Thanks for the reviews everyone! Especially to xXZero CoolXx for all the encouragement that has been given to me. Talk about motivational! cough motivational BLACKMAIL! Hehehe…
While I'm at it, I recommend that you all go and read one shots written by the author Keikokin. She writes Harry/Draco and Harry/Lucius mostly… they're really good, I've read them all, so please go and do yourself a favour and read them, they deserve more reviews than they have.
In this chapter, the new DADA teacher will be introduced, and it is my aim to make you all hate him by the end of this story, as he will come between Harry and Draco over the course of the next few chapters. If you hate him by the end of the next few chapters, I will have done my job.
I hope you liked the song that Draco sang for Blaise and Alessia, I wrote it myself. There are more verses, and they'll probably show up during the fic. There's some H/D fluff in this chappie too!
And finally, I found away around a Ron/Hermione pairing. It's the only likely romance in the HP books, and I hate it with a passion. I won't say who they'll end up with in this, but they won't be together. Also, please tell me what you think of Erika being with Sev. It'll probably happen anyway, but I still want an opinion.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any related characters. Alessia, Erika, Arianna and Jayson are mine.
Siren's Song
Chapter 3
"Ronald! Hurry up or we'll never make it to the station in time!" Mrs Weasley bellowed up the stairs.
"Coming mum!" Ron yelled back down. He came bolting down the stairs pulling his trunk behind him.
"Jeez, he's such a slow coach." Draco muttered, and Harry and Hermione grinned and nodded.
"He's always been like that." Ginny commented from behind them. "Not a morning person is our Ronnie-kins."
"Let's go, let's go, let's go!" Molly cried, stressed. "The Ministry cars are waiting for us already!"
The group hurried out of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place and on to the street, where the black cars were waiting for them. Remus, Sirius, Tonks and the Weasley Twins came out to say goodbye to Erika and the teenagers.
"Be careful, all of you." Sirius said, hugging all of them tightly, seemingly reluctant to say goodbye. He hugged Harry the longest. "Especially you Har', keep your nose clean." He said quietly. Then he dropped his voice to a whisper. "And look after Draco." He winked at him knowingly. Harry blushed, as Sirius had known he would. His godfather laughed as Remus came over to give Harry a farewell hug.
"Wotcher Harry, see you soon." Tonks winked at him cheerfully.
"Yeah, see you Harry, behave now." Fred told him with a grin.
"Come visit us in Hogsmeade some time." George added cheekily.
"And bring Draco with you!" they said together, and Harry's blush deepened.
"Just shut up all of you." He muttered, causing them all to laugh.
The group piled into the cars and made their way to Kings Cross Station. Molly hurried them through crowds of Muggles trying to fight their way to their own trains. They took the barrier two at a time and found Blaise and Alessia waiting for them on the other side. "Thank Merlin! It's about time too!" Blaise yelled at them. "We thought you weren't going to make it!"
"We made the driver hold on until you got here, but I think he's getting annoyed. The only thing that's making him wait for you is the fact that he'll be majorly in the shit if Professor Dumbledore finds out he left without Harry Potter again." Alessia told them with a smile and a hug for Draco. "Let's go, before Pansy works out where you are." She said to them.
Draco shuddered. "Indeed." He said, and Blaise helped him haul his trunk onto the train.
The teenagers waved to Mr and Mrs Weasley as the train pulled out of Platform 9¾, then went to find a compartment.
They found one without too much trouble. There was an empty one in the middle of the train, where the entire group caught up with news, since Blaise and Alessia had not been able to visit The Place since Draco had got the letter from the Death Eaters.
They were interrupted when Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood poked their heads into the compartment.
They stared for a moment, before Neville said in a strangled voice; "Well… of all the things I was expecting to see, this was not it." He sounded faint.
"Merlin Longbottom;" Draco drawled. "Either get in or get out, that goes for you too Lovegood, preferably before Pansy finds out where I am."
Both Neville and Luna decided that 'in' was too good an opportunity to pass up; and Neville wanted an explanation. Luna however, seemed convinced that this abrupt change in attitude was due to a complex involvement in something known as the Bograt Conspiracy.
