A/N: Yup, me again. I swear not to make this longer than the entry this
time. Since my italics were lost in the upload of the last chapter
thoughts will be denoted as ~thoughts~ it's not as subtle as I'd like, but
it'll do for now. I don't know if I've said this yet, but this story is
H/D slash...so here's a bit of Draco POV, it'll probably switch between
Harry, Draco, Hermione, and Ron (not sure about him yet. His character is
kind of sketchy at the moment). I'm not going to make anyone jump for it.
I'll update when I update, reviews or no.
Rain was pelting the roof in the staff room of Hogwart's School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Draco Malfoy was staring out the large arched window that showed the front of the school. ~When is Harry going to get here?~ he thought, book forgotten in his lap. He had just been pondering whether he should wait outside with an umbrella to make sure Harry wasn't soaked when a voice invaded his reverie.
"No, Draco, you should not go out to meet him with an umbrella." Said the omniscient Mione. "He's had a long ride, hell, a long life, you can't just pounce on him as soon as he walks in the gates."
Draco scowled at the suggestion. "Malfoys don't 'pounce', Mione. I just thought it would be a nice way to welcome him—He's here!"
Hermione mumbled something about Malfoys not being gay or acting like schoolgirls around Harry Potter either. "I can still hear you." Draco said happily almost bouncing to the entrance. He knew she was right, though, and by the time they would enter the front hall he was hoping to look stoic. He stopped for a quick look in the mirror, which kindly asked if he needed to use the lavatory, considering the way he was moving about.
He walked next to Hermione getting his giddy emotions under control; soon he was standing in the entrance hall with all the other professors. Dumbledore, of course, was standing in front of the lot, a decided twinkle in his eye. ~What's the old coot up to this time~ and then all lucid thought was extinguished.
Harry strolled into the hall, shaking the raindrops from his hair like a just bathed puppy. Draco closed his gray eyes and looked above Harry's head. He needed something, anything, else to look at. He wasn't sure which was worse. Staring like a lovesick baby duck at Potter or casting his eyes about like a loon. He decided to fix his eyes about three feet above Harry's head. To all appearances, he hoped, it would look like this whole greeting was a huge annoyance.
"Ah, we've been waiting for you, my boy" Dumbledore exclaimed. "Your things will be put in your room, which is a matter I need to speak with you about, but first let's go back, all of us, to the staff lounge for some catching up." And with that the old (and surprisingly limber for his age) Dumbledore led them out of the entrance. Harry, looking slightly dazed followed them all into the lounge. As they each settled into a seat the questions were rapid fire at Harry. He finally asked if he could just tell the story, as it would answer most of their questions. Draco sat, tuned to the sound of Harry's voice, relishing every word, even if they weren't being spoken to him.
"After the last battle," Harry began, "I was drained of some of my magic, the majority of those in the front of the wizard chain were. Mostly I've spent these past years recuperating, learning about some of my new powers, working on new spells, documenting the last battle, helping search out Death Eaters, and," Harry looked pointedly at Hermione, "finding where some of our own are hiding and trying to convince them they're wrong.
"It's been so long since I've been back here, but the instant I saw all the towers and stone, I knew I was home." Harry added, smiling.
Before Draco could process all that had been said (even though it was a bit vague), Dumbledore was speaking, "Harry, as you know the DADA teacher whom you are replacing at the end of this term has requested to stay on as a councilor. Hogwart's, while large, has a limited amount of rooms that are safe for people to inhabit, and the influx of new students has made it impossible for us to grant an apartment to just you. You're going to have to double up with another professor. You'll still have a bedroom to yourself, but will have to share a common and bath room."
Harry was nodding, "That's fine, so, whose it to be then?"
"I was hoping to ask Professor Malfoy to do that honor, he does have the largest room, aside from mine, of course." Dumbledore replied hopefully. Harry looked at Draco.
