Author: Masqued.
Rating: PG-13 (To be safe)
Summary: Warning: Complete AU and Harry/Draco Harry is a college student with Ron and Hermione. Draco is a fellow student, whose past is linked to Harry's. Harry lives with his godfather, Sirius Black, who owns a café in London. No Magic Whatsoever.
Title: When the Wound Mends
Chapter Summary: Harry, Ron, Hermione, etc. etc. are all introduced. Harry has his first encounter with Draco. Harry and Draco's pasts are revealed.
--
Rain plummeted to the ground from impregnated dark gray clouds as they rolled into one another in the sky. Lightning bolts flashed brightly and streaked the sky, thunderous sounds erupting shortly after. Not a single ray of sunshine could be seen throughout the entire sky – it was as though night had never left, or as though the sun had decided to never return.
Down the cobblestone streets of London were large puddles that ran deep into delved streets. Civilians jogged the sidewalks and roads quickly to avoid getting too wet, umbrella's above them providing very little protection. People in hysterics whistled for taxis that would screech to a halt. Other people were racing down the streets to reach buses that were about to leave. One lone male was racing down the street, white button-down shirt clinging to his slim torso as he attempted to beat the rain. Flopping, untidy raven hair pointed in every direction, and would change direction with each step. A black messenger bag swung at his hip as he continued his jogging, flopping against his side causing his rain soaked clothes to cling harder against this legs. Above his eyes but below his hairline sat a folded newspaper that he was using as a visor.
Trudging just a few more steps, he reached his destination and quickly grabbed the slick metal handle for the door to a small café he'd left to get a newspaper earlier that morning.
"Mornin' there Harry!" Chimed a cheerful voice from behind the counter. Sniffling deeply and shaking his wet hair like a wet dog, Harry Potter looked up to the owner of the small café.
"Hey, Dad!" He answered just as cheerfully with a deep, wide grin piercing his lips as they parted. After dragging his feet across the rug to dry them, he strode to the counter and plopped down directly in front of Sirius Black. "Le' me get my usual?" He asked, still grasping for breath.
"'Course, kid." Sirius turned his back to Harry and proceeded to pour a small mug to the brim with freshly brewed coffee. "Sure is raining cats and dogs out there," Sirius muttered absently before turning to his right to add the whipped topping to Harry's drink.
"I know, and I have to get to school in an hour." Harry groaned and leaned over the counter toward the register to grab himself a scone and a donut. A small bell jingled, bringing Sirius's attention to another customer that had entered.
"Mornin' Ron, Hermione." Sirius turned back to the coffee he was making for Harry.
"Morning Sirius! Hey, Harry," Ron Weasley, Harry's best friend, ruffled his own hair and pulled off his scarf before walking over to where Harry was and sat beside him.
"Hey Ron," Harry leaned over his shoulder to look at his other best friend, a thick wavy-haired girl that was just a few inches shorter than him. "Hey, Hermione." She waved back and soon took a seat next to Ron.
"You kids want your usual, too?" Sirius asked, leaning over the counter to look at the newcomers.
"Of course!" Ron stated enthusiastically. Harry snorted.
"You're taking Psychology with Snape this semester, aren't you?" Hermione asked, barely looking up from a newspaper she was poring over.
"Yep. I'm a little nervous – a lot of people say he's not the nicest of teachers here." Ron chuckled.
"Well, just watch out Harry."
"Thanks, I'll try." Harry laughed and looked back to Sirius, who placed his coffee in front of him. "Mmm, coffee. Does the body good." Sirius nodded as Harry grabbed the cup handle and brought the mug to his lips, nearly tipping the whipped cream over the edge and onto the saucer.
"I'm taking Child Care," Hermione stated, as though Harry or Ron had asked a question pertaining to what her field would be.
"We know," Harry muttered between sips. She threw him a glare, then turned back to her newspaper.
Sirius watched the three nineteen year olds thoughtfully. He'd seen Harry since he was born – he'd raised the boy. Ron and Hermione were new additions to their little group, as Harry and they had met in College the past year. Sirius continued to watch with amusement as the three chatted on about school and other things involved, then turned his attention to the cash register.
"Harry, will you be able to work tonight?" Harry's head turned from where it was facing Ron to looking at Sirius.
"Sure, but it won't be until about five. That all right?" Sirius nodded and opened the cash register.
"That's fine." Harry nodded and then turned to look at his watch.
"Damn, I need to get out of here. Dad, can I borrow your motorbike?" Sirius looked up and gave Harry a wary glance, then chuckled.
"'Course. You know where the keys are. Don't forget the helmet, and don't wear the leather jacket! It'll soil in the rain." Harry nodded his head and waved his hand.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" He turned his attention to Ron and Hermione. "Well, see you two later!" He waved the both of them off and then turned toward the back of the café.
Outback was Sirius's black motorbike. Nothing special, just his old, beat up motorbike that could use a new paint job. But Harry and Sirius didn't care much, since Harry only used it when he needed a fast ride somewhere, and Sirius only used it on dates, because otherwise, he never left the café.
Grabbing the keys from the infamous leather jacket, Harry revved up the ignition, pulled the helmet and visor on over his head, made sure his bag was secure on his waist, then pulled out of the parking lot and onto the roads.
--
Professor Snape was preparing for his class. On the blackboard was the syllabus for the entire semester. He was famous for not actually giving a syllabus out, but instead, making each student write the due dates on their own separate sheet of paper as to make them more responsible. If they were in dire need of one of the assignments due dates, they would have to get it from a fellow student – he would never give them assistance on it.
Above the syllabus was, in neat cursive handwriting, his name, Professor Severus Snape, and then the date to the right of it. Placing the chalk down onto the small ledge given by the chalkboard, Snape dusted his chalk-covered hands and then pulled the chair out of his desk and sat down.
Slowly but surely, students began to file into the classroom. A small group of boisterous boys stood at the doorway, nearly blocking the steady flow of students that entered the classroom, and two girls who took middle seats had already opened their laptops and started taking down the syllabus while chatting about how great the class was going to be.
Snape could only hope it was better than they expected.
--
Draco Malfoy pulled slowly into a parking spot near the entrance of the school. His small, black buggy purred softly before he pulled out the key, twirled it around his finger, then stepped out of the car. His platinum-blond hair was still drying, hanging limply in a wet manner down to his earlobes. Pale gray eyes glanced around the parking lot for any familiar faces before he turned from the front of his car and toward the entrance.
He hadn't been looking where he was walking when he was nearly run over by a car. He wasn't hit, but he was shocked, and the bright headlights threw him off guard. He fell in front of the car, shielding his eyes from the bright lights.
The driver peered out of the window, screaming things like 'Are you ok?' and 'I'm sorry I can't stay and help, but I need to go…' but Draco was tuning them out. He didn't care. He just needed to get to class. Grabbing his head, he shook from side to side in an attempt to stop the blinding lights that continued to reoccur in his head, until he felt a strong hand clench his arm and hold him steady.
"You ok?" He turned his blurred attention to a pair of striking green eyes. He was caught off guard as he focused and noticed that the features of the face that owned the eyes were just as striking. Slowly, he gathered his thoughts, and brought himself to speak.
"I'm fine," he brushed the hand off, a little rougher and ruder than he intended. The boy that had helped him made a 'tuhhing' noise with his mouth and then slowly walked passed Draco.
"Sorry," The unruly-haired, amazingly striking-featured boy muttered, holding his hands up in defense. Draco kicked himself mentally for being a bastard to someone that genuinely had wanted to see if he was ok.
'Well, no point in crying over spilled milk. This boy was a mere fifteen seconds of my life' Draco reminded himself, then continued on his path toward his first class.
Oddly enough, he found himself following the same route as the boy that had stopped to help him. And in an unlikely coincodence, he also found himself entering the same exact classroom. He shook it all off and walked down the same row as the boy, but took a seat two seats away, so he could examine, but not interrogate.
"Welcome, students. My name is Professor Severus Snape. You can call me Professor Snape, nothing else." A tall, pale man stepped forward from behind his desk, thick black hair pulled back in an untidy, loose ponytail. "Since it is mandatory for me to do so, I will start with attendance."
Draco slouched slightly in his chair as he placed his laptop up and onto the given table in front of him then began to tap the keys gently, copying down the syllabus on the board.
"…Longbottom, Neville…" Oh, no. Not him. Draco turned cautiously to look behind him at the boy whose name had been called. Neville Longbottom was a boy that he'd graduated high school with just two years prior. The boy could barely do anything right, and half the time was apologizing because had dropped one thing or another. Sucking in a bitter breath of irritation, Draco turned his attention back forward.
"…Malfoy, Draco…" Draco's head shot up.
"Here." He raised his hand up, received a smirk from Professor Snape, then continued with his writing. Of course Severus knew him. He didn't smirk back.
"…Potter, Harry…" Draco tensed. Harry Potter? No, that couldn't be. That was impossible. Draco sucked in a deep breath and saw Harry Potter, the boy he'd followed in earlier, raise his hand.
--
Harry closed his laptop as Psychology finally ended. Taking in a deep breath, he whispered a soft prayer in hopes that no one would come to him to talk to him. Perhaps if he darted out of the classroom as fast as he could –
"Harry Potter, hmm?" Draco Malfoy, if Harry remembered correctly.
"Yes." He replied sharply.
"I remember you. You were that kid that was orphaned. You're parents were…"
"Yes, Malfoy. My parents were murdered."
Draco stiffened. Apparently Harry was still put off by the rude display he'd been given earlier.
"Well, Potter, don't expect pity from someone like me."
"I wouldn't dream of it." Draco's eyes narrowed.
"A little testy, are we?"
"Only with rude bastards." Draco smirked.
"Then don't look in the mirror, you might throw a fit." Harry seethed and clenched his fists tightly.
"What the hell's your problem, Malfoy?"
"Nothing, just having some simple conversation."
"Well I'd rather if you made your simple conversation elsewhere with someone else." Draco chuckled.
"Oh, but this is so fun."
Without saying a word, Harry sped in the opposite direction of Draco and immediately left the vicinity. The motorbike ride back would give him time to blow off some steam, and he needed to hit the bookstore, so he considered going to Chang's Book Store and poring through some novels before doing anything else.
