ATTN: this chapter has been modified to include some key details, please reread it! Special thanks to curlytop, who alerted me to the hastiness of this chapter, I managed to miss quite a few important points in my chapter writing frenzy, and I always appreciate kind criticism that will point me in the right direction. Thank you for challenging my writing!
Reviewers: Wow, this chapter was out fast. This is the last chapter before we see some summer action, which I know you have all been waiting for =P Thanks for all your responses.
Sweet Sorrow: Soul mates! Well-friends for now, soul mates later…=P Thanks for reviewing, have a cookie!
Curlytop: Congratulations, you have nailed what I set up for Ron and Blaise's characterizations that last chapter; it's exactly how I think of Ron. Of course, for this fic's purposes, Ron will become neutral this chapter, a hot-headed Weasley is the last thing we need at the moment. =-) Have a cookie, and thanks so much for your insightful review.
TheSilverLady: Thanks for your review, glad you liked that chapter, have a cookie!
Wiccan Pussykat: Have I told you how much I love long reviews? I think you win in that aspect of reviewing =P Draco will not be turning into a wimp now, I plan on making him and Harry very protective of each other and in tune with each other's feelings before they even realize their own 'feelings' for each other. I looked up blond and blonde too, I couldn't find anything. So I will just refer to him as blonde from now on, because I like the "e" on the end. =-) Yum, Blueberry! Have a cookie! Here's to Harry abuse!
Paranoiain2005: Because I know you loved the last chapter so much you were speechless, ;-) I am giving you this one to write a longer review for. Have a cookie!
Reflective Velvet: I wanted to do a LOTR voice over! GrOwL! You will never get my money, either! Sorry I couldn't get this up until today, I have to sleep, you know. ;-) Have a cookie!
Usernotavailable: Ron was being a jerk, he's nicer this chapter though. Thanks for reviewing, Have a cookie!
To all: I have nearly 100 reviews for this story! Exciting! Enjoy this chapter; I think it's a little longer than some of the others. =P
Random Quotes:
"And buy me a star on the boulevard, it's Californication."
Chapter 12: In Testing
Snape woke in his office with a pounding headache. So much for a good-night's sleep after meeting with the Dark Lord, He sighed aloud and stood from his cot in the corner. He usually didn't make a habit of sleeping in the dungeons, but an exception was made for his Slytherin seventh-years, who needed the grade on their final Potions report before they could graduate. It wasn't as if any student would seriously be held back for not passing the final assignment, but the grade determined who would be moving off into the Wizarding populace with high honors from Hogwarts. And the Dark Lord just picks the best times to have meetings. He stood and stretched his arms, arching his back and yawning.
He let his mind meander, and suddenly found himself thinking about Potter and Malfoy. Just what this world needs, he laughed humorlessly. I hope they don't kill each other, he frowned in thought. Or become too attached to each other, for that matter. He sighed deeply. Today would be a long day; it marked the end of one stage in his life, and the start of another. I'd better find Dumbledore.
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Ron and Harry had sat in uncomfortable silence after Harry's final statement, neither meeting the other's eyes, nor willing to break the icy chill that had settled over the room. Until Hermione walked in.
"Hey." She whispered tentatively, "Are you two alright in here?"
"Fine," Harry answered her shortly. Ron turned to the girl, who was standing uncertainly in the corner of the doorway.
"Will you leave us alone for just another minute, Hermione?" She nodded and left the room quietly. Ron realized that it was now or never. Ron had found that he could not deny the type of person he had become, and he didn't like making Harry choose.
"Harry-" Ron began nervously, wringing his hands in his lap.
The other boy raised his eyes to meet his friend's gaze.
"I never meant for this to happen. I wanted things to stay the same, like they've always been. The three of us, you know?" Ron seemed to grasp for words that were barely filtering into his comprehension. "Then you, well- you're changing. And I want to change with you." His lower lip trembled slightly, but he held his eyes determinedly on Harry's, a hidden promise within them. "If Draco is what you want, I will try to accept it."
Harry sighed in impatience, "Ron, this is not all about Draco. This is not about Hermione either. This is bigger than us." Ron was confused, wasn't this what Harry wanted to talk about?
"You and I," Ron said slowly and firmly, "are best friends. I love you like a brother…what more do you want to know?"
"I need to know that you can contain yourself enough to let me live my own life." Harry told him honestly. "I need to know that you will still be my friend, no matter how many other people I want to let into my life."
"Having other friends is one thing, Harry!" cried Ron, "Sharing your brain with them is something else entirely!" Ron's voice rose.
"This wasn't something I had planned, Ron!" Harry shouted, now that the discussion was escalating into an argument, Harry felt the only thing he could do was keep moving, keep talking. "You are acting like we all… conspired against you!" he yelled, "Are you paranoid now, as well?"
"Being your best friend would make anyone paranoid!" Ron screamed, "You have no idea how much I stay awake at night, worrying about you!"
"I didn't ask for you to have to go through this!" Harry told him shakily, "If you hate the job so much, why don't you step down?"
It was a direct threat, and Harry stepped into Ron's face, breathing heavily. Ron cut off his next argument with a sharp intake of breath, as he absorbed the moment of impact. A long moment passed, where all either boy heard was their own heartbeat in their ears.
"Because," Ron breathed, collecting his thoughts, "I don't hate you, I can't…" he grabbed Harry's arm as the other boy went to look down. "I want you to be happy. I really do."
"Finally," Harry whispered, "you're starting to show it." He shook his arm from Ron's grip. "It was selfish of you to criticize Draco and I." he told him bluntly.
Ron threw up his hands, "Now, it's back to Draco!"
"No!" Harry shouted, "It is back to you! It always comes back to you! Why do you think I dreaded telling you this? Because I knew you would act like your life was spinning out of control, when it is me who is hearing voices in my head!"
"My-" Ron began angrily.
"No, Ron!" Harry screamed, "It's me!" He jabbed at his chest, "ME! Not YOU!" he shoved the other boy backwards, so Ron had to stumble to stay upright.
"Who's being selfish now?" asked Ron, "You brought up this whole issue!" he grabbed Neville's pillow and flung it at Harry's head.
"YOU," Harry began, and cursed the pillow on Dean's bed angrily, throwing it against the wall. "You are so…infuriating!"
"Borrowing Hermione's words now, are you?" Ron asked nastily, "bet that suits your purposes well."
"You don't get it, Ron!" Harry told him in exasperation, "You have never gotten it!"
"Oh, I get it," Ron nodded, "famous Harry Potter can't handle some conflict. So he wants to take it out on me."
"You are so full of yourself." Harry told him, "You are so unsure about all of this, stop taking it out on me!"
"Shut up!" Ron screamed, flinging a quill at Harry, "Stop it! Stop analyzing me!"
"Start analyzing yourself!" Harry lowered his voice to a normal tone. "You need to realize that this is not what I meant to happen."
Ron's hands tightened into fists, and Harry was hesitant, unsure of whether the other boy was attempting to gain control, or was about to fly into a rage. It was then he realized what he had known all along, Ron is so unpredictable. For the first time, Harry was slightly scared of what his friend could do if he lost it.
"You're right." Ron sighed slowly, and Harry saw his best friend returning. "I came here to apologize for being an ass; I haven't done anything to change your mind."
"That's because being a jerk was working for you; up until now," said Harry, "I was the one who changed the plan."
"Thanks for changing the plan, Harry." Ron told him. "I don't want us to fight over things that can be changed."
"Neither do I," and Harry sighed in relief, they were finally getting somewhere.
Ron pushed down his proud side that wanted him to lash out at Harry in fury, and recognized his mistake.
"I'm really sorry, Harry. It was wrong of me to judge this, especially since you must already have your own concerns."
"I accept it, Ron." Harry smiled at him, "And if you ever piss me off again, I'll just knock your bloody lights out."
"Glad to see I'm loved." Ron mumbled and Harry laughed.
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"Now," Harry asked him, "what is this thing between you and Hermione?"
"Nothing," Ron began nervously, breaking eye contact. Harry gave him a skeptical look, "Really! I was just-erm-trying to fill the silence."
"Ron," Harry told him gently, "I wanted to talk to you about this mind link, and you go chatting up a storm about our best friend." He smiled. "Spill."
"Well, erm, I guess you could say… I do-erm- fancy her, but I don't want to ruin our friendship." He swallowed. "Besides, I don't even know how she feels about me." He finished lamely.
"Let's call her back in and ask her." Harry suggested innocently, with a mischievous grin.
"NO! Harry, you can't tell her!" Ron leapt in front of his friend, who had already stood and was reaching for the door.
"Oh please, Ron, I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised." He smirked. "If anything, Hermione will be sure to let you down easily."
"I'll be sure to do what?" Hermione asked, entering the room for the second time; uninvited. "It's been much longer than a minute, you two." She smiled. "What are you doing in here?"
"I…uh-w…We…I…I m-mean," Ron stammered and stuttered incoherently. Now that the moment had come, butterflies had sprung up in his stomach and were flying around like maniacs.
"Have you ever considered Ron as more than a friend?" Harry asked her wryly.
Ron looked at Hermione's face in time to see it turn a brilliant shade of pink. "What makes you ask that, Harry?" She squeaked out.
"Ah-Ha!" Harry shouted, punching his fist into the air in a gesture of victory. "I was right!" He crowed gleefully. "You can't hide it Hermione, your face is the color of Ron's hair."
"Hermione," Ron asked carefully, "Are you alright?" Harry stepped back inoffensively, to watch his friends at work.
"So what if I've thought about it?" Hermione spoke defensively, "We have been friends for a long time."
"I've…the…thought the s-same thing!" Ron blurted out quickly. "If it's alright with you." He added hastily.
Hermione laughed. "Why wouldn't it be alright? I think it would be lots of fun!"
Ron blushed furiously, and Harry burst out laughing, he hadn't felt this good since seeing the vision of Sirius. Everything finally seemed right with his friends.
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Everything is wrong with my friends, Draco thought angrily, yanking another Glimdiweed from its pot to shove it back in the community garden. Blaise had outright refused to share a pot with Draco, joining Pansy Parkinson and her giggling friends. Why the hell can't Blaise understand? I can't help what's happened! After leaving the closet, Draco had remembered that his next class was Herbology with the Ravenclaws, and he hurried to the Greenhouse so he wouldn't be tardy. He had thought it was fortunate that he had caught Blaise leaving the Boy's lavatory when he did, seeing as how he needed to talk to him so urgently. But that all now seemed years away, as he felt his ex-friend's eyes boring a hole in his back. I hope Harry's having better luck than I am. He thought glumly, and then realized that he had thought of Potter as Harry, and another breath caught in his throat. What is happening to me? I care about Potter, now? I am referring to him as Harry? Have I lost my mind? He answered himself bitterly. I haven't lost my mind, now I am simply sharing I with my worst enemy. Somehow, this didn't make him feel any better.
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Dumbledore, Remus, Sirius, Harry, Draco, Ron and Hermione gathered together in McGonagall's Transfiguration classroom. The teacher wasn't due back at Hogwarts for another week, but she had been kept informed by members of the Order of all the recent happenings at Hogwarts. She had given permission for them to test Draco and Harry's mind link within her classroom. After final classes and dinner that day, the seven of them had congregated within the room, and set up a safe zone for the two to run tests.
"Because this is an unprecedented event, we will have to run a variety of tests before we can determine the abilities of this link." Everyone gave Dumbledore their undivided attention. "Some tests may be painful, I must warn you." He turned to Draco and Harry, who nodded in unison. They would do this.
"Let's get started, then."
They decided to test their range first, leading Draco throughout the castle while Harry remained in the Transfiguration room. Surprisingly, they could hear each other throughout the entire grounds of Hogwarts, even as far into the Forbidden Forest as the teachers dared to safely go. "This is incredible." Remus smiled at the two when they had returned to the starting point. "Your range is very far."