"Yes, that's fine" Draco said tightly. Not because he was annoyed, just because he didn't know if he could be that near Harry and not sleep walk, or worse. Even though he knew what Dumbledore had said was a fallacy. ~Well, not entirely false. ~ Draco concluded, after the second bedroom was added it would be the largest quarters in the school. Draco wasn't sure he should be reassured, or horrified by the twinkle in the old man's eyes now. ~He has a plan~ Draco firmly squelched that part of his brain that was screaming, "Well, duh!"
Draco then left with Dumbledore to enlarge the room while Harry engaged the rest of the Professors in small talk.
After the room had been resized and the new bedroom added Draco sat on the couch in the common room trying to look casual as Dumbledore went to inform Harry that he could start settling in. He supposed the entirely Slytherin theme to the room was not totally diplomatic, so he started some transfiguration that would do McGonagall proud.
He had done everything else, and was just about to change the colors on the couch when in walks Hermione and Harry. Harry appeared dumbstruck, Hermione's mouth was hanging somewhere around her knees, and Draco took a look around. Except for the blatantly silver and green couch that had snakes engraved on the woodwork, everything was red, gold, or a mixture of the two. Draco was about to say something entirely inane when Hermione made her first coherent remarks, saving him.
"Wow, Draco. When I asked you to help Harry feel at home I had no idea you'd go to such lengths."
Draco shrugged, catching on ~Thank you Hermione~. "Well," he said, "I suppose I got a little carried away. Caught up in the magic and forgot to stop." He looked sheepishly down at his feet. ~Damn, damn, damn, don't apologize, you're not going to bend and scrape for him, even if you are in love~
Harry seemed to have found his tongue, "Tha," ~or maybe not, ~ Draco thought as Harry cleared his throat, "Thanks, er, Draco." That appeared to be all, and then, "Maybe we can find a level somewhere in the middle, but later, would you mind if I talked to Hermione in here for a little while? There are some things we need to discuss in private." Harry looked determined, and Hermione's face, Draco had just noticed, had taken on an ashen hue.
~No, this is my common room, too, and I'll not be ushered out like a nobody~ "Of course. I'll just be in my room." Draco said and he left for the sanity of his Harry-free bedroom.
As he lay on his ornate and incredibly large bed he could hear Harry and Hermione talking in hushed tones. He couldn't hear the words, but could follow Harry's tone. He was speaking harshly, but his voice was more full of recrimination and anger at himself and some other ~probably Ron~ than at Hermione. Eventually Harry's voice became softer and Draco could hear Hermione's tears, falling with the same torrential determination as the rain slamming itself against the roof.
Draco was also being soothed (probably more so than Hermione) by Harry's words. He settled into a half doze remembering the single time when Harry had spoken that way for him.
***Flashback 10 years ago***
"Avada Kedavra!" screamed Lucius Malfoy. A jet of dark green light was coming straight for him. Suddenly there was Harry Potter, directly in the way. Harry knocked Draco to the floor and took the spell into himself, using his blood magic to rebound it and hit Lucius. Draco looked up in awe at the boy who had stepped just in time to save him from the curse, and had rid him of his father in one blow. ~He couldn't have hesitated before he jumped, or he wouldn't have made it in time. ~
Draco was positive Harry had not known he was a spy for the Order. He had made sure of it. ~All he knew was that Lucius was attacking me, was that good enough for him? ~ Draco then lost consciousness as the ground shook. His last thoughts were wondering if they would save him after the wizard chain destroyed Voldemort.
He came back to himself leaning against something soft and warm, flying in the cold night air many meters above the earth. As he began to stir the arms that were part way round him tightened and a kiss was placed upon his head. Soon after he lost himself again listening to Harry Potter, the Boy- Who-Lived say soft soothing things to him alone; he had never felt so safe in his entire life.***End Flashback***
And so Draco went to sleep that night, feeling bittersweet. He had not seen Harry again except briefly until today. He'd thought at first it was simply gratitude, but he knew he'd never be content while there was still a chance to have those arms back around him, hearing those words for him alone.
