Chapter XII

Boyfriends or Something More?

Draco and Harry did not get a chance to talk about the Quidditch match. The kiss still felt fresh on his lips, replaying constantly in his mind. The Slytherins celebrated that weekend, but the high was gone the following Monday. Harry remembered Theo mentioning some amendment the Ministry gave to one of the Educational Decrees, but quickly forgot about it as classes came to the forefront, as well as a new fact that made Harry feel extremely awkward: Hagrid was back. Harry noticed it as he walked into the Great Hall, Hagrid was sitting in his seat at the staff table. He didn't notice Harry, which made Harry a little sad. He didn't know how to approach Hagrid. Did Ron and Hermione get to him first? How would he react to Harry's resort? How would he react to Harry's sexuality and crush? There were too many questions and Harry hated the feeling it gave him. There was nothing to be done, so he just pushed his feelings down. He'll confront them at a better time.

But before that, there was History of Magic where Harry was sure he was going to fall asleep if it wasn't for Theo's consistent nudging, followed by Divination. However, the worst was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Not surprisingly, they were once again tasked to just read. Harry started so if only to just kill time when he felt eyes on him. He looked up to see Professor Umbridge staring at him. Harry did his best to ignore her staring. He kept bouncing his leg if only to just do something when a hand rested on his leg. He looked to see Draco holding his leg, an annoyed look on his face. Their eyes met and they blushed. Harry smiled softly before the two looked away, Draco's hand staying on his leg for the rest of the period.

Harry thought that Umbridge would do something, however, he and his friends left without incident, and the rest of Monday passed.

On Tuesday, it was with great anticipation that Harry headed down to Hagrid's Hut for class. He was worried about how Hagrid would react, and if he would do anything uncalled for. Pansy sneered as they made their way down, "Why must that oaf teach us again? I liked Professor Grubbly-Plank! She was actually useful!"

"It can be worse," Draco said. "We could be stuck with Umbridge as well."

Thankfully, the High Inquisitor was nowhere to be seen as they struggled through the snow toward Hagrid, who stood waiting for them at the edge of the forest with the Gryffindors. "What is wrong with his face!?" Pansy shrieked. Hagrid's face was covered with yellow and green bruises along with some cuts that looked like they were still bleeding.

"They're letting him teach like that? Are they mad?" Draco sneered.

To make matters worse, Hagrid was also carrying a dead cow over his shoulder.

"We're workin' in here today!" Hagrid called happily to the approaching students, jerking his head at the dark trees behind him. "Bit more sheltered! Anyway, they prefer the dark."

"What prefers the dark?" Draco said sharply to them, a trace of panic in his voice. Harry's hand automatically found Draco's. "What did he say prefers the dark—did you hear?

Harry remembered the only occasion on which Draco had entered the forest before now. He did not have a good experience. "Ready?" Hagrid said happily, looking around the class. "Right, well, I've been saving a trip into the forest for your fifth year. Thought we'd go and see these creatures in their natural habitat. Now, what we're studying today is pretty rare, I reckon I'm probably the only person in Britain who's managed to train 'em—"

"And you're sure they're trained, are you?" Draco said, the panic in his voice even more pronounced now. Harry squeezed his hand and smirked, "Don't worry, I'll protect you from all the scary animals in there."

"Don't you dare mock me, Harry, I will put you in front of any rabid creature in there!" Draco said quickly, causing Harry to laugh.

"Of course they're trained," Hagrid said, scowling and hoisting the dead cow a little higher on his shoulder. He led the class straight into the forest. Nobody seemed much disposed to follow, Ron and Hermione being the first to walk forward. They walked for ten minutes until they reached a place where the trees stood so close together that it was as dark as twilight and there was no snow on the ground at all. Hagrid deposited his half a cow with a grunt on the ground, stepped back, and turned to face his class again, most of whom were creeping toward him from tree to tree, peering around nervously as though expecting to be set upon at any moment.

He gave an odd calling noise and a minute passed in which the class continued to peer nervously over their shoulders and around trees for a first glimpse of whatever it was that was coming. And then, Harry saw them.

A pair of blank, white, shining eyes were growing larger through the gloom and a moment later the dragonish face, neck, and then skeletal body of a great, black, winged horse emerged from the darkness. Harry jumped and squeezed Draco's hand, who frowned. "What? Where is it?"

"It's right in front of us!" Harry hissed, pointing his free hand at the creature. Draco looked around wildly but acted as though he couldn't see it. More came out of the darkness and were edging towards the dead cow. Hagrid asked who could see them and Harry raised his hand.

"Oh yeah… I knew you'd been able to, Harry," Hagrid said seriously, not exactly looking at him.

"Looking at what? What are we supposed to be seeing?" Draco demanded.

For an answer, Hagrid pointed at the cow carcass on the ground. The whole class stared at it for a few seconds, then several people gasped. Harry understand why: bits of flesh stripping themselves away from the bones and vanishing into thin air had to look very odd indeed. "There's a black creature," Harry told his friends, "eating it. I don't know why you cannot see it."