They had barely got settled when the compartment door slid open again to reveal Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan, who pretty much had the same reaction as Neville. "Holy Shit, do mine eyes deceive me?" Seamus demanded.
Draco sighed. "I repeat, either get in, or get out." Seamus and Dean also opted for the 'in' option. They squeezed themselves in.
As soon as Ron and Hermione had settled their gear into one of the overhead sections, they left the compartment to attend the Head Girl/Prefect meeting at the front of the train, Hermione being Head Girl and Ron being a Prefect. According to Hermione, Ernie Macmillan was Head Boy.
"Well, that means we have a little more room." Draco said as Alessia also left for the Prefect meeting, having been selected as the new fifth year Slytherin female Prefect. "At least until they come back.
"Ah, Draco, don't you have to go to the Prefect meeting too?" Harry reminded him.
Draco stared at him for a moment before grinning widely and cracking up. "Well, that's me having a blonde moment… I better catch up to Mia then, see ya!" he waved and raced out of the room. He stopped and turned around, saying with a pained expression on his face. "Crap, so much for avoiding Pansy." Harry laughed as the blonde left the room.
When he was gone, the three Gryffindor newcomers turned to Harry, questioning looks on their faces. Harry simply shrugged and said "Things change." And changed the subject. The others, (Excepting Luna) exchanged knowing looks.
Draco raced down the corridor and towards the first compartment where the Prefect Meeting was held. He made it just in time to catch Lessa at the open door.
"Hello Drakey!" Draco heard a sickly sweet voice that could only belong to one person. "What took you so long?"
"Hello Pansy," Draco replied coldly. "I apologise for my lateness, I almost missed the train and then forgot I had to be here too." He cast Alessia a sheepish glance and she giggled.
Ron snorted and Draco glared at him. "Nice of you to remind me Weasley." He muttered under his breath.
Ron shrugged and grinned. "Sorry." He replied.
"Sure you are." Draco retorted, smiling slightly.
"No, I really am, but it was way too funny to pass up." Ron sniggered and Draco whacked him lightly on the arm as Alessia and Hermione giggled.
Pansy watched the quick exchange between the so-called enemies with narrowed eyes. She didn't like it, not one bit. She knew that Draco had run away from home during the summer holidays and had simply disappeared. Her parents had refused to tell her where he had gone to, and now she had a funny feeling she knew.
The meeting went past slowly, and Draco was starving by the time they were allowed to return to their friends. Ron and Hermione left before him, with a smile and a wave form Mia. Both he and Alessia waved back as Draco waited for Alessia to collect her things together. "I don't know why you brought all this with you." He told her, nodding at her shoulder bag. "Nothing important happened."
"Well, I wanted to be prepared." Lessa retorted. "Next time I'll know better."
"Yes, you will." Draco informed her with false haughtiness gracing his pale, but Lessa could tell by the fact that his eyes had changed to a clear, ocean blue, that he was teasing her. "But can we go and find Blaise and the others, I'm hungry!"
"You're always hungry." Alessia told him with a laugh. "But I agree, I'm hungry too." she slung an arm around his waist, (being too short to reach any higher) and he laughed and hugged her around the shoulders.
As they left the compartment, Pansy cornered them. "Drakey! I missed you so much!" she cried and attempted to hug him.
"Go away Pansy, because I certainly did not miss you!" Draco snarled, pushing her away, his eyes changing from the playful ocean blue to a frightening blue that was so dark it was almost black, and Lessa wasn't sure that it wasn't black at all.
Alessia stepped back, scowling at Pansy. When was she going to realise that Draco wasn't interested in her, or any girl for that matter?" Hermione and Erika weren't the only ones who had noticed Harry and Draco's budding relationship. She just wished that Pansy would leave him alone.
"But Draco!" Pansy whined, "We've got so much to catch up on!"
"No, we don't!" Draco replied angrily. Alessia smirked; she felt the air shift, and the temperature change. Faint strains of music drifted hauntingly through the air, and you could almost see them twining themselves around Draco's body.
"Leave me alone!" Draco commanded, his voice resonating with power.
Pansy's eyes glazed briefly, before sharply refocusing. "Fine, have it your way!" she snapped, stalking away.
