perfectly characterized the Malfoys: Let them hate so long as they fear. Malfoys never loved anyone except themselves and each other although one could not always be sure of the latter either. Fidelity was not a highly esteemed virtue within the family if the multitude of whores that always followed behind the Lord Malfoys generation after generation was any indication.
Harry did not honestly have high hopes for this new school either. Not only was the school sharply defined by the rich and the poor who resented them, (and Harry had no doubt which group he would immediately belong) but he was sure Dudley would soon establish his own gang of friends to torture Harry exactly like all his other schools. Well at least he had Ron and Hermoine, his only two childhood friends both of whom had moved to London a few years ago. He had been absolutely devastated when they had moved depriving him of all friendly relations with the outside world. They were the only two that had insisted on being friends with Harry despite Dudley's threat and he had been ecstatic to know that he would be reunited with them but this time, he would make sure Dudley and his gang left his friends alone. He still felt horribly guilty about the beating his two friends had received three years ago when they had insulted Dudley's friends.
"Come on boy, Dudley is not going to be late because of you," boomed Uncle Vernon's voice before he felt a razor hot pain in his right ear where his uncle had grabbed him and proceeded to shove him towards the door. The ride to school was silent except for Uncle Vernon's periodic complaining about how little he was appreciated which was not at all an unusual incident. When they arrived at the school another quick command was given to Dudley to win Draco Malfoy's favor when Harry suddenly spotted Ron and Hermoine waiting for him just outside the school. Quickly stumbling out of the car he ran over to excitedly to meet his friends, delighted as Hermoine's eager, cheerful voice greeted him. "Oh my god, Harry, it's so great to see you again. Ron and I were beyond happy when we heard you were moving here. Oh let me see your schedule," she screeched grabbing the schedule out of his hand while examining it with the barely suppressed enthusiasm of a child eagerly tearing open his long- awaited presents on Christmas. "Oh my god, Harry that's great. We have history together. Oh and physics," she nearly squealed, "that is definitely the best subject in the world. Of course, we get Professor Snape.but I'm sure you'll love it anyway." (Harry was by no means as certain if his barely adequate marks in science were any evidence.)
"God, Hermoine, only you could ever actually enjoy physics. I swear, you're really not altogether normal, you know that right? Honestly whoever invented such a horrible atrocity should be taken into the street and beaten senseless," Ron interjected with complete sincerity and Harry could not help agreeing even though he was generally a non-violent person.
"Ron," Hermoine sighed with complete exasperation as the three walked up the stairs into the school, "you just can't appreciate the importance of a complete education but I for one intend to be the top of the class this year. Being the salutatorian is really humiliating."
Harry had to admit that he was shocked to the point of speechlessness. Hermoine was not at the top of her class! Surely it revolted against all the natural laws of the universe. Intensely curious he quickly asked Hermoine who was the top of the class.
"Draco Malfoy," Ron spat out looking as if he had committed a cardinal sin worthy of eternal damnation as the two words rolled spitefully off his tongue, "though his father probably bribes the teachers into giving him the top grades. Not like the guy has any time to actually study after sleeping around the whole night."
Harry looked up utterly shocked. Ron had such an easy-going, loving nature and he had not thought it possible for his best friend to hate anyone at all let alone as much as it seemed he loathed Draco Malfoy. Of course, Harry had heard stories about Malfoy's insufferable pride and maliciousness towards those he considered to be his inferior but he did not honestly think anyone could be that horrible.
He was so completely absorbed in his thoughts, effectively shutting out the rest of the world, when suddenly someone slammed into his side nearly knocking him over with the sheer force of the collision. Absently rubbing his side, he heard Ron growl, "Watch where you're going, Malfoy you idiot."
So this was famous Draco Malfoy that had nearly just knocked him over standing in front of two goons - that were obviously his protectors - with an impossibly smug expression on his face. Harry half-turned -opening his mouth- to face the boy, intending to show him exactly what he thought of the Malfoys when suddenly the words died on his lips as he looked up into Draco's eyes. Into the most beautiful silver mist he had ever beheld in all his sixteen years.