disclaimer: Harry Potter and co. belong to J.K. Rowling. I am not her. The song It takes a fool to remain sane belongs to The Ark. I am not anyone of them.
warnings: I'm using the word 'Nazi' in this chapter. And still, this story will be slash. Not yet, but in the future.
song: It takes a fool to remain sane by The Ark
A/N: Well, I'm back. I have just finished reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Interesting. Anyway, I've been writing all night just for you. Be proud.
Whatever happened to the funky race
A generation lost in pace
Wasn't life supposed to be more than this
In this kiss I'll change your bore for my bliss
But let go of my hand and it will slip out in the sand
If you don't give me the chance
To break down the walls of attitude
I ask nothing of you
Not even your gratitude
It was still raining when Harry woke up the next morning. First, he had no idea where he was and why he heard someone cursing with Draco Malfoy's voice. Then it all came back to him. All the way from him attacking Malfoy. He even remembered the young man from the station and how his train was late. And how Draco didn't know the muffin man. Oh, the muffin man. Good times.
Harry got up on his feet and looked straight in to a mirror. He was still a very skinny young boy, but he did have some muscle. Like abs. His hair had grown little over-length but that didn't bother Harry. He preferred it like this.
"Okay," He said to his image. "Now I'm gonna go take a shower and then I'm getting rid of this headache. And don't you look at me like that, this is not my fault. He started it." He told and pointed the door. A moment later he stepped out of that very same one.
Draco was already up, of course, and they met in the hallway. The blonde had already got dressed and today the look was tight black jeans, a white wife-beater and an unbuttoned black collar shirt. Draco was on the first step of the stairs when Harry turned from the bathroom door and spoke.
"Draco, um, about last night-"
"Last night never happened." Draco interrupted. "I'm trying not to lose it in here, so it's better that we don't discuss about it. Ever." Then he continued his journey towards kitchen and Harry closed the bathroom door behind him.
And if you think I'm corny
Then it will not make me sorry
It's your right to laugh at me
And in turn, it's my opportunity
To feel brave
"Hey, wipe that grin off your face."
"Why, it was hilarious!"
"You've been laughing the whole morning!"
The two boys stepped out of a bus in front of their new school. Draco was glaring at Harry grimly. Harry grinned like he was about to start laughing any minute. Let's spare Draco's honor and just say that he hasn't been familiar with a toaster ever in his life before.
"Now, when we're in there, you don't know me and I don't know you. Got it?" Draco said with the if-you-don't-do-as-I-say-I-will-feed-you-to-a- dragon-tone.
"Fine." Harry agreed immediately. "You don't have to sound so murderous."
"Good." Draco stated and started walking towards the school under his umbrella. Harry waited Draco to disappear trough the main doors and then ran inside without umbrella. Harry found his home room in no time and sat on the last desk next to the window. He knew Draco shared the same home room but he was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he got lost. Or maybe he' been stabbed. You really can't tell what kinds of people go here.
"Hey."
Who, me? Harry looked up waiting to see the first bully with a Nazi-tattoo and a shaved head. He did not see such thing. He saw a rather, well, beautiful boy. His eyes were dark brown, hair also dark brown, shoulder-length and messy.
"That's my seat you're sitting in." The boy told.
"You want me to move?" Harry asked without even blinking. The boy shook his head.
"Nah. I just thought you should know. It's a nice seat."
"I noticed." Harry admitted. "Where are you gonna sit?"
"Well, I thought I could sit on your lap. After all, you did steal my chair."
Harry studied his face, not quite knowing was he kidding or not. Harry's expression must have been rather amusing because the boy grinned widely, as if he was about to laugh.
"I was kidding."
"I knew that."
"Yeah sure you did." Then the boy offered his hand to Harry. "Danny Smith."
"Harry Potter."
"Potter? You're the other new kid, then."
"What new kid?" Harry was stunned. How on earth did they know that he and Draco were coming, when even they didn't know about it till last Saturday?
"You live in Drury Lane 13, don't you?" Harry nodded. "Things spread quickly around here. Mrs. Hirch saw you coming last night. She works at the station. She told her daughter, Ann, who told her best friend, Tara Foster, who told her boyfriend, who happens to be the captain of the football team, Simon Gibbs, and he told the whole football team and so on and so on. Anyway, I heard it from my little sister whose friend's older sister's boyfriend is in the football team."
Harry could do nothing but stare. "Wow."