The next test was a lot harder for both Harry and Draco. Ron and Hermione squeezed each other's hands until they were white with lack of blood. Remus and Dumbledore cast pain curses at the boys to see how they could feel and take on each other's pain. Sirius apologized profusely every time a new curse was thrown at the two and they would grimace or moan aloud with pain. They started with mild curses on Harry on one side of the room. They instructed Harry not to try to block the outpouring of pain, but rather channel it through the link. Then they would ask Draco if he could feel anything. More often than not, Draco would feel the pain so much that he would beg for the curse to be lifted for both of them. The same went for Harry when the two reversed roles many times.
By the end of the testing, Draco and Harry were panting on cushions in the corner of the room, as Ron and Hermione attempted to include them in conversation while the adults discussed what it all meant.
"So," Ron was practically choking on his next words, "Draco. How do you think the Slytherin Quidditch team fared this season?"
Harry was trying really hard not to burst out laughing, as he could see how hard his friend was trying, for him, to make an alliance with the Slytherin. Because their link was so strong at the moment, after all the practice, Draco could feel the vibes of amusement radiating off of Harry.
"Well, Ron," Draco grinned in tired amusement. "You are such a skilled keeper that we have found it quite difficult to score a goal, much less win a game."
Harry, Hermione and Draco burst out laughing, while Ron blushed, embarrassed, and tried to regain his dignity. "Well, I suppose that's where that 'Weasley is our King' song came from." He shot back. "You all must worship me."
"Ron, please stop," Hermione begged, "You are too much, my side hurts."
"You're only making it worse, mate." Harry told him. Draco was rolling over with breathless laughter from Ron's lame rebuttal.
Ron finally sat down in defeat, and settled for a glare in the other's boy's general direction.
Remus, Sirius, and Dumbledore came over then, informing the four that they needed to run a few more tests, now to see if they could block out their pain and feelings and thoughts.
"We already know we can block out our thoughts," Harry told them. "I haven't heard Draco's thoughts all day today."
"Maybe he doesn't think." Ron suggested.
Draco growled at him. "I don't need to think, Weasley, I already have twice as much brain as you do."
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As it turned out, Draco could block his feelings and emotions quite easily from Harry, while the Gryffindor had a harder time at it. Harry did eventually master turning off the link from his end, and everyone breathed in mutual relief.
"Now," Dumbledore told them late that night. "Summer is nearly here, and we need especially strict security around the Dursley's and Arabella's house this year. Voldemort has been unusually quiet lately, and this is not a good thing for us. If he has planned an attack, we need to be prepared." Everyone nodded seriously, now was not the time for a slip-up to occur. "One of the reasons I am placing Draco so near to Harry, is that I am hoping that in case of an emergency, evacuation will be quicker and safer. Mr. Malfoy, if ever something happens to Arabella, you will be transported immediately to the Dursley residence, and vice versa for Mr. Potter. Is this understood?" Everyone nodded solemnly.
"Very well," Dumbledore smiled. "I believe it is late, we should all retire for today. Classes tomorrow!"
"Oh, Joy." Draco muttered, "Time to go see my dorm-mates."
I'll take it Blaise wasn't too happy, Harry thought.
"That's a laugh, Potter." Draco told him. "Not too happy was an understatement."
"I swear I'll never get used to this." Sirius told Remus, as they watched the children leave the room in a group. "They look like they're talking to themselves."
"Come on, Padfoot." Lupin laughed, "You can't tell me you've never talked to yourself."
Sirius elbowed him in the side, "I'm serious, Moony. At least I never said anyone's names as if they had answered me."