Nearly shoving the key into the ignition, he revved the motorbike up and sped off out of the parking lot, not caring about the helmet that he'd accidentally left in the basket. Once at a red light, he recalled that he did indeed need the helmet and pulled it onto his head before tearing off down the streets on top speed.
"Damn it." Harry couldn't help but feel painful memories boiling in his mind. He gritted his teeth and revved the motorbike faster, nearly passing the speed limit. Thankfully, though, by the time he reached Chang's Book Store, he felt rather peaceful about it all. He managed to let most of his frustrations out on the road.
"Harry!" Cho Chang's warm features made a lot of the pain Harry was experiencing melt away. Cho Chang was his ex-girlfriend. Though most break-ups usually ended in the two not talking, Cho and he had managed to stay rather close friends.
"Cho, how have you been?" He asked shedding the jacket he wore to keep himself warm and placed it on a stool beside Cho.
"Oh, wonderful! Tomorrow I get to start my first class in Music Theory!" She grinned widely and then leaned over the counter to give Harry a warm hug.
"I'm glad for you," He smiled weakly. She pulled away and examined him thoroughly.
"Harry Potter, what's wrong?" He smirked.
"How do you do that?" She gave him a warm smile.
"We dated, remember?" He shook his head. "So," she patted the seat next to her, "what's wrong?"
Harry pulled himself onto the seat. "Well, you see…" he proceeded to tell her the entire situation with Malfoy that had happened only twenty minutes previous to his arrival. Her face scrunched up, then relaxed as she patted his shoulder.
"Oh, don't worry about it. It runs in his family for people to be irritating, arrogant, and horribly obnoxious. They're a bunch of spoiled brats." Harry snorted.
"You've got that right," he turned to a few customers that were trotting around the store, looking at different books. Cho told him that she'd be right back and to man the fort while she was away, then went to help a customer that was wandering around the store aimlessly.
Harry was over-taken by a book in his hands, The Wizards First Rule by Terry Goodkind, when someone's very sharp 'ahem' caught his attention. He slowly looked up to the customer in front of him and was immediately met with a pair of gray eyes. Again.
"Ah, Potter, so we meet again." Harry closed his eyes and took in a deep breath to control his anger.
"Following me are you, Malfoy?" Draco snorted.
"Don't flatter yourself," he motioned to the book that was sitting on the desk in front of him.
Harry blinked as he read the title, then looked to the book in his hand. It was impossible. He and Malfoy had the same taste in books? Harry suddenly felt disgusted with the book he had in his hand and placed it down before ringing up Draco's total.
"Seven pounds," Harry stated flatly, giving Draco one last plain glance. Draco handed over the paper money and Harry pushed a few more buttons on the register, allowing the drawer to pop open, and handed Draco back his change.
"You know Potter, you're never going to make it in Psychology." Harry's eyes shot up toward Draco.
"Oh? And you're suddenly a fortune-teller, Malfoy?" Draco snorted.
"No," he leaned in further so his face was few inches from Harry's left ear, "but I know mental instability when I see it." Harry bit back his anger and dug his finger nails into his palms to relieve himself of the anger.
"Shove off, Malfoy," he seethed through gritted teeth. Draco smirked in response.
"Cheers, Potter." With that, the blond scurried off out of the store.
Harry kept a watchful eye on Draco as he left. That boy just boiled him up inside – and he'd barely known him more than four hours! He'd managed to wiggle his annoying ferret-like features into his mind and leave a lasting mark of irritation in the recesses of his thoughts. Mentally, he cursed Draco out for having such a quick impact on him.
"What was that all about?" Cho slid next to Harry and took his hand in her own.
"Just a little trouble with a git," Harry replied, anger being relieved with the gentle squeeze Cho gave his hand.
"Well, not to make things worse, but I think he likes you. Watch out."
"Well, he'll have to be a little nicer if he wants my attention. I'm not a fifth-grade girl that knows a guy likes me because his initial way of speaking with me is by calling me names." Harry snorted as Cho wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. That was another thing that had ended Harry and Cho's relationship – Harry's sexuality. At the time, he didn't think he could be attracted to anyone but Cho – he'd thought so for the past four years – but then he finally began to develop feelings that didn't mean love and physical touching. Cho found it adorable.
"Aw! Sounds like you've got something for him boiling in that mind of yours!" She choked back a hearty giggle as she prodded his left temple gently with her index finger. He brushed her hand away from his head, then turned to look at her.
"Cho, love, I'm off. Dad needs help at the café tonight. Stop by, you're always welcome." He leaned down and pecked her right cheek, then left with one last goodbye hug.
Then, he was back on the road again.
--
"What do you mean I can't go out with him?" Hermione squiggled out of her jacket and hung it up on the coat rack of Sirius's café. Ron gave her another one of his indignant glares.
"Hermione, he looks like a bird!" Hermione spat at him and then flipped her hair over her shoulder before walking toward the counter.
"You two acting like a married couple again?" Both Hermione and Ron shot Sirius dark looks. He held his hands up in defense. "All right, all right, I'm sorry… cookies?" They both nodded their head, Ron more enthusiastically than Hermione.
The bell rang to warn Sirius that someone had entered.
"Harry, good, you're here right on time. I need to go smoke a cigarette, take over?" Harry nodded his head, though cast a rather cold glance to Sirius as he mentioned smoking.