Draco's shoulders slumped, and the music faded. "Thank God that's over." He murmured.
"Are you all right?" Alessia asked him, concerned.
"Yes, I'm all right." Draco replied, a little tiredly. It was the first time he'd used his Siren abilities on purpose on such a large scale. He'd done some more basic manipulations in the few control lessons he'd had with his sister. He'd only manipulated small immobile objects, but influencing human will took a great deal of work. For Draco, being new to the art, it was even harder.
"How long will that last?" Alessia asked him, throwing his arm around her shoulders so that he could lean on her a little, which he did so gratefully as he replied. "It's probably already gone. I only wanted to leave me alone, and I'm not strong enough to hold it any longer than I did. I can't wait until I'm more subtle, it'll be easier then."
"Is subtlety important then?" Alessia asked him.
He winked at her conspirationally. "Only if you don't want to get caught." He told her and he laughed.
They finally made it back to the crowded compartment, and were greeted by a chorus voices. "What took you so long?" Seamus drawled in his unmistakeable Irish accent.
Draco looked at him, not sure wether to grin or to be affronted. In the end, grinning won out. "Pansy is what took us so long." He replied with a theatrical shudder that made the others laugh again. "She cornered us on the way back here; it took us a while to…get rid of her." he looked pointedly at Harry, Hermione and Blaise, who grinned back at him.
The lady with the food trolley came and went, leaving behind at least half of the contents of the trolley. As they ate, they talked laughed and sorted out past grievances with an amiability that would've shocked passers by. They shared out their purchases and talked loudly about the Quidditch World Cup. It wasn't until Draco saw the shadows at the door that stopped talking a little.
"Shit!" Draco swore as the door opened. "Pansy 'pug-faced' Parkinson!" he moaned. The boys snorted and the girls giggled. Their attempts to stifle their laughter failed miserably, and the compartment's occupants dissolved at the look on Pansy's face. Crabbe and Goyle stood behind her, looking confused, along with a whole gang of disgusted looking Slytherins.
"Draco? What's going on here?" pansy asked tremulously.
"I'm hanging out with my friends Parkinson, what does it look like?" Draco answered impatiently.
"Friends? With Gryffindors?" Pansy sneered.
"Yes, with Gryffindors." Draco said slowly, as if speaking to a small child. "And a Ravenclaw, it seems." He added, nodding at Luna.
Pansy looked around, and found who she was looking for. "Blaise, Alessia… it's not true is it? You're not friends with all these… these morons are you?" she demanded.
Blaise swore and rose angrily to his feet. Alessia rose too, resting a hand on her brother's shoulder to calm him.
She spoke before he did. "Yes, Pansy, these 'morons' as you so delicately put it, are our friends." She said, her voice dangerously quiet, her eyes boring into Pansy's. "And I would thank you not to call them such things, and kindly refrain from slandering our new friendships; do not think for a minute that we would prefer the company of Death Eater spawn over the company of decent people." Harry and the others beamed at her, more than surprised that quiet, sweet, Alessia could be so regally powerful and commanding.
Pansy was evidently taken aback by the younger girl's new attitude in the defence of their new friends. However, she recovered herself, and smirked. She walked right up to the other girl and drew herself up to her full height. "Well, Miss Zabini, it seems that you have forgotten that Draco, Blaise and yourself are also Death Eater spawn."
Many things happened at once. Harry and Ron rocketed to their feet, shouting indignantly, wands drawn. The other boys jumped up, drawing their wands to support their friends. Blaise wrenched himself out of his sister's grip and launched himself at Crabbe and Goyle, who had stepped forward to protect Pansy. Ginny didn't wait like the boys had; she sent bat-bogey hexes at Avery, Nott and Millicent Bullstrode.
Luna Lovegood merely looked up indifferently before turning her copy of The Quibbler upside down and ignoring everything around her.
Draco too had leap to his feet at the insult to himself and his friends, his eyes flashing a furious black colour that showed the hatred he was feeling towards Pansy and her cohorts. He felt the power struggling to get away from him, and he suddenly felt weak and sat down hard, his face going paler than usual. Hermione saw him and put a hand to his forehead. He seemed fine, so she waded into the melee to help Lessa wrench her brother away from Crabbe and Goyle. Crabbe had pinned his arms behind his back while Goyle punched him repeatedly.