A/N: That looks like a nice place to stop for this chapter, doesn't it? The wizard chain idea comes from David Farland's Runelords books. I'm not stealing it, but it was the inspiration. I'm saying this so that anyone who has read the books will know what I'm talking about, and to give him fabulous credit. All smiles. I'm on Spring Break at the moment so look for me again real soon,
Rain was pelting the roof in the staff room of Hogwart's School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Draco Malfoy was staring out the large arched window that showed the front of the school. ~When is Harry going to get here?~ he thought, book forgotten in his lap. He had just been pondering whether he should wait outside with an umbrella to make sure Harry wasn't soaked when a voice invaded his reverie.
"No, Draco, you should not go out to meet him with an umbrella." Said the omniscient Mione. "He's had a long ride, hell, a long life, you can't just pounce on him as soon as he walks in the gates."
Draco scowled at the suggestion. "Malfoys don't 'pounce', Mione. I just thought it would be a nice way to welcome him—He's here!"
Hermione mumbled something about Malfoys not being gay or acting like schoolgirls around Harry Potter either. "I can still hear you." Draco said happily almost bouncing to the entrance. He knew she was right, though, and by the time they would enter the front hall he was hoping to look stoic. He stopped for a quick look in the mirror, which kindly asked if he needed to use the lavatory, considering the way he was moving about.
He walked next to Hermione getting his giddy emotions under control; soon he was standing in the entrance hall with all the other professors. Dumbledore, of course, was standing in front of the lot, a decided twinkle in his eye. ~What's the old coot up to this time~ and then all lucid thought was extinguished.
Harry strolled into the hall, shaking the raindrops from his hair like a just bathed puppy. Draco closed his gray eyes and looked above Harry's head. He needed something, anything, else to look at. He wasn't sure which was worse. Staring like a lovesick baby duck at Potter or casting his eyes about like a loon. He decided to fix his eyes about three feet above Harry's head. To all appearances, he hoped, it would look like this whole greeting was a huge annoyance.
"Ah, we've been waiting for you, my boy" Dumbledore exclaimed. "Your things will be put in your room, which is a matter I need to speak with you about, but first let's go back, all of us, to the staff lounge for some catching up." And with that the old (and surprisingly limber for his age) Dumbledore led them out of the entrance. Harry, looking slightly dazed followed them all into the lounge. As they each settled into a seat the questions were rapid fire at Harry. He finally asked if he could just tell the story, as it would answer most of their questions. Draco sat, tuned to the sound of Harry's voice, relishing every word, even if they weren't being spoken to him.
"After the last battle," Harry began, "I was drained of some of my magic, the majority of those in the front of the wizard chain were. Mostly I've spent these past years recuperating, learning about some of my new powers, working on new spells, documenting the last battle, helping search out Death Eaters, and," Harry looked pointedly at Hermione, "finding where some of our own are hiding and trying to convince them they're wrong.
"It's been so long since I've been back here, but the instant I saw all the towers and stone, I knew I was home." Harry added, smiling.
Before Draco could process all that had been said (even though it was a bit vague), Dumbledore was speaking, "Harry, as you know the DADA teacher whom you are replacing at the end of this term has requested to stay on as a councilor. Hogwart's, while large, has a limited amount of rooms that are safe for people to inhabit, and the influx of new students has made it impossible for us to grant an apartment to just you. You're going to have to double up with another professor. You'll still have a bedroom to yourself, but will have to share a common and bath room."
Harry was nodding, "That's fine, so, whose it to be then?"
"I was hoping to ask Professor Malfoy to do that honor, he does have the largest room, aside from mine, of course." Dumbledore replied hopefully. Harry looked at Draco.
"Yes, that's fine" Draco said tightly. Not because he was annoyed, just because he didn't know if he could be that near Harry and not sleep walk, or worse. Even though he knew what Dumbledore had said was a fallacy. ~Well, not entirely false. ~ Draco concluded, after the second bedroom was added it would be the largest quarters in the school. Draco wasn't sure he should be reassured, or horrified by the twinkle in the old man's eyes now. ~He has a plan~ Draco firmly squelched that part of his brain that was screaming, "Well, duh!"