"I'll take over – but you need to stop giving yourself lung cancer." Sirius shrugged Harry off with a smile and began to hit the fresh box of cigarettes against the palm of his hand before walking out back to smoke one of them.
"Are you two not talking again?" Hermione shot a glance to Harry.
"He said I can't even try dating Seamus Finnigan! It's as though I'm going to get thrown off a bridge if I try it!" Harry chuckled and looked to Ron, who was staring determinedly into his hot coffee.
"Well, maybe that's because Seamus is looking to get into any girls pants." Hermione looked up at Harry with a very shocked expression. "What!" He held his hands up in defense. "It's true, and you know it. I mean, think about Pansy!" Hermione slumped down against the counter.
"Told you," Ron muttered, turning his spoon counter clockwise in his cup. Hermione 'hmphed' next to him and grabbed her own mug as Harry chuckled.
"…Ah, my best friends." He chuckled again. As if they had discussed it mentally, both Ron and Hermione sat up and stuck their tongues out at Harry childishly, causing Harry to nearly fall back against a pot of brewing coffee, laughing terribly hard. "…That sadly act like five-year olds." He chuckled softly and turned to fix around the brewing pot of coffee when the bell above the door jangled.
"One sec," Harry murmured, staring deeply into the pot of simmering coffee, then turned, yet again, meet a pair of dark gray eyes. "Now I know you're following me." Draco Malfoy snorted.
"Don't flatter yourself, Potter." He spat Harry's last name out as though it were a vile taste in his mouth. Harry's eyes narrowed, but he managed to keep his anger at bay.
"What can I get for you, sir?" Draco's grin widened.
"Oh, just a large decaf and a strawberry scone, if you have," Harry nodded his head and set to work immediately.
"To go?" He asked absently while digging around beneath the cupboard for a bag.
"No, I think I'd like to stick around a bit." Harry tensed unevenly in his gut and stood up as slowly as he could, avoiding any eye contact with Draco. He finished the coffee and placed the scone delicately on a plate for the blond.
"Six pounds," Harry muttered absently and pressed a few keys on the register.
Draco pulled the money from his pocket and placed it into Harry's hand, then dipped down to take the cup and scone.
"Hello, Hermione," Draco muttered, eyeing the girl where she sat. Hermione's eyes remained fixedly on her coffee, which she simply swirled around clockwise in the cup. Draco gave Harry another glance-over and snorted softly before wandering to the edge of the café, coffee and scone in hand.
"Who was that?" Ron asked, eyeing Draco as he walked passed.
"Draco Malfoy." Hermione answered before Harry had the chance. Ron looked to her in confusion, and Harry turned to the cash register to put the obtained money in before looking at Hermione in question.
"How'd you know?" He asked, breaking the silence.
"…Ex-boyfriend, unfortunately. We went to High School together." She spat angrily, looking over her shoulder at the boy who had set to work on his laptop.
"Quite the catch he was, 'Mione." Ron stated with a smirk. Hermione shot him a glance that caused his smirk to disappear from his features very quickly.
"Don't worry, Hermione. I won't hold it against you." Hermione nodded a 'thank you' to Harry.
"I'm back – did I miss anything?" Sirius stepped behind the counter and stood beside Harry.
"Just a blast from Hermione's past, sitting in that back corner," Harry rolled his eyes to the left to indicate where Draco was sitting. Nonchalantly, Sirius gazed around the room and his gaze fell on Draco for a mere second before he turned to look at Harry.
"That son of – That's Lucius Malfoy's boy." Harry nodded.
"I know, Dad." Sirius sighed and hung his head.
"That man…" he seethed for a second and looked at Harry, who gave him a confused glance. "…nearly got my business license taken away. Said I was 'illegally running my business'. Had to flash my damn license a good seventy times before he realized the name, ID, and picture were me." Sirius snorted. "You watch that one, will ya?"
"I've got him in Psychology with me." Harry muttered. Sirius gaze sank again.
"Watch him, you never know what he's up to." Harry nodded his head again. The jingle of the door caused both Harry and Sirius to snap out of their miniature dazes.
"Well, lets move it lad! We've got customers!"
--
Draco stayed until closing, and bid a very curt yet positively unnerving goodbye to the last four occupants of the small café. He did, however, mention that the coffee and scone were very good – but it was under his breath and Harry just barely heard it before the blond exited.
"What a git," Ron muttered, sipping at his coffee.
"I know, at least you don't have any classes with him." Harry sighed and sipped his own coffee.
"Oh, yes he does. Philosophy, remember? Seamus told me that he had heard from Pansy – before she kicked him out that is – that Draco was taking the same exact Philosophy course as Ron, you and me." Hermione wasn't looking at them. She felt a little awkward bringing up such an oddly obtained bit of information.
"Blimey! An entire class with him? Once a week?" Ron was about ready to throw a fit. His ears turned a vibrant red and his eyes flickered with a heavy glaze of fury.
"Ron, calm down! It's a single class, and we only need be there once a week, and Professor Trewlaney is actually very good from what I hear… so…" Ron glanced at her, still a little perturbed by the information he'd just been given.
"Who cares! I'll have to share it with that prat, Malfoy!" He ran a nervous, anger-twitching hand through his amber locks.