Both girls were about to hex the Slytherin bullies with Dean and Seamus for backup when the air began to thicken, and strains of music that could almost be seen floated around them, sending Pansy and her cronies sailing into the air.
Erika stood at the compartment door, her face as black as thunder, with eyes literally to match, and her arms folded.
"Ten points from Slytherin for the six of you." She snarled.
"You're not a teacher Miss Malfoy, you can't do that!" Pansy sneered.
"But I am a part of the faculty Miss Parkinson, so actually, I can. Better make that twenty points for you I think, and be thankful I don't give you a detention." Erika mocked her. She lowered the Slytherins to the ground, watching with no small amount of satisfaction as they scurried away.
"You guys okay?" she asked them, touching her wand to the Blaise's stomach. She then fixed his split lip.
"Yes, I think so." Hermione replied breathlessly. "But Draco looks a little pale." She added.
"I'm okay." Draco muttered.
Erika looked him over. "No you're not," she said softly, "You're angry, understandably so."
The group was surprised when the siblings began to speak in another language…
"You have to calm yourself before your power escapes you. I presume you know what you have to do?" Erika asked him.
"Yes, I know. 'The only way to calm an irate Siren is to kiss them'. You've only told me a hundred times." Draco answered, still struggling with his powers.
"Good, I'll send Harry after you then." Erika replied wickedly.
"Rika!" Draco yelped, reverting to English in shock. She raised an eyebrow at her brother and he blushed. "Fine, fine." He muttered. He got up and hurried out of the compartment.
Erika grinned at Hermione and Lessa. "Harry, would you go and make sure he's okay?" Harry nodded and followed him out.
"What language was that?" Seamus demanded.
"It's an Elvish dialect. Very useful." Erika replied. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go and find Professor Snape." She followed the boys out.
"Floating people without wands, Elvish dialects? What's with those two?" Ron demanded.
Hermione, Lessa and Blaise exchanged looks. "The Malfoys have Siren blood in their family." Blaise replied. "It comes with the genes I guess. That language was and ancient Siren Elvish dialect that Sirens have used for centuries. When they come into their power they know how to speak it." They all looked at him curiously. He shrugged, embarrassed. "I read up on it when Draco first told us about it."
"Wow," Seamus whistled, impressed. "Sirens are pretty rare these days; not something you see every day!"
The gang laughed. Even Luna giggled; daddy would be ever so pleased if she could get an interview with a real Siren!
Erika located Severus Snape in a compartment near the front of the train. She entered quietly and shut the door behind her.
Severus looked up from the book he had been reading. "You're angry about something, I can tell." He said. "Your eyes are black, that's rare for you."
"Pansy had a go at Draco and the others." Erika replied. "I don't know what she said but Draco was about to lose control when I got there. He left before I did."
"I take it that's why you're here then? You're loosing control?" Erika nodded at the blatantly obvious statement.
Severus sighed and stood up, closing his book with an audible snap. "Why me?" he muttered.
"Oh, don't be like that!" she snapped, eyes flashing that same black colour as she continued her struggle against her power.
"Right, snide comments come after this is over, otherwise I'm going to get my ass kicked!" Severus said sheepishly. Truth be told, he didn't mind at all; in fact, he rather enjoyed it, but his reputation as an evil bastard was at stake; and besides, he'd never tell Erika that he enjoyed it.
"Come here then." He commanded. She obeyed, and stood in front of him. He smiled wryly. "It's been quite a while." He murmured, before leaning down and kissing her lips, gently and sweetly, almost as if he were trying to find something more in that small, yet necessary gesture. When he pulled back her eyes had changed to her normal colour, a calm pale blue.
She grinned up at him. "Thanks grumpy. And to answer your question, you're the only one around, and you know that its best if the person is a soul mate." She told him.
Severus smirked. "So pleased I could be of use, my lady." He taunted. His expression grew serious. "You haven't been that bad in quite a while, at least since you finished school."
Erika's eyes flashed briefly back to black. "I don't appreciate people slandering my little brother." She snarled, more to herself than Severus.