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The rest of the week passed rather quickly, with everyone falling back into the end-of-term pattern. Harry still had unusual dreams, but none of his visions were as painful as the Death Eater meeting. Dumbledore had told him of what lay within the Department of Mysteries, and he no longer was so eager to discover what was behind the door in his dreams. Rather, now he would often look for ways to distract his dream-self from the door, which only frustrated Tom more. Draco and Blaise weren't speaking, and the whole of Slytherin house shunned the Malfoy. He had received a howler from his father, but Harry and Ron had helped him take it outside before it exploded, just in time to save Draco from public humiliation. The Slytherin spent most of his time with them, and Harry often found himself defending the other boy from Gryffindor house's prejudice. By now, everyone knew of Umbridge's "insane attack" on Harry. Most felt sympathetic towards Harry and confused around Draco. Many wondered why Malfoy would risk his life to save Potter's, but a few of the more knowledgeable students thought him noble for saving the Boy-Who-Lived. Ron and Hermione would often disappear for long periods of time; only to return flushed and excited, holding hands or linking arms. In fact, the only highlight of the last week of school was McGonagall's return from St. Mungo's. She nodded approvingly towards Draco and Harry in the halls. She was secretly very proud of the young Malfoy's decision to join forces with the Order. Draco himself thought the plan only had one drawback, and he planned on discussing it with the Headmaster.
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"Enter, Mr. Malfoy."
"Headmaster," Draco nodded politely. "I have something to ask of you."
"Yes?"
"I was wondering," Draco steeled himself, took a deep breath and asked a question that had been unsettling his nerves. "If Blaise could join the Order as well." He finished quickly.
Dumbledore sighed sadly, "If only it was that easy to trust everyone, Draco. We have made an exception for Harry, Ron, Hermione and yourself, only because it was most imperative." Draco nodded miserably, Harry had told him about the prophecy that he had to fulfill, and although Draco was scared for his new friend, he was willing to be of assistance whenever he could.
"I know Blaise is trustworthy." He added hopefully, "I've told him everything about myself, and he's never told anyone."
"I don't doubt your word, Mr. Malfoy. However, I can not put the rest of the Order at risk in order to test a newcomer." Dumbledore told him truthfully.
"Please, sir." Draco pleaded, "I need him to understand, and the only way I can tell him is if you give him a chance."
Dumbledore stood in silent contemplation for a few long moments, while Draco held his breath and tried to still his quickly beating heart.
"Very well," He said finally. "You will tell him I need to discuss something very important with him. Do not, under any circumstances, tell him what that important thing may be. I will discuss this privately with him."
"Thank you very much, Headmaster." Draco beamed, before running off to find Blaise.
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"Blaise!" Draco was running down an abandoned hall the second to last day of school before the leaving feast. The other boy turned around when he recognized his voice; to tell the truth, he had really missed Draco, having considered him his only true friend. Of course, Blaise would never have admitted that he was wrong, waiting instead for the Malfoy to come to his senses. He just couldn't risk his life for something as ridiculous as a relationship with the bloody Boy-Who-Lived.
"Draco." He addressed him hopefully. "Is there something you need?"
"Yeah," the other boy smiled goofily, "Dumbledore needs to speak with you now, about something very important."
"He does?" Blaise's eyebrows furrowed with confusion, in his five years at Hogwarts, he had never been called to the Headmaster's office. "What for?"
"It's very important, that's all I can say." Draco told him, smiling like a maniac.
"Wipe that shit-eating grin off your face, Draco, and show me where I go." Blaise told him smartly. Draco couldn't stop smiling, but he obliged the latter request by leading the other boy towards the Gargoyle. "Mars Bars," He told the statue and it leapt away.
"Wicked," Blaise commented. "I didn't know it did that."
"Muggle candies, too."
Blaise stepped onto the staircase, and it swept him into the office above.
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Draco paced impatiently in the hallway for the next half hour. If Blaise took much longer, he might wear a hole in the carpet. He desperately hoped the other boy would make the right decision. Suddenly, the Gargoyle leapt aside for the second time that night, and Draco's head snapped up to where he saw Dumbledore and Blaise smiling by the staircase.
"I'm in."
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END OF CHAPTER 12:
Well, what did you think? I'm thinking of having Blaise's time in the office shown in; either later chapters, or a separate story after this one, like a sidetrack. Don't worry about it, unless you desperately want to see what happened to convince him. But I think you get the gist of the whole situation.
Summer time is next! I haven't forgotten Umbridge either, review!