Draco then left with Dumbledore to enlarge the room while Harry engaged the rest of the Professors in small talk.
After the room had been resized and the new bedroom added Draco sat on the couch in the common room trying to look casual as Dumbledore went to inform Harry that he could start settling in. He supposed the entirely Slytherin theme to the room was not totally diplomatic, so he started some transfiguration that would do McGonagall proud.
He had done everything else, and was just about to change the colors on the couch when in walks Hermione and Harry. Harry appeared dumbstruck, Hermione's mouth was hanging somewhere around her knees, and Draco took a look around. Except for the blatantly silver and green couch that had snakes engraved on the woodwork, everything was red, gold, or a mixture of the two. Draco was about to say something entirely inane when Hermione made her first coherent remarks, saving him.
"Wow, Draco. When I asked you to help Harry feel at home I had no idea you'd go to such lengths."
Draco shrugged, catching on ~Thank you Hermione~. "Well," he said, "I suppose I got a little carried away. Caught up in the magic and forgot to stop." He looked sheepishly down at his feet. ~Damn, damn, damn, don't apologize, you're not going to bend and scrape for him, even if you are in love~
Harry seemed to have found his tongue, "Tha," ~or maybe not, ~ Draco thought as Harry cleared his throat, "Thanks, er, Draco." That appeared to be all, and then, "Maybe we can find a level somewhere in the middle, but later, would you mind if I talked to Hermione in here for a little while? There are some things we need to discuss in private." Harry looked determined, and Hermione's face, Draco had just noticed, had taken on an ashen hue.
~No, this is my common room, too, and I'll not be ushered out like a nobody~ "Of course. I'll just be in my room." Draco said and he left for the sanity of his Harry-free bedroom.
As he lay on his ornate and incredibly large bed he could hear Harry and Hermione talking in hushed tones. He couldn't hear the words, but could follow Harry's tone. He was speaking harshly, but his voice was more full of recrimination and anger at himself and some other ~probably Ron~ than at Hermione. Eventually Harry's voice became softer and Draco could hear Hermione's tears, falling with the same torrential determination as the rain slamming itself against the roof.
Draco was also being soothed (probably more so than Hermione) by Harry's words. He settled into a half doze remembering the single time when Harry had spoken that way for him.
***Flashback 10 years ago***
"Avada Kedavra!" screamed Lucius Malfoy. A jet of dark green light was coming straight for him. Suddenly there was Harry Potter, directly in the way. Harry knocked Draco to the floor and took the spell into himself, using his blood magic to rebound it and hit Lucius. Draco looked up in awe at the boy who had stepped just in time to save him from the curse, and had rid him of his father in one blow. ~He couldn't have hesitated before he jumped, or he wouldn't have made it in time. ~
Draco was positive Harry had not known he was a spy for the Order. He had made sure of it. ~All he knew was that Lucius was attacking me, was that good enough for him? ~ Draco then lost consciousness as the ground shook. His last thoughts were wondering if they would save him after the wizard chain destroyed Voldemort.
He came back to himself leaning against something soft and warm, flying in the cold night air many meters above the earth. As he began to stir the arms that were part way round him tightened and a kiss was placed upon his head. Soon after he lost himself again listening to Harry Potter, the Boy- Who-Lived say soft soothing things to him alone; he had never felt so safe in his entire life.***End Flashback***
And so Draco went to sleep that night, feeling bittersweet. He had not seen Harry again except briefly until today. He'd thought at first it was simply gratitude, but he knew he'd never be content while there was still a chance to have those arms back around him, hearing those words for him alone.
A/N: That looks like a nice place to stop for this chapter, doesn't it? The wizard chain idea comes from David Farland's Runelords books. I'm not stealing it, but it was the inspiration. I'm saying this so that anyone who has read the books will know what I'm talking about, and to give him fabulous credit. All smiles. I'm on Spring Break at the moment so look for me again real soon,