"Yeah, well, I don't usually pay attention to these things. So-" But he was cut off by a fuss which was made by the girls in the room. Draco had entered. And, well, he was the hottest thing those girls had ever seen. Unlike in Hogwarts, Draco did not seem to enjoy the attention he was receiving. His and Harry's eyes met and Harry mouthed 'Mugglephobe' to him. Draco gave him a grim look and sat in an empty seat nowhere near Harry.
"A friend of yours?" Danny, who had noticed their little connection, asked.
"The other new kid." Harry replied simply.
"Oh. He's pretty hot." Danny told and blushed. "I mean, the girls seem to like him."
"Pretty face, ugly soul." Harry muttered and tried to ignore Draco and his new fan club. Danny gave him an odd look. "Trust me, I know."
"That's a pretty nasty thing to say about your friend."
Harry laughed aloud. "He's definitely not my friend."
"Then how-" But Danny was cut off again when the class finally started.
'Cause it takes a fool to remain sane
It takes a fool to remain sane
It takes a fool to remain sane
In this world all covered up in shame
It must've been the weirdest day of Harry's life. It was too normal. That's why it was so weird. They both, Harry and Draco had to introduce themselves in every class and by the time of lunch, Harry was so sick of telling anything about himself to anyone that he refused to meet new people during resets. He spent them mainly with Danny. He saw very little of Draco, and he was only happy about that.
About Danny Harry found out that he was the Who-nobody-wants-to-be-friends-with. Harry was very surprised by that. Danny was very good-looking but there were no girls around him to be his girlfriend. Danny seemed to be very cool and nice and smart but there were no boys around to be his friends. Danny said it was because of he didn't like anyone in that school.
"Let me tell you something, Harry. The guys around here are either nerds with all the Star Trek stuff or football players with all the girls. If you don't play football or be a friend of someone who plays, you're nothing. People just simply don't know who you are."
"So people like football?" Harry grinned.
"This whole town is about football. Now, tell me about you and Draco."
"What about me and Draco?"
"You know, why you're here. Two sixteen year old boys move alone in a strange town. What's it about?" Danny asked and put a French fry in his mouth one by one.
"Um… Well, it's a school thing. Like… Um... A long term project about human relations." Harry mumbled. Why weren't they given a cover story, he cursed in his mind.
"Oh. Right. So, where's your own school? I mean, where you came from?"
"Eh… It's up north. Really up north."
"Like Scotland?"
"Yeah, somewhere around there." Honestly, Harry had no idea if Hogwarts was in Scotland, but Danny wouldn't ever do anything with that information so it didn't really matter.
"So if you're not friends then why are you partners?"
"You ask a lot of questions."
Danny blushed. "Sorry. I'm just curious that's all. But I won't ask if it bothers you."
Harry didn't answer. Draco had entered the cafeteria with three boys who acted like they owned the place. Draco would fit in perfectly if he kept hanging around with them. Danny followed Harry's gaze. "That red head is Simon Gibbs. The captain of the football team. That black haired one is Beau Morel. French. He's the goal keeper. And the blonde is Charlie Wolf. He doesn't play but he and Simon have been best buddies since kinder garden. And the other blonde you know." He grinned.
"Unfortunately." Harry muttered.
"Oh c'mon, why you dislike him so much? A good-looking guy who appears to make friends easily, what's wrong with him?"
Harry snorted. Appears to make friends easily. Yeah right! Even though there was a slight distance between Harry and Danny and Draco and the others, Harry could clearly see how Draco was bossing them already. Harry knew it had something to do with Draco being a wizard. And he had long suspected that Draco was at least half veela. Well, no matter what was it, it made Simon, Beau and Charlie obviously think of Draco as their new leader.
"Oh, he doesn't make friends. He's just a leader type." Harry corrected. "And I don't dislike him, I hate him. And he hates me."
"What's the difference? Anyway, have you always hated each other?"
"He tried to be my friend when we were eleven. When we first met. I had already made friends, and he said awful things about them, so I didn't want to be his friend. I've never liked him. And I don't think he has ever liked me. He just wanted to be my friend because I'm fam- Um, don't we have a lesson?" Nice save, Potter.
Danny looked at his watch and nodded slowly. "Yeah… They will make you tell all about yourself again, you know."
Harry made a grim face. "Oh yeah. You reckon we could skip the rest of the day?"