"My dear girl, I never would've noticed." He drawled in reply, and she grinned despite herself.
"How's Draco? If you were that irate, I simply dread to think what he's like." He asked her.
Erika giggled. "Don't worry, I sent Harry to look after him."
"Potter? Why Potter? Why not Alessia? Or even Miss Granger?" he saw Erika's raised eyebrows and groaned. "You can't be serious!" he looked at her again. "Yes, of course you can. So if Draco is… that was inclined, why not Blaise? Okay, okay, wishful thinking." He amended when she glared at him.
"Oh come on Sev, you can't honestly tell me you saw nothing between them during the summer! The sparks were almost visible for crying out loud!" she said.
"I saw it… I just didn't want to believe it!" Severus moaned.
She laughed and kissed his cheek. "Thanks Sev." She said before turning and leaving.
Severus sank down on to the chair, Harry and Draco temporarily forgotten. It had been so long, so long since Erika had been angry enough to need his assistance. Long enough that he had almost forgotten the feel of her lips against his… almost. Having to calm her today had reawakened something inside him that he thought he wouldn't feel for Erika again.
He sighed, how could one stop themselves from falling in love with a Siren girl? He laughed to himself, it was like gravity; you just couldn't stop it.
Harry caught up with Draco when they were almost at the bathrooms. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked the blonde.
"Not really." Draco answered as they reached the bathroom door. "Come on, I'll explain." He led Harry inside.
"Pansy made me really angry, and unless I calm down I'm going to lose control of my power." He said quietly.
Harry shrugged. "So calm down then."
"It's not that simple," Draco replied. "'The only way to calm an irate Siren is to kiss them.' or so they tell me. They tell me that it works most efficiently with a Soul Mate or a lover." He added, blushing furiously.
"B-b-but why me?" Harry demanded, also flushing scarlet. "Why not Lessa or Mia? They're your Soul Mates too."
Draco raised a pale eyebrow at him. "Potter, you know perfectly well I don't swing that way, and before you open your mouth, Blaise is as straight as an arrow." He cut the Gryffindor off. "And besides, this was my dear sister's idea. I think she knows about the other day, in our room." He was still blushing a delicate shade of pink that Harry thought made him look adorable.
"But if you'd rather I asked one of the girls…" he said slyly.
Harry groaned. "You bastard, you know I wouldn't!" he growled. He caught Draco to him and kissed him fiercely.
They broke apart, breathing heavily. "Is that better?" Harry whispered, his mouth close to Draco's ear.
Draco shivered agreeably and looked up at him. He was smiling and his eyes were the colour of molten silver. "I don't know, maybe you'd better try again, just to be sure,"
Harry gave a low laugh and kissed him again, slowly and sweetly. Draco gasped when Harry's tongue slid into his mouth. The two were still battling for dominance when the door swung open.
The two sprung apart, blushing guiltily when Blaise, Ron, Neville, Dean and Seamus began to laugh at their predicament.
"So this is what you're up to." Seamus drawled, grinning from ear to ear.
"Oh God, I'm scared for life." Ron muttered, covering his eyes, but Harry could see his grin from behind his hands.
"You'll get over it mate." Harry told him.
"I must say that I'm a little surprised… but only a little." Dean said slowly, also smiling.
"I'm going to have nightmares for a month." Neville moaned, a smile flitting across his face.
"Shut up!" Draco protested, "He was helping me out!"
"Oh yeah, Blaise told us. To calm an irate Siren they need to be kissed right?" Ron snickered.
"You told them?" Draco yelped, glaring at Blaise.
"You shouldn't have been speaking Elvish in front of them you moron." Blaise answered rudely.
"Ah yes, that might have caused a problem." Draco conceded with a small smile.
"You think?" Blaise replied sarcastically, earning a punch in the arm for his troubles.
"Anyway, it's not like we didn't figure it out for ourselves." Ron said, and the others nodded in agreement.
"Figure what out for yourselves?" Draco demanded.
"That you liked each other of course!" Seamus answered cheekily.
"We've known since the day that we went shopping together." Blaise said, and Ron nodded in agreement, grinning widely.
"Actually, we've known since we first figured out you were both bisexual." Seamus said. Blaise and Ron stared at him.