"Ron, calm down." Sirius told him, and handed him a scone.
"How can I? I'm going to have to see him once a week. You three aren't the only ones that have had to put up with the Malfoys." Sirius's gaze met with Harry's for a moment, then they both turned to look at Ron.
"The Malfoys were the ones that tried to get my father fired from his job."
"Where's your Dad work?" Harry asked curiously.
"With a large organization called the 'Ministry of Ministers'." Harry raised a brow.
"Isn't that like, the Prime Minister's main advocate?" Ron nodded his head.
"My father works in a branch of the Ministry of Ministers that basically revolves around the preservation of London's artifacts. Malfoy considered my father's job unimportant, and ran a campaign to have the entire branch to be removed." Hermione gasped.
"But, the museums!" Ron shot her a glance. "And – and your family…" She gulped down strongly; "What'd your dad do?"
"He went straight to the head of his department – a guy whose name escapes me – and demanded that such a campaign be ignored. Of course, the campaign was ignored, but my father had to be inspected twice a week to make sure he was doing a good job – just incase what Malfoy had said was right!" Harry spat.
"I swear… some people…" Sirius nodded his head in agreement, then gazed at the clock.
"Oh my," he laughed softly. "Look at the time. Ron, you and Hermione should best be on your way." They both nodded and placed a few pounds on the table.
"Don't you dare. Take that back right now." Sirius demanded, giving the two of them one of his most frightening of glares. They, reluctantly, took the money back and placed it into their pockets.
"Thanks, Sirius. See you tomorrow, Harry. Remember, bright and early, seven o'clock, Philosophy!" Harry groaned.
"How could I forget?" He replied, watching Ron's face twist into a disturbed expression agreeably.
"Oh, dear. Do you see what I'm going to have to put up with every Tuesday?" Sirius snorted and patted Hermione's hand gently.
"Don't worry, there will always be Sirius's little café at the back of London waiting for you when you need to get away," he glanced to the two boys, "Then again, these two have no lives outside of this café, so I'm not sure how much of a reassurance that would be…" At least it made Hermione smile and Sirius was satisfied with that.
"Now, off you two. I need to clean this place up." The two waved their goodbyes, grabbed their coats, and skirted out of the building.
"Ready to clean up, Dad?" Sirius nodded head.
Harry and Sirius had an odd relationship. Ever since Harry's parents had been… well… murdered, Sirius kept Harry under his wing at all times. He grew up with very little friends because Sirius could never manage to keep a good job. Harry never blamed him, of course, for all of the moving around. Oddly enough, once Harry was eighteen, he could collect the fortune his parents had left for him, and immediately invested it in the café – something Sirius had wanted for years.
Since the two had been with each other since before Harry could even bother to attempt to remember, Sirius was Harry's father. Sometimes, though, his distinction between 'Dad' and 'Sirius' would change, depending on his mood. More often than not, he would call Sirius his father. He loved him as such.
The two cleaned up the café, played a little music, talked about their rather uneventful days, then set off to bed.
"Night, kid." Harry leaned to the side to look at Sirius, then, as though by complete impulse, took the man that he was now the same height as into a tight embrace.
"Night Dad," Sirius struggled to hug Harry back and keep back tears at the same time. Sure, he and Harry had lived together all of their lives, but Harry was never much of a physical person. The times they shared in hugs, Sirius cherished, because it simply reminded him that, to Harry, he really did matter – he really did love him like his father – and that's what meant the most to him.
"See you in the morning," Sirius choked steadily, keeping calm. Harry nodded his head and strode into his own room, Sirius's watchful eyes following him. He smiled and went into his own room once Harry had shut the door.
--
"Eventful evening?" Draco Malfoy entered the rather spacious mansion he called him and reached the kitchen in a few short strides, finding his mother at the table within it nibbling on an apple and poring over a rather tattered novel.
"No, just my first Psychology class. Snape was his usual, droning self, of course." Narcissa nodded her head.
"He always was a bit of a drone-y, wasn't he?" She asked absently, nipping at her apple again.
"Yes, yes he was…" Narcissa nodded.
"But, he did manage to help us out." Draco stiffened, remembering how he'd helped them out.
"I realize that, Ma." She stiffened as well.
"Draco, you know what happened was for the best. Can you not admit that life has gotten far better than it was before?" Draco nodded stiffly, and took a seat beside his mother.
"I just wonder sometimes… if maybe, just maybe… he'd changed." Narcissa's hand reached up and rested onto the back of her tall son. She gently ran her fingers through the back of his hair reassuringly.
"I know, honey. I know." Draco clenched his fist, and as he did many times only in front of his mother, he cried.
"Why'd he have to do all this? Why'd he have to ruin our lives?" He paused and looked at his mother, slowly reddening eyes ablaze with rage. "Do you know who I saw today? Today in Psychology, as well as at the book store, and at the café I just came from?" His mother shook her head. "Harry Potter." She stiffened and her hand lay to rest on his shoulder.
"And?"
"And I did the Malfoy thing. I was arrogant. I antagonized him. It was plain as day that he was irritated by me. And I also saw Hermione, and Ron Weasley." Narcissa's breathing hitched.
"And?"
"And they didn't forget me, I can assure you that!" He seethed angrily.
