"Hermione, do you still have control over the galleons from last year? For the DA meetings?" Harry approached her determinedly, thoughts and ideas brewing.
"Yes, I believe I do. What for? Are you thinking about reuniting the group?" Her eyes twinkled; Hermione loved Dumbledore's Army. Harry nodded, taking a seat next to her at the common room table she was using to study.
"Yes. And soon. It's the best plan we've got for now." Hermione nodded once, understanding.
"I'll summon them tonight, so that we can meet tomorrow."
Harry gave her a hug around the neck. "You're the best, 'Mione. We wouldn't make it without you." Hermione smiled humbly before Harry ascended the stairs to the boy's dormitory.
Across the room, Ron's eyes narrowed jealously.
"Harry, is it true!?" An overzealous and boisterous Neville almost knocked them both over. He had spotted Harry from across the corridor, no doubt in between classes, but couldn't contain the excitement within. Straightening, he whispered: "Tonight at 6?" To which Harry responded with a quick nod.
"I can't believe it!" He grinned, an overwhelmingly happy Neville. On the other side of the passage, Hannah began to approach. She gave a small, modest wave to Harry before catching the attention of Neville. "I guess I'd better be going now. We will both be there." He smiled reassuringly before skipping across the hall to greet her. Harry watched Neville peck her on the cheek excitedly, Hannah's cheeks tinted a rosy pink. They were a goofy bunch, Neville's clumsy disposition complimented by Hannah's exceptionally sweet one. Harry's thoughts immediately shifted to Draco. How did they compliment each other?
"Hey, sweet cheeks," he felt himself relax at the mere sound of Draco's voice behind him. Closer, a whisper met his ear: "I meant that literally."
Harry rolled his eyes at the crude humor of his mate before spinning to face him. "You fucking prat. Come on, we'll miss potions." He grinned facetiously, matching Draco's pompous smirk before heading in the opposite direction and inconspicuously taking his hand. Life had changed so much already, and, to be truthful, Harry wasn't ready to see it change again. He liked it here, roaming the halls of Hogwarts with Draco. He liked it just fine.
That evening would find Harry and Draco tucked beneath the invisibility cloak and heading to the 7th floor. They were the first to arrive to the Room of Requirement, which appeared very different than it had the last time they were there together.
Harry tried to make sure that the Room had all of the necessary provisions for defense training while Draco attempted to flippantly convince him of what they should actually be doing.
Six o'clock brought Hannah and Neville, followed by Hermione and an unpleasant Ron. She shot them a look of apology before hugging each of them.
Hannah and Neville didn't question Draco's presence. Something about the Hufflepuff's inherent good nature presumed Draco to be innocent from the get-go. And, if Harry trusted him, well then by golly, so would Neville.
There was an uncomfortable truce between Ron and the others, who spoke only when spoken to and refused to look at the Slytherin. He wouldn't ripple any waves, but he also wouldn't calm the tide. Hermione had dragged him there, reminding him that this was for Harry and for Dumbledore, not only for Draco. He crossed his arms impatiently as some of the others began to arrive.
Seamus and Dean were the next to enter. Apparently Neville wasn't the only one who'd missed the meetings; Seamus greeted Harry by hug and several pats on the back. Dean eyed Draco suspiciously but made no comment. This was contrasted immensely by Seamus treating Draco like an old friend.
"Malfoy! Decided to come to the winner's side, eh?" He chuckled lightly, extending a hand forward. Draco accepted the gesture, shaking it firmly. "Any friend of Harry's is a friend of ours, mate."
Draco beamed at the sudden acceptance. He felt grateful, almost unworthy of the kindness given to him by the Gryffindors. He was used to having a price to pay for such things, but he had a feeling that this time he wouldn't have to.
Next to enter were Ginny and Luna, arriving hand in hand with giddy smiles plastered upon each face. Draco didn't mean to stare, but something about them reminded him a little too much of Harry and himself. The thought left his mind as Luna approached him.
"Draco!" She greeted airily. "It's nice to see you here. Are you a member of Dumbledore's Army now?"
Draco nodded, again shocked by Luna's pleasant attitude toward him.
"How delightful! Your aura is shining brightly, you know. I don't think I've ever seen a Slytherin so pure." She cocked her head, evaluating Draco in the odd, innocent way that was characteristic of Luna Lovegood. Pleased with her findings, she curved her lips into a smile so sweet that Ginny found herself instinctively gravitate to Luna's side.
Draco's suspicions were on the brink of conclusions when the door opened once more to reveal a couple of Hufflepuffs: Susan Bones and Ernie Macmillan. Hannah waved excitedly, happy to be reunited with her own housemates.
"What is he doing here?" Ernie's voice was the first negative statement to reach Draco thus far. Susan elbowed him curtly, displeased with manners uncharacteristic of their house.
"He's here because he wants to be," Harry answered firmly. "And he's not going anywhere."