"Because it's a thestrals. He really decided to teach us about thestrals," Daphnis said, sounding as though the entire idea was ludicrous, which it was. He looked at Hagrid and said loudly, "You know that they are considered unlucky!? The only ones who can see them are those who've seen death!"

"No, no they're not unlucky uhh Ms. Greengrass?" Hagrid said, as though he couldn't remember who Daphnis was. Daphnis made a face and said, "Mr."

"Hem Hem."

Harry kept himself from groaning. Of course Umbridge was there. She was standing a few feet away from Harry, wearing her green hat and cloak again, her clipboard at the ready. Hagrid, who had never heard her fake cough before, was gazing in some concern at the closet thestrals, evidently under the impression that it had made the sound.

"Hem Hem."

"Oh hello!" Hagrid said, smiling, having located the source of the noise.

"You received the note I sent to your cabin this morning?" Umbridge said.

Harry took a few steps back, not wanting to be too close to Umbridge, and brought Draco with him. "Why is she here?" Harry hissed. Draco shrugged and the two looked at the class.

"This is going to be awful," Draco whispered. "What is that oaf thinking? Bringing Thestrals to teach us after being gone for so long! Please tell me you're no longer friends with the oaf!"

"I'm not sure," Harry frowned. "I haven't even known he was back." He glanced at Hagrid, who looked easily flustered. It was easy to realize why as Umbridge dictated what she was writing, "Appears … to … have… poor … short… term… memory…"

"What a vile bitch she is," Harry muttered under his breath. Draco hummed in agreement. The lesson continued to only get worse. Umbridge kept interrupting, saying what she was writing loudly and only causing Hagrid to become more and more flustered. At some point, Professor Umbridge reached Pansy and Daphnis, and asked, quite loudly, "Do you ladies find that you are able to understand Professor Hagrid when he talks?"

Daphnis just glared at the woman and did not answer while Pansy just outright ignored her. Umbridge gave them an ugly look before writing down, saying again quite loudly, "Students… are… intimidated… to… admit… they… are … frightened…"

"I am not frightened, I just hate being called the wrong pronoun, Mr. Umbridge," Daphnis snapped.

"I am Miss Umbridge, or Professor Umbridge to you, Ms. Greengrass," Umbridge said, smirking victoriously, "Perhaps you will learn this with me in detention."

"That's not fair!" Harry shouted, getting involved. "You know that Daphnis is a boy!"

"Then you will join her in detention, Mr. Potter," Professor Umbridge said. "A week's worth of detention will sink the message in."

"We will not go," Harry said, holding his head high.

"Then you will both be expelled."

"You cannot do that!"

"You will find that I can, Ms. Greengrass," Professor Umbridge said, smirking victoriously. Draco had to pull Harry back to keep him from attacking the vile woman. Daphnis glared at her and turned his back, the Slytherins moving as a group away from Umbridge. Harry was grateful when the class was over, all of them agreeing to go to Snape about this. Still holding Draco's hand, almost unconsciously so that they did not even realize it. The group found Snape in his office once more and he just stared at the group of fifth years.

"What is it now?" he demanded shortly.

"Umbridge gave Harry and me detention again for trying to defend ourselves," Daphnis said. "She keeps calling me a girl!"

Snape just nodded and said he would deal with it before closing the door. Harry found out an hour later what he meant by that. There was yelling outside the Great Hall later that afternoon. Students gathered around and Harry had to push through to see what was happening. Snape and Umbridge were in the center, Snape looking at Umbridge with a livid hatred that Harry had never seen before. "You are causing consistent harm to the student," Snape said. "He is a boy, and yet by constantly mislabeling him as a girl you are not only disrespecting him but are causing him mental and emotional harm."

"I think you are mistaken, Severus," Professor Umbridge said. "Daphne Greengrass was born a girl, which means that she is a girl. Everything she has about her and everything that the Ministry of Magic accepts about her include the fact, as well as go off of the fact, that she is a girl."

"You are wrong in that matter then, Dolores," Snape sneered. "Daphnis Greengrass wishes to be referred to as a boy and has taken the steps to be addressed and looked at as one, including informing all of his professors about his change. To ignore him is unprofessional and to punish him for correcting you is illegal. Pronouns are not a base for detention, Dolores."

"Actually you will that it is," Umbridge said, giving a high, fake short laugh. "As an extension to Educational Decree Twenty-Three, the High Inquisitor has the authority to administer any punishment she deems appropriate. I am entirely in my right to give Ms. Greengrass her detention, which she will serve every night for the week. Daphne Greengrass is a girl, pure and simple. All these ideas and male influences are confusing her. Why else do you believe that she is still in the girls' dormitory for the Slytherin dungeons?"

Snape's eyes went wide for a second before his loathing unemotional mask slipped back on. "How do you know about that request? I've sent those forms to the Headmaster personally."

"Yes, you did, and as my role as High Inquisitor, along with the amendment to Educational Decree Twenty, any Ministry-approved employee for Hogwarts has the authority to review any and all requests given to the Headmaster, along with the power to approve or deny them without the Headmaster's consul. I personally have reviewed Ms. Greengrass' request to switch dormitories and saw it for what it is: a horrible illogical request sent by a confused, suffering female student who needs a strict female role model. I am more than happy to both be that model as well as save her wavering innocent. After all, who can tell what can happen to an innocent girl in a boy's dormitory."