"Well…"
"Well, what? Well, there's nothing else we can do now!"
"They must have heard the news by now, it's been nearly three years."
"Yes, but what do I do? Even if I wanted to try and act differently toward them, they'd think I was a bi-polar git that should be locked away!" He paused, remembering a pair of striking green eyes. His focus distanced as he remembered Harry's face in his mind.
"You can always try, you know." Draco sighed.
"Maybe." Narcissa smiled and kissed her son's forehead.
"Get to bed, sweetie. You have Philosophy tomorrow." He sighed and sank his head onto his mother's shoulder.
"All right, Ma. Night." He kissed her cheek and stood up, ambling upstairs slowly, still not completely over his anger.
Narcissa watched her son depart and felt as though she herself was ready to cry. Why, indeed, had he done such terrible things to cause her family pain? Well, she wouldn't be able to find out any longer, not unless… she chuckled. No, that was impossible. And even if it were possible, she wouldn't want to do it anyway. That would only bring back more than she would want. She sighed, dabbed her eyes with a napkin, placed her bookmark into her book, tossed the core of her apple out, and followed in suit behind her not-long-before departed son.
--
"Up, up, up!" Sirius burst through the door. Harry winced as the older man threw open the blinds.
"Sirius…" He muttered warningly, holding up his hand to block out the warm rays that were falling in through Harry's now opened window.
Sirius chuckled. Whenever Harry was bothered, he would call Sirius by his first name like a mother would while scolding a child.
"Get up, child! You'll be late in helping me open the store if you don't. Besides, in two hours you need to be in class."
"Two hours?! You couldn't have let me sleep another hour?" The expression on Sirius's face was priceless. He was smiling fondly down at his godson, holding back laughter, amusement dancing wildly in his eyes. "No, of course not, you're Sirius, the craziest bastard alive…" Harry mumbled absently before swinging his legs over the bed frame and blinking quickly to adjust to the light.
"Yes, yes, crazy, crazy," Sirius mumbled before walking toward the door. "Five minutes, or I come up here with a bucket of ice water," he warned before shutting the door and jogging down the steps to the store. Harry sighed heavily and searched around the room for decent clothing. He didn't want to be hit with a bucket of ice cold water – Sirius enjoyed doing it far to often.
Just in five minutes, he'd managed to make it downstairs and into the café, which was partially ready for customers already. The chairs were down already from the tables, the sofas and comfortable arm chairs were placed placidly around the tables, and the broom was waiting at the end of the counter for Harry.
"Ah, my beloved Nessy, shall we?" He grabbed the broom and began to dance around the empty store with it, humming an unknown tune softly while tiredly sweeping the floor, yawning every so often as he still adjusted to the time.
Sirius stepped out from the kitchen behind the counter and sniggered.
"Glad you're up, and enjoying yourself," he motioned to Nessy. Harry grinned lazily and placed the broom away.
"You're lucky I love you, or else my bum would still be in that bed," Harry muttered tiredly and suppressed another yawn as Sirius put a cup of strong coffee in front of him. He nearly inhaled it.
"Mornin'!" Ron stepped in, followed by Hermione, per-usual.
"Mornin' guys." Harry answered tiredly. Sirius chuckled and ruffled Harry's already very untidy hair.
"Harry, ready for classes?" Ron asked, peering over his shoulder to the very slow moving Hermione who was, also, unusually quiet at the moment.
"As ready as I can be," he muttered, stifling yet another yawn.
"Well, you can get a ride with me and 'Mione." Ron suggested, still looking over his shoulder at the very quiet Hermione. Harry was too tired to notice her lack of enthusiasm, which was rare, despite the early morning hours or lack of caffeine in her system.
Sirius handed both Ron and Hermione strong cups of coffee, then bustled about as more people began to show up.
"Thanks, that'd be great," Harry replied looking to his two best friends, and finally realized that Hermione hadn't said a word. She remained quiet even under the curious gaze of her friends. She simply stared at her coffee until the silence was broken. Ron had just opened his mouth to say something, but Sirius beat him to it.
"You lot better get a move on, or you'll never make it to class." Ron shut his mouth and sighed, aware that the chances of getting anything out of Hermione before class were very slim. He sighed again and Harry watched as Sirius cleared off the counter, then felt a nudge from his godfather to leave.
"All right, all right. I'll be back tonight…" Harry suppressed yet another yawn and followed Ron and Hermione out front to where Ron's beat up, very old caddy was sitting, its dark green paint job needed a fix up as bad as Sirius's motorbike. The three friends hopped into the car and drove in silence.
Harry was attempting to catch a few more minutes of rest, but the minutes seemed like seconds as Ron finally jerked to a stop in the parking lot of the school. Harry muttered a curse softly.
"Arr.." he muttered, very irritated. Hermione was still silent – and oddly so. Harry was beginning to become more aware, and turned to look at her, but she determinedly looked away and down at a book she had in her hand that said 'Philosophy Extracts' on the cover. He remembered that he had one just like it in his room at home – though he'd barely touched it.
"Lets move, we may be late if we don't walk fast." The three continued in silence. Well, Harry and Hermione continued in silence. Ron seemed to be muttering senseless nonsense about his family, his older brothers, his younger sister, anything that came to his mind. Obviously quiet bothered him.