"Takes one to know one." Dean explained, putting his arm around Seamus and kissing his forehead lightly. Seamus smiled up at him and leaned against the taller boy's chest.
"That may be true, but that doesn't explain how you knew." Harry pointed out.
"Simple, we're more objective than Ron, Hermione and Blaise, so we see more from both sides. We saw the attraction between you two like, years ago." Seamus drawled.
"Damn them." Harry muttered.
Neville smiled. "Cheer up Harry, this is a good thing for all concerned… except perhaps Pansy." Draco shuddered and they laughed.
"Well, we were here for one reason, but now it looks like we're here for two." Dean said amiably, smiling at Seamus.
"Oh, and those would be?" Draco asked.
"One, to tell you that we're almost at the school so you'd better hurry up before Hermione has a fit," Ron informed them.
"And the other?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.
"The other Harry-my-love, is to tell you to get your ass into gear and ask Draco out before someone else beats you to it!" Seamus crowed gleefully, and the others laughed.
Draco blushed furiously, as did Harry, who laughed as well. "Well if that's the case." He smiled, looking down at Draco. "Draco, will you go out with me?" he asked him softly.
Draco looked back at him, as soft smile identical to Harry's gracing his features. "Definitely." He murmured.
"Good." Harry whispered back and drew him in for a light kiss.
They heard the others cheer and they pulled apart, just in time to see Seamus and Dean separate from their own kiss. Harry and Draco laughed when the other two sighed reminiscently.
"C'mon, we'd better get back before Mia has a coronary." Draco said, by now well accustomed to Hermione's quirks.
They were almost back at their compartment when Seamus stopped suddenly. "Can you imagine the reaction of the entire straight female population when they find out that that the two most eligible guys in Hogwarts are dating each other?" he cackled gleefully.
Harry groaned. "Lets not think about it shall we?"
Draco nodded emphatically in agreement.
"Welcome students, to another year at Hogwarts." Professor Dumbledore beamed around at the sea of people, his eyes twinkling merrily. "Before we begin the feast, may I remind you that the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds to all students. I am also delighted to introduce our new staff members. Firstly, Miss Erika Malfoy will be joining us, as the Potions and Defence Against the Dark Arts assistant. I have no doubt that you'll see her around, particularly during your classes."
Erika stood, and Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Draco, Blaise and Alessia all clapped and cheered wildly, as did the extended group from the train disturbance.
Erika smiled at them all and sat down again. When the room was quiet once more, Dumbledore continued. "I would also like to introduce your new Defence teacher, Professor Jayson Killian, but he will not be here until late tonight, as he will be coming from the United States of America. So many of you will not see him until you first classes."
Dumbledore smiled around again. "And now, the feast!" he said, and clapped his hands together for the food to appear.
"So he's not here yet?" Harry mused. "I wonder if he's any good?"
"Well, he can't be any worse than the others can he?" Ron replied, grabbing food with both hands. "I mean, lets face it; apart from Remus, they've all sucked haven't they."
"Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see won't we?" Hermione said briskly, buttering a roll. "And for God's sake Ronald, chew your food."
When the students had eaten their fill and were stifling yawns, the headmaster stood again. "Now, to bed!" he exclaimed.
Outside the great hall, Harry was grabbed from behind and pulled into a nearby broom closet. "What the –" he was silenced by a soft, yet passionate kiss on his lips.
"Just wanted to say goodnight." Draco whispered, kissing him again.
Harry smiled and wrapped his arms around the slightly shorter boy's waist. "Dray, if you say goodnight like that all the time, I'll never want to leave." He captured the Slytherin's mouth in a fiery, seductive kiss that made Draco sigh happily.
When they pulled apart and went their separate ways, Draco was waylaid by his sister. "I saw that." She said quietly, a mischievous grin gracing her delicate features.
Draco blushed and said nothing.
She chuckled lightly and ruffled his hair, making him growl in mock annoyance. "Not that I mind though." She told him reassuringly.
"Yeah, yeah, good to know. G'night sis."
"G'night Drake."
"Oh, Rika?"
"Yes Drake?"
"Why did you say on that first day at the place that you didn't have powers, when you actually do?"