Harry was sure that Snape was picturing using Umbridge to test out every poison he can think of. "And who can tell what will happen to our morning tea."

"Is that a threat, Severus?" Umbridge asked.

"No, merely a suggestion," Snape said loftily. "In a school full of mischievous teenagers, it would not be unthinkable if something were to slip in." He allowed his words to fill the space between them. Umbridge looked paler but kept her victorious smile.

"Good to know. Professor," she nodded and left, the crowd parting slightly to let her go. Snape looked up at them all and sneered, "What are you all watching?" He demanded. "Don't you have classes to go to?"

The crowd scattered, but the fifth year Slytherins remained. Snape stared at them for a moment before leaving.

Daphnis was crying as he and Harry made their way to Umbridge's office. They stopped in front of the door and Harry took Daphnis' hand. "Everything will be okay," he promised. "I'll make her pay, I promise you."

Daphnis sniffled and nodded. He took a breath and cleaned his tears. "I'm ready."

Umbridge already had the parchment and quills ready for them as they walked in. "Good evening Mr. Potter, Ms. Greengrass," Professor Umbridge said sweetly. "Mr. Potter, you should already know what to write. Ms. Greengrass, I would like for you to write, 'I am a girl.' You may begin."

Daphnis grimaced and he looked at Harry, who looked at him sorrowfully. Daphnis kept a straight face as he wrote his sentence, squeezing his hand and gritting at the pain as the words 'I am a girl' were carved into his skin and healed over almost immediately. With each sentence, the wound dug in deeper, staying longer and longer but leaving the skin raw. Harry wrote his sentence too, not even feeling the pain as he kept glancing at Daphnis. Whatever pain he was feeling was nothing compared to his friend's.

Umbridge watched them all too gleefully, a smile growing on her face, her eyes switching from Harry to Daphnis for any show of weakness. The two Slytherins showed none. Harry kept his teeth gritted as Daphnis slipped on a practiced emotionless face as they wrote their lines. The parchment bled with their blood, the quill's scratches too light for the pain it was causing the two teens. The lights out the window transitioned to night and Harry stopped, just for a second, to glance at his hand and saw that the words did not go away. He heard wood groan and looked up to see Umbridge leaning in close to him. "Yes?"

Harry didn't reply he just looked down and continued writing his lines, his hand throbbing in pain as the ink somehow turned a darker red. Harry was too scared to look over at Daphnis, but he prayed that his lines kept healing over, leaving only red skin. Just like last time, Umbridge had them stop after midnight and asked for their hands. Harry's hand was carved in deeply, the words appearing on Harry's hand as an old wound from years ago. "Perhaps tomorrow the words will sink in more," Umbridge said as a dismissal.

Harry and Daphnis made it to the end of the corridor and turned the corner until Daphnis stopped. "I'm a boy," Daphnis said. He fell to his knees and looked up at Harry. "Tell me I'm a boy. Please."

Harry immediately fell to his knees and pulled Daphnis into a hug. "You're a boy," he whispered, rocking Daphnis gently as he cried. "You're a boy. Always a boy. You're Daphnis."

"I'm a boy. I'm not a girl, I'm a boy," Daphnis cried. Harry whispered hushing endearments, rubbing Daphnis's back as Daphnis cried into his shoulder. It did not matter to Harry that they sat there long enough that his legs fell asleep. He only cared about calming Daphnis down at that moment. Slowly, Daphnis's cries died away and he just hugged Harry sheepishly.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Harry said, still hugging Daphnis. "You're my friend, I love you as a friend. You know that any of us will do anything for you, right?"

"I knew the others, but I was honestly on the fence with you," Daphnis admitted. He gave a sad smile and said, "I should have known the old Gryffindor would have a savior complex."

"I'm not a savior, just an idiot who loves his friends," Harry said.

Daphnis giggled, "You're right, you are an idiot," he smiled. "Thank you, Harry." They helped each other up and hugged again, neither wanting to let go. "I know you said you love us," Daphnis said as they made their way back to the dungeons, "but when will you tell Draco?"

Harry's face went red, and Daphnis smiled. "It's quite obvious, Harry. You two are only wasting time holding out."

"I don't know what to say," Harry admitted, "Things keep coming up to stop us."

Daphnis sighed and shook his head. "Then do something Gryffindorish. If needed, I will force my old clothes on you and make you tell Draco your feelings."

Harry's blush blazed as he immediately pictured himself in a girl's uniform. "Why do you even have that!?"

"Pansy borrows."

Harry did not answer. He instead looked at his hand and sneered at the faint words carved into his skin. "She'll pay," he said. "I'll make sure that she does."

"Not alone you won't," Daphnis said, holding his own hand up. "We stick together, Harry. That's how we win."

A/N: To my American readers: Happy thanksgiving! For this holiday Uhh I present despair!

To Everyone else: Just regular dis pear. Phuhuhuhu