They reached the classroom just in time, and were the among the last few to enter. A scraggly looking teacher with unruly brown hair and thick glasses sat behind her desk. From what Harry could see, her outfit was an odd variety of mismatched clothing and there were many beads strung around her neck.
"Welcome, class." She had a soft voice, a little airy, and a little too quiet for a class the size that it was. "I'm Ms. Trewlaney." She smiled warmly to her students, who seemed slightly appeased by the show of simple affection. "I'm going to take a quick attendance, just let me know you're here, will you?" She seemed to have affirmation from the students as each one answered to their name being called.
--
Draco sank in his seat. He was one of the first few to arrive – and of those first few, he meant the first few to arrive before the teacher. It wasn't until half past six that the woman had entered the room. Draco sank even further into his seat as the time ticked on. His heart sank deep into his stomach as the one person he was trying to create an apology for entered the room. In fact, all three of the people he was trying to create an apology for entered the room.
For a few minutes, as Ms. Trewlaney muttered people's names from the list she had, Draco lost himself in different thoughts.
"Draco Malfoy?" Draco's eyes shot up at his name and he raised his hand limply. She nodded and gave a gentile smile to his general direction. He sighed and scanned the room. The top row held a few people he knew, but no one he was close with. The second to last row was mainly empty, with the exception of four students that were spread across the entirety of the row. The third row was what concerned him the most, for in the middle of it was the object of his thoughts – Harry Potter. Sure, he had Granger beside him, as well as Weasley, but he was thinking about Potter.
"Harry Potter?" Harry's eyes shot up to look at the teacher and Draco followed the boys gaze to the teacher, who gave the same smile to Harry that she'd given him. Draco's eyes turned back to Harry's and their gazes met for a moment.
He didn't know what it was inside of him, but he wanted so terribly to sneer at Harry. The boy had done nothing wrong to him. Except… no. Draco shook his head furiously from side to side and turned his attention back to the teacher, who had now finished with attendance and was, in an uneven, wispy, shaky voice beginning their first lesson.
Finally, after an hour and a half of nervous speech and very few questions, the bell rang and the students hustled out of the room. Draco managed one last glance at Harry as the boy and his friends disappeared down the hallway, obviously badgering the girl of the group about something. Harry peered over his shoulder for a second and noticed Draco's eyes on him. Draco quickly looked away and parted down the hallway in the opposite direction.
'What is this feeling?' Draco sat in his car, pondering. Why was he having feelings of intense anger yet inexplicable attraction to Harry Potter? The boy infatuated him – in the oddest of ways! Oh yes, it could be because Harry was one of the best looking people he'd ever seen – and from the other improbable choices, that seemed the most likely – but he also believe it was because the boy was oddly involved in his life. He couldn't hate the boy. He just couldn't. In fact.
'No! Don't even think something like that!' Draco shook his head furiously and shoved the key into the ignition. Once the engine roared to life, he pulled the car from the parking lot and soared out, determined to get home and talk with his mother about what he was feeling. Or perhaps Snape could answer a few of his questions? He wasn't sure. Whoever it was he ran into first was the one he was going to talk to. He gripped the steering wheel and sped off down the highway.
--
"Well?!" Ron stared at Hermione in anticipation. Hermione's lips were still shut and she motioned to the car. "All right, all right…" The three companions continued to travel in silence. Harry, every so often, would look behind him to see if Draco was still there, following him, looking at him. All throughout the class, Draco had been staring at him. He couldn't help but feel confused. Considering just the day before the boy had taunted him in Snape's class, Harry found it very odd that the boy's mood had changed toward him. In fact, he was appalled at the thought of Draco staring at him.
Or was he.
He mentally smacked himself. Get a grip, Potter! He reminded himself that Draco's father had tried to ruin peoples lives on many occasions. That Draco was, indeed, a Malfoy, and inevitably had the blood of a destined tyrant in him. Still, Harry couldn't shake that maybe, just maybe, Draco wasn't as terrible as everyone made him to be.
"Well?!" Ron battered Hermione again with anticipation.
"Well… drive. I'm not telling either of you anything until we can have Sirius present." Ron growled and sped out of the parking lot at top speed, determined to reach the café as quickly as possible.
And so they did, with no help from mid-day traffic. Sirius's warm grin met them as they entered, but melted when he noticed the grim expression's on each of their faces.
"What's happened? Whose died?" He asked severely and turned to pour the coffee.
"Someone you wouldn't expect." Hermione had spoken first for the first time all day.
"What do you mean, Hermione?" He asked, placing the coffee mug in front of Hermione. He then proceeded to give Ron and Harry's there, his gaze barely leaving Hermione – much like Ron and Harry.
"Harry's parents. I read up on something last night – the entire Malfoy conversation had peeked my interest to see where their family was now." Sirius seemed confused. Harry chuckled inwardly, thinking it was about time that he wasn't alone from being confused by Hermione.
"And?"
