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Harry Potter and the Last Stand

Chapter Four

Harry tried to ignore his friends concerned looks as he headed down to breakfast. Malfoy had decided to stay in the common room until their first class started, which today was Transfiguration. Harry sat down and started eating straight away, watching the other students. He looked up as owls started flocking into the Great Hall. Hedwig landed in front of him. Harry pulled the letter away from his owl and shared his breakfast. Harry read silently.

Harry,

Meet me in your dorm room after Transfiguration. I've cleared it with McGonagall. I need to start telling you everything. Please come.

Malfoy

Harry folded the letter and slipped it into his pocket without showing his friends. He didn't want them insisting that they should come with him. Anyway, this way he didn't have to go to Herbology.

After Transfiguration, Harry managed to slip away from Hermione and Ron to meet Malfoy in his room. He ignored the other students as he made his way through the corridors. He quickly entered the common room and headed straight up the stairs. Malfoy was sitting on his bed, waiting for him.

'You wanted to talk?' Harry asked sitting next to the other boy. Malfoy nodded, but didn't say anything. 'Well?' Harry prodded.

'Do you remember the first time we met?' Malfoy asked, staring out of the window. 'When you turned down my offer of friendship?'

Harry nodded, remembering that day clearly.

Malfoy carried on. 'That really hurt. The boy who lived turning me down. Then becoming friends with a family who has been at war with my own for generations.' Malfoy looked down for a second before continuing. 'That's why I started taunting you and your friends every chance I got. I thought I'd get over it, but it just got worse. I didn't know why I couldn't forget, but I've finally figured it out.' Malfoy took a deep breath. 'After what happened last year I started thinking about why I wanted to hurt you, why I'd joined with Voldermort and why I couldn't kill anyone, not even a Muggle. I realised that it's just not in me to kill someone, and that's not what Voldermort wanted. I only just managed to escape before he killed me. It was McGonagall who found me. She had me brought straight here and told me I would be staying until it was safe.'

Malfoy sighed and buried his face in his hands. 'And that's when I realised why I've always been so awful to you.' He looked up. 'It's because I love you. I never hated you, not really. Or Ron or Hermione. You are all so brave. You all have such great hearts, such great souls. You want to do what's right, and who could possibly hate that?'

Malfoy looked away again. 'I know you're not gay, but I want you in my life. I want to help you and make sure you get through this alive. You never deserved this. It was just some cruel trick of fate. I know you hate that all of this reponsibility has been lain on you. And I want to share some of that responsibility. So do your friends. All they want is for you to stop pushing them away and let them help.'

Harry looked away, thinking about what he had just been told. After a long time, he finally spoke. 'The reason I push my friends away is cause I don't want them to die. Everyone I'm close to is dying. I've been dreaming about it for months and I can't tell anymore if it's my link to Voldermort or just my warped mind.'

Harry looked at Malfoy again. 'One already came true. I dreampt of Hagrids' death and it happened. Last night I saw my own death. I don't know what to believe anymore.'

'So that's why you broke up with Ginny?'

'Among other things.' Harry sighed. 'Being with Ginny made me realise a few things. I don't wanna hurt anyone, but it's gonna happen anyway. And I never loved Ginny. I didn't even really fancy her all that much.' Harry stared at his hands for a while. 'I think I am gay,' he said finally. 'I'm not sure, though. There's just too much going on for me to really think about it.'

'Do you remember fifth year when you started Dumbledore's Army?' Malfoy asked. Harry looked up and nodded. 'I think it's time you brought the group back.'

'Why?'

'Well, the best way to beat an army is with an army of your own. And who better to be in that army than the people you trust the most?'

Harry took this in. 'I think you're right. I'll get that sorted.'

The two boys sat in silence until the bell rang for lunch. Both boys headed down together, getting stares from the other students.

'Hey, Harry. Where have you been? You weren't in class,' Hermione greeted.

'I had clearance. We're restarting the DA.' Harry started eating.

Hermione choked on her potatoes. 'What?' she asked, not sure wether she had heard correctly.

'You heard me,' Harry replied, smiling slightly. 'We're restarting the DA. It was Dracos' idea. This way we'll be ready to fight.' Harry carried on eating but watched Hermione and Ron's faces carefully.

Hermione and Ron both grinned suddenly and looked at each other. 'That's great, Harry,' Ron told him. 'When do we start?'

'Well, I haven't actually thought through the details yet. But soon, hopefully.' Harry looked up when he saw McGonagall heading their way.

'Mr Potter,' the headmistress greeted. 'I understand Mr Malfoy stayed in your common room last night?' Harry nodded, wondering if he was in trouble. 'Good. I think that's the safest place for him right now. I have moved an extra bed and Mr Malfoys' things into your dorms. I hope that's okay?' McGonagall looked at the three friends as if to say that it would happen wether they liked it or not.

'Sure, that's fine, headmistress,' Harry replied, smiling slightly.

'Good. I trust you're getting on okay?' McGonagall asked, looking between the two boys.

Harry nodded. 'Yeah. Draco's explained everything to me, and we've gotten on alright so far.'

'Good. I'll see you in class tomorrow then Mr Potter.' The headmistress smiled and then walked away.

'So that's why you weren't in class?' Hermione asked. 'To talk?'

Harry nodded and then quickly explained what they had talked about (though missing out a few things) as they headed to their next class.

Throughout History of Magic, Harry had pulled out a scrap of parchment and was scribbling down ideas for the DA meetings and what they would learn and go over.

For once, Hermione didn't have a go at him for not paying attention. In fact, she was more interested in what Harry was jotting down than Proffessor Binns' lecture. Ocassionally she corrected Harry on what they should or shouldn't cover, and the occassional spelling mistake was automatically corrected by Harmione's wand.

By the end of the lesson, Harry had three long parchments covered in ideas. Harry decided that he would go over it again tonight in the common room and then copy it down properly.

He would also research a few other spells and potions that he thought might come in helpful, but had never tried himself. The ones he was thinking of were very advanced, and they weren't taught at Hogwarts.

By the time Harry got to the common room, he was exhausted. But he had decided what he was going to do and he was going to stick to it.

Throughout the evening, various people came up to him to see if it was true, that the DA was really being re-formed. Hermione answered all of them, while helping Harry in his research.

By ten o'clock that night, they had decided that they would quickly go over what they should already know, then start on what they were supposed to learn this year, which Harry knew the theory of already, and then they would start on the advanced spells and potions. And, of course, they decided that Harry should be the one to do the teaching as he had done previouly.

By the time Harry went to bed, he was so exhausted he didn't even think of the possibility of having any more dreams that night. And, in fact, he didn't. He slept soundly until the morning came.

Today was the day they would spread the news between the houses. At least, they would tell the students from three of the houses. Slytherin would be left out. They had no way of telling who was working for Voldermort. Draco would be the only member of the DA from that particular house and Harry was hoping to keep it that way.

A.N: Please review!