"Because I didn't want the others finding out about our powers, I thought it might freak them out, but I needn't have worried evidently."
"Oh, I see. Night then."
"Night."
"What do we have first?" Harry asked as he dropped into his seat the next morning.
"Double Potions with the Slytherins, then Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws before recess, then Double Defence with Slytherin, Lunch, Herbology with the Hufflepuffs and Charms with the Ravenclaws." Ron answered gloomily.
"That's not so bad." Harry said brightly.
"Hello? Double Potions! Transfiguration! How is that 'not so bad'?" Ron demanded.
"Potions might not be so bad now that we're friendly with Draco and Blaise." Hermione commented.
"True, but we still have to deal with Snape." Ron reminded her.
"Maybe he'll be nicer, now that Harry's dating his godson and all." Hermione suggested hopefully.
Harry shook his head. "I doubt it; he'll always hate me, at least while I'm in school anyway. But it will be easier now that we've got Draco and Blaise on our side."
"I guess…" Ron said doubtfully.
"Say Ron?" Harry asked slowly, "How do you feel about all this?"
"About you and Draco? Nah, I saw it coming over the hols mate, I'm cool with it." Ron answered.
"That's not what I meant." Harry said, although secretly pleased that Ron was being supportive of their relationship. "I meant about the whole Siren thing."
"Oh, that." Ron replied. "Well, I can't say I'm completely comfortable with it, but he hasn't purposely tried to magic me. As long as he doesn't I'll be okay."
"Yeah, I kind of think the same way about it with Rika." Harry answered, and Hermione nodded her agreement.
"Same here, but we really should go to Potions, it won't help our situation with Professor Snape if we're late." She said.
When they got to the dungeons, Harry was happy to see that Draco was already there waiting for him with Blaise tagging along. The second Harry walked through the door; Draco threw himself into his arms and kissed him passionately. "I missed you." He whispered, and Harry could've sworn he heard Hermione whisper "Awww…" and sigh happily.
"I missed you too." He whispered back, returning Draco's kiss with a gentle one of his own.
They pulled reluctantly apart as the rest of the class began to file into the room, and both boys blushed when Dean and Seamus both winked at them as they strolled in, hand in hand.
The class scrambled for their seats as Professor Snape swept into the classroom, his black cloak billowing behind him, making him look incredibly forbidding.
He stopped in front of his desk and looked over the class. "Today," he said coldly, "We will be mixing a potent potion that is similar to the Veritaserum. It is different, in the way that it tells the user if the drinker is lying, rather than force the drinker to tell the truth.
He glared around at the class. "I will assign you into pairs. Nott and Longbottom…" Neville gulped as Nott threw him a dirty look.
Harry tuned out, knowing Snape would call him last anyway.
"Zabini and Granger." Hermione and Blaise exchanged a quick smile.
"Weasley and Goyle." Ron groaned, Goyle just looked confused.
"Potter and… oh I don't believe this, someone tampered with my list! I didn't want those two together!" Professor Snape glared around the classroom. There was a giggle from behind the door and Draco and Harry, as well as Snape, recognised the voice as Erika's.
"Very well then, Potter and Malfoy." Severus sighed glowering menacingly at the door, as if his glare could burn through the wood and destroy the young woman on the other side.
Harry and Draco smiled at one another happily and Harry moved his things over to the table the blonde Slytherin had been sharing with Blaise, who had moved to sit with Hermione.
"You may begin." Severus told them imperiously.
Harry and Draco collected the ingredients they needed and got to work. For once, since they didn't spend half the lesson arguing like they used to, they were finished first, with roughly half an hour to spare. Professor Snape stared in amazement as Draco handed up a vial of their potion, his trademark Malfoy smirk gracing his pale features.
"Very commendable Mr Malfoy, Mr Potter. You have the rest of the lesson to yourselves." He said finally.
Harry and Draco spent the extra time holding hands under the desk and talking quietly, where they were later joined by Hermione and Blaise, who finished second, Seamus, Dean and Ron, who looked stressed after having to deal with Goyle's stupidity. Neville met them outside after class, after finally managing to finish his potion, correctly, after Nott took pity on him and tersely showed him how to complete it injury free.