"And I discovered something… interesting." Sirius nodded his head for her to continue. "Harry's parents were murdered." She stopped at the sigh that escaped Harry's lips. "Yes, I know, you already knew that… but you didn't know by whom, did you?" Harry shook his head. "It was by Lucius Malfoy." Harry looked up at Sirius, who was very surely avoiding Harry's gaze. "Lucius was terribly bitter. Lily, Harry's mum, had decided to marry James, just at the same time that Lucius had asked for her hand in marriage." She paused. "He didn't take the idea too well. Of course, he married still. Someone in your family, none the less, Sirius. Narcissa?" Sirius nodded his head.
"But what are you getting at?" Harry asked, still confused. He'd ask about Sirius and the Malfoys after all of Hermione's information came out.
"Well…" Sirius prodded the mug in front of Hermione. She took a shaky swallow.
"Go on," Ron prodded anxiously. Harry shot him a glare and Ron backed down. Apparently giving out this news was hard for Hermione.
"Lucius is dead." Harry gasped.
"Dead?" Hermione nodded her head.
"How?" Sirius butted in, wondering for himself how the old coon had been done away with.
"Well, he was obviously caught. By Severus Snape, at that!" Harry's jaw dropped.
"Say what?! My Psychology professor?" Hermione nodded her head.
"Now that's an odd summer job if I ever heard it… catching murderers…" Ron muttered, causing Hermione to shoot him another glare. He simply shrugged.
"He wasn't always a teacher. He used to be a detective. Well," she shook her head, trying to remember exactly what it was that she'd read; "Well, a shrink detective." Harry nodded. "Any who, he knew Lucius. He also knew Lucius to be mentally unstable, despite his many escapades that seemed for good."
"' Escapades for Good?'" Ron questioned.
"Don't ask. Too long. It's besides the point…"
"There's a point?" Ron asked. Hermione glared at him.
"If you don't care to know anymore, you can leave!" Hermione had never really raised her voice to anyone, and watching her temper grow caused Ron to back down.
"Sorry…" He muttered sincerely, and looked taken aback by her demand. He sat himself down and looked down at Hermione again.
"It's all right. It's just, he tried to make your father lose his job, he tried to put Sirius out of business, he killed Harry's parents…" she sighed. "I almost feel bad."
"Almost feel bad?!"
"For Draco, I mean." She sighed again and sipped at her coffee. "I never really took notice of his family when we were dating – he actually kept me away from them. I guess it was because he was scared of them." She shook her head.
"…I still don't understand. Why'd it take so long for him to be caught?" Ron asked curiously.
"Nobody knows, sadly." She sighed and drank the rest of her coffee.
"Thanks, Hermione, for telling me." Harry stood up and took Hermione into a tight hug. She reciprocated and wrapped her arms around his middle. Harry's gaze looked up to Sirius, who seemed utterly ashamed with himself.
"Anything for a friend." She muttered back, and let go of her grip on Harry.
"Sirius?" Harry asked, lips in a straight line as he stared at his godfather.
"…" He sighed. "Dumbledore made me swear I wouldn't say anything until you were ready. Unless you found out otherwise."
"Who the hell is Dumbledore?" Harry asked. Rage was building inside of him.
"…The man that got me out of having to go to jail." Harry watched as Hermione gasped.
"Oh… You mean when my parents were killed?" Sirius nodded. Hermione and Ron both looked up at Harry. "Dad was the first person they suspected of killing my Mum and Dad, because he was their best friend. Jealousy, I guess." Ron nodded numbly.
The clock ticked slowly, and finally a small bell rang.
"It's nearly midnight you two, want to get out of here?" Hermione and Ron nodded, still rather subdued by all of the information they'd soaked up about Harry and the Malfoys. Sirius and Harry watched them leave, and placed their cups into the sink.
"…Harry, I'm sorry." A very, very mute Harry nodded limply to Sirius. Emerald eyes could barely betray the hurt behind them as Sirius sought to meet his godson's gaze.
"So am I." He took in a deep breath to keep back tears. Slowly, cautiously, Sirius wrapped his arms around Harry, who melted into the embrace.
"I wish I could have told you, I swear." Harry nodded against Sirius's shoulder. "It was just, if I did, we didn't know what the outcome would be. Dumbledore was worried for your safety, as was I, and we wanted you to have the best life that you could before you knew."
"I know… I just wish I didn't have to hear about it after the man that killed him was dead." Sirius nodded.
"I know, Harry, I know. And I really am so sorry." He patted Harry's head lovingly.
"I think I'm going to go to bed… I need to rest. I'll be up in time to help open the shop, I don't have classes until Thursday, so I'll be able to help out tomorrow." Sirius nodded and let Harry go. The tall boy wiped away his few tears and turned, immediately walking to his room.
Sirius sighed. So, now Harry knew. He knew everything. Then again, Sirius now knew everything too. How'd he missed such valuable information such as the one concerning Lucius's death? He didn't know.
Draco… Draco Malfoy. Maybe he would be a better man than his father. Maybe he wouldn't make Harry's life a living hell the way Lucius had done to James and Lily. Sirius could only hope so, or else he would be in jail for a liable reason next time.
--
Ok, so it's a little different. I just cooked everything up in my mind – so ignore it if you don't like it. So what, Lucius loved Lily. Who cares? Not me. Next chapter will hopefully be less dreary.
Reviews are Yummy. The more I get, the more I write. So review. And maybe I'll give you a cookie.
Ta 3 Masqued