The brown haired one of them laughed. "No, I don't reckon. Remember that Draco has to do it too. If that makes you feel any better."
"Actually, it doesn't. He loves being the center of the attention. Even when he is middle of mug-" But Harry never finished that word and Danny never asked about it, thanks to a rather pretty girl with a short dirty blonde hair, light blue eyes and glasses.
"Hi Danny." She smiled widely.
Harry noticed the faint blush creeping on Danny's cheeks. "Um, hey Ann. What's up?"
"Nothing much." She shrugged and glued her eyes on Harry's face. She was obviously waiting Danny to introduce them. When he did not, she decided to do it herself. "Hi, I'm Ann Hirch." She told and offered Harry her hand. Cracking a small smile Harry took it.
"Harry Potter."
Ann smiled widely again and asked if Harry had already met Simon Gibbs, the captain of the football team and the boyfriend of Tara Foster, who happened to be Ann's best friend.
"Um," Harry, who had not expected a question like this, started nervously. "No, I can't say I have."
"Oh, I just wondered if he has already given you the lecture about who to hang around with and who to not. He does that to every single new kid that comes here. Are you planning on joining the football team? I heard Beau saying something about open places."
Does this girl ever shut up? Harry did not like this quality in a girl, or in anyone. Of course he preferred those who spoke, than those who didn't even dare to say hi, but he also preferred that the conversations were at least a dialogue, not a monologue.
"Eh… I don't know, this is only first day here, you know." He told her. She nodded understandingly.
"Yes, of course. Sorry about that. I sometimes get a little carried away. Anyway, I have to go now, maybe I'll see you around, Harry." She smiled again and waved as she hurried to a girl whose hair was also dirty blonde, but down to her lower back.
"Maybe." Harry muttered and turned to Danny. "Who was that?"
Danny, who was still blushing, cleared his throat. "She is Ann Hirch. She always tries to be friends with everybody and, like she said, gets carried away. Sometimes when she gets excited, her ears blush. It's actually rather cute."
Harry stopped walking. The way Danny was talking about Ann… Danny stopped a few steps after him, a questioning look on his face.
"Harry?"
"Do you have a crush on her?"
Danny's face turned into a very deep shade of red. "E-excuse me?"
Harry's grin widened. "You so have a crush on her."
"Keep it down, will you?" Danny hissed and stepped closer to Harry. "I don't want the whole school to know. What if Beau would've heard you?"
"Who cares about Beau? You don't have a crush on him, do you?"
"No, of course not! I just… The thing is…"
"Yes?"
"The thing is that Beau has a crush on her too. I'm dead meat if he ever hears about this."
Harry laughed. "Oh c'mon, what could a French goalkeeper do to you? Honestly?"
Danny sighed as a sign of frustration. "You're new here, you don't know what those guys are capable of doing. Look, they have bullied me since I was freaking nine! I know what they can do."
Can they kill you with a piece of wood and a couple of ugly words? Harry thought but didn't say it aloud. Draco had definitely found his Crabbe, Goyle and Zabini, muggle style. He rolled his eyes. "Danny, just hang around with me and you'll be fine." He promised. He could do magic very well even without his wand.
Every morning I would see her getting off the bus
The picture never drops
It's like a multicolored snapshot stuck in my brain
It kept me sane for a couple of years
As it drenched my fears
Of becoming like the others
Who become unhappy mothers
And fathers of unhappy kids
And why is that
The English lesson was half way through when there was a knock on the door. "Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy need to come to the Headmistress immediately." The boy said, obviously wanting to just get over with the task and return to his detention. Harry and Draco rose, took their belongings and followed the boy.
"What have you done now?" Draco asked as the classroom door was closed behind them.
"Me? What have you done?" Harry spat back.
"Oh no, Golden Boy, you're the one who got us into this mess, you're the one we'll suspect."
The boy walking before them was listening carefully. He too was curious about the new comers and naturally wanted to know everything he could find out. And then tell everyone else.
"And you have never done anything Mr. My Father Is A Death Eater?"
They both sensed that the boy escorting them was now walking closer to them. "Shut up!" Draco hissed. "What my father does is none of your business, nor is it the business of these filthy little mug-"
Harry slammed his hand on Draco's mouth and glared at him angrily. The boy they were with paid no attention to this, or so it seemed. He didn't dare to look at them, but he was listening with every single bit of his body. "Keep it down in here, we're not at Hogwarts anymore."
"Me? You are shouting about Merlin knows what and I'm the bad guy?"
Harry didn't get the chance to answer when they already were outside the Headmistress office. The boy left them alone. Harry knocked.
"Come in." Said a voice behind the door and the two boys stepped inside. Headmistress sat behind her desk, introduced herself ("Amity Gray, nice to meet you.") and told Harry and Draco to sit down. "I'm sorry to take you away from a lesson, but unfortunately I had no choice. I know you two already have received all information and timetables from Professor McGonagall but I still would've liked if you had come to see me first thing this morning."
"We are sorry, miss. We didn't realize." Harry told her. She smiled.
"It's alright, Mr. Potter. This is not a matter of life and death. This is about actually welcoming you to our school. Have you had any problems so far?"
Harry and Draco both shook their heads. "No, miss."
"Good. If they appear, just come to me and we'll solve it together."
Boys nodded for understanding and silence fell upon them. Neither Harry or Draco had nothing to say. Mrs. Gray cleared her throat. "Boys, we have had students like you before, you do know that? I can assure you that only I know that you are not… quite like the others." She smiled faintly. "I am not going to tell anyone, professor McGonagall has made sure of that. And even if I told anyone, who would believe me? So, boys, as long as you two are careful with your tongues, there will be no harm done. I don't want my students to hear such words as 'muggle' or 'galleon', and I'm sure professor McGonagall wouldn't be pleased either. Have I made myself clear?"
Harry and Draco nodded. "Yes, very."
"Excellent. Now, the time has gone by so quickly that it is time for you two to return Drury Lane. Good day Mr. Potter. Good day Mr. Malfoy."
They left the office as fast as they possible could and still be polite. The corridors were empty, the lessons weren't over for ten minutes. "C'mon." Harry motioned towards the direction the main entrance was. Without protesting Draco walked beside him.
"How did you dare slamming your hand on my mouth?" Draco asked suddenly.
"Even though you might think otherwise, I'm not afraid of you."
"You should be."
"Why? Because of the Dark Mark?"
"Why you think I would have it?"
"Don't you, then?"
"No, I do not."
Harry let out a very disbelieving laugh. "Yeah right, and Voldemort didn't kill my parents."
Draco slightly winced at the name. "Seriously, I don't."
"What was Dumbledore thinking, sending me away with a Death Eater, Voldemort's right hand's son? That old hag is really getting senile."
"You're one stubborn half-blood." Draco sighed.
"Oh will you get over yourself? Does it really matter who is half-blood and who is pureblood and who is a freaking 'mudblood' as you express it?"
"Yes, it does. You would know, if you were pureblood."
"Well, I ain't. And frankly, I'm glad I'm not."
Draco didn't answer. They had finally reached the coffee shop they were supposed to be working at. Today, they were only meant to meet their employer and the actual work would start on Saturday.
'Cause they've forgotten how to play
Maybe they're afraid to feel ashamed
To seem strange
To seem insane
To seem gay
To gain weight
I tell you this
Draco was sitting by the kitchen table as Harry finally came down, he had just finished answering Ron's letter. Draco gazed up from the Daily Prophet but didn't bother to greet.
"Anything important?"
"Nope."
"Anything about us?"
Draco lifted his gaze once again.
"I mean, anything about this?" Harry corrected himself.
The blonde shook his head. "Nothing. Why, you miss being in the headlines?"
"Is it in your nature to be a complete asshole or do you just do it for fun?"
"I believe it runs in the family." Draco smirked and stood up. "There, the paper is yours,Golden Boy."
"Say that once more and I'll-"
"You'll what? Hex me? I don't think so, your precious Head of House took our wands, Golden Boy."
Harry bit his lip so he wouldn't attack Malfoy again. Draco stood there, waiting. But there was nothing. Just silence.
"Didn't think so."
That it takes a fool to remain sane
It takes a fool to remain sane
It takes a fool to remain sane
In this world all covered up in shame
A/N: Well? Still not a mind reader, my loves. Press that tiny little 'Go'-button down there. If you hate it, tell me. If you love it, tell me. If you think the whole idea of this story becoming slash is disgusting, don't bother. I don't need to know that.
THANK YOU:
potterluvva, kozie, skimmie, Sagified Fire, HateToHope, maggot death, Remusgrl, Meg Finn, SweetDeath13, iluvdanrad, shibby little chibi, Goldensong, DracoDormiens7