Thankfully, Transfiguration went off without a hitch and Neville managed to make it through the Gryffindor's first lesson in Alchemy without losing a limb, although he still couldn't draw a perfect transmutation circle.
"What's next?" Seamus asked no one in particular.
"Double DADA." Ron replied eagerly.
The class was seated and waiting eagerly waiting for Professor Killian to arrive before the break was over.
They turned to stare as a tall young man swept into the room, much like Snape, but less intimidating.
He strode to the front of the classroom and faced the students; He had long, almost waist length midnight blue hair and sparking ice blue eyes. Harry didn't know if his hair was dyed or not, but it suited him. The professor was wearing a simple pair of dark blue robes that matched the colour of his hair. He removed them and hung them over the back of his chair so that he as simply wearing a black button down shirt and a neat pair of beige trousers and black shoes. Harry thought that this had to be the most beautiful man he'd ever seen. He looked over at Draco, who smiled brilliantly at him, all right; the professor was the second most beautiful man he had ever seen.
"Welcome class, to seventh year Defence Against the Dark Arts." Professor Killian said quietly, his voice was deep and musical. "As far as I can tell, your tutoring in this subject has been rather disrupted." Seamus snorted good naturedly.
"I'd like to begin today with the study of a particularly strong magical creature. No doubt those of you who are taking Care of Magical Creatures this year will study it too, but it's also handy to know how to fight one." He looked around. "The creature I am speaking of is a Siren." Draco choked.
"How many of you know a Siren?" the professor asked. Harry and his friends raised their hands, trying not to laugh at the incredulous look on Draco's face.
"Sir, Sirens are not dark creatures, why are we covering them?" Hermione asked, voicing Draco's own question.
"Sirens choose their side. Some choose the light, other the dark. Should you come across a dark Siren, you need to be prepared." Killian answered, his gaze flicking to Harry momentarily.
"Can anyone tell me how to protect themselves from a Siren's song?" he queried.
Draco sighed and raised his hand. "You can't protect yourself from a Siren's song; your only hope is to have someone nearby to stop you from doing something daft like jumping over cliffs and things like that. You could try earplugs, but they'd have to be really good ones." He added smugly, smirking at their teacher, he already didn't like the guy.
"Very good Mr Malfoy, ten points to Slytherin." Jayson said amiably, ignoring the smart tone of Draco's voice.
"If you will all please get out your books and turn to page 226." He said softly, and there was a flurry of movement as people reached for their books, parchment and quills.
As the bell rang and the students poured out of the class room, Professor Killian bent over Harry and smiled at him. "You must be Harry Potter. I've heard a lot about you." He said softly.
"Yes, that's me." Harry answered cautiously. "I expect you have heard a lot about me. I mean, who hasn't?" he added bitterly.
Jayson laughed, a sound like a bell pealing that made Harry shiver. "Now Harry, don't be like that." He replied.
"Sorry sir."
"No matter, it shall be a pleasure to teach you Harry." Jayson said charismatically. He held out his hand for Harry to shake.
Harry took it with a small smile. "Thankyou sir." He stared into those sapphire eyes and his breath hitched suddenly.
He ran to catch up with Draco and the others. "You took your time." Ron told him.
"Sorry, got held up by the professor." Harry replied apologetically, wrapping his arm around Draco's waist and kissing him softly. Once again, he could've sworn he heard an "Awww…" come from Hermione, and he instantaneously heard one from Ginny when she arrived moments later.
As they made their way to lunch Draco leaned up and whispered in Harry's ear, "I love you."
Harry flushed slightly, and smiled down at him. "I love you too Dray." He whispered back.
But something felt different. He couldn't get that face out of his head… the face of Jayson Killian.
What do you think? Hate it? Love it? Please review and tell me. What do you think about Erika and Severus? Do you think they should get together? I hope you'll all tell me what you think of this.
Sorry I took so long to update, but now it's the holidays and I've got a million things to update, but I'll try to update as soon as possible.
By the way, I've changed my username since I last updated this. I and no longer Kryptic Insanity, or The Draconian Mistress, but Crazy Freaked Out Lollipop!
Until next time…
Ja ne!