Ernie raised both hands in a surrender. "No hard feelings. I'm just surprised, is all."
Lavender and Parvati were the next to arrive, giggling and murmuring to each other as always. They made no vocalization of Draco's presence but whispered feverishly in his direction.
Last to enter the room was a singular Cho Chang. This came as a surprise to Harry, who'd hardly expected her to arrive after their fall out last term.
"Hi, Harry." She smiled shyly, and Draco unintentionally made a face. Cho didn't seem to notice; she was too busy gazing affectionately at the Chosen One.
"Cho." Harry acknowledged her presence but paid her no more attention. Draco grinned internally, smug at the lack of interest. He had never known himself to be the jealous type, but seeing Cho attempt to rekindle whatever feelings she'd had for Harry unleashed a protective rage that made him want to snog Harry right then and there.
They waited a moment for any others to arrive, but it appeared that this was going to be their final group.
"Okay, everyone. We're all here because we have a common interest. We are Dumbledore's Army, and we are all fighting for the same cause." All eyes were on Harry. "With recent events, I feel that it is imperative now more than ever that we join."
"Is it Voldemort, Harry?" Neville asked softly, a hint of worry tainting his words.
Harry inspired, glancing around the room. "Yes."
There was an audible gasp from the direction of Lavender Brown, followed by a few hushed whispers.
"Voldemort and the Death Eaters want Professor Dumbledore dead. We don't know exactly what they're planning, but we know that if he has not been killed within the next few weeks that they will intervene." There was more commotion amongst the group, confused faces and unanswered questions.
"But If they expect him to be killed... is there a Death Eater among us?" Ginny was sharp, drawing unspoken conclusions quickly. Eyes widened and hushed whispers turned into audible rabeling throughout the room.
"No. They only believe there is." A silence fell across the room as they attempted to grasp the vagueness of his statement.
"It was me." Draco cracked the quiet, causing a flurry of shocked looks in his direction. Harry turned to him, surprise evident in his expression. He hadn't been expecting Draco to reveal anything self incriminating.
He drew in a breath and continued. "My father is a Death Eater. You all know that. I was chosen by Lord Voldemort to carry out the murder of Albus Dumbledore. But I refuse to follow in their foot steps. I know I haven't been on the best terms with some of you, especially in recent years. And for that, I genuinely apologize. But you must believe me when I tell you that I am no longer on their side. I hope that you can all forgive me and grant me a chance to prove myself. When I don't give them what they want; when Dumbledore lives, I am prepared to fight with you."
Nobody spoke, nobody moved. The words seemed an oddity coming from the lips of a Malfoy, and it took time for the room to process what hung in the air. Even Harry was silent. An eternity seemed to pass, and Draco began having his own doubts when the sound of Hannah's hands pierced the quiet. It was slow at first, her hands brought together and apart in what appeared to be a clap.
Neville beamed proudly at the girl and joined her, followed by Bones, Lavender, and Parvati. Hermione ensued, and the rest of the room joined in one heap of applause. Harry turned to Draco, a wide grin spread across his face as he, too, joined in on the ovation.
Draco lowered his head humbly, thankful to be accepted among the Army. The only person who wasn't in on the applause was Ron, who stood idly with a look of contempt. A pang of rejection hit Draco's gut. Harry sensed this instantly and gave him a comforting pat between the shoulder blades.
"He'll come around. I promise." His voice was hushed against the lobe of his ear, and he felt an impeccable urge to hold him, to kiss him in front of the crowd. He wondered if they'd still be clapping.
The applause died out, and Harry turned to face them once more. "Alright. Now that we're all on the same page, who's ready to practice some dueling?"
Excited murmurs floated amongst the group as they split into pairs. Hermione and Ron were the first to demonstrate, their round ending soon after it began with Hermione's "stupefy." If Ron was sour before, he was downright bitter after having his arse handed to him by the girl he was crazy about. When he came to, Hermione was already above him with an extended hand. She pulled him into an embrace, and he felt, well, more than slightly better. For the first time that evening, his lips pulled into a smile.
Next were the Gryffindor girls, Parvati disarming Lavender. Luna surprisingly overtook Ginny with a "petrificus totalus," and the redhead was more than impressed with her skills.
Neville was overthrown by a dainty Hannah, who calmly and quickly cast a binding spell.
Seamus and Dean's match lasted longer than the others', both putting up a legitimately good fight before Dean was able to disarm Seamus.
"Harry?" Cho wore the expression of a puppy dog, eyelashes batting flirtatiously. She of course lacked a partner after Marietta's mistakes, and Draco couldn't help but glare. Harry shrugged.
"Alright, Cho. Let's duel."
They met on opposite sides of the room, positioned for the start. As soon as Hermione gave the signal, Cho found her legs locked as Harry cast a silent "locomotor mortis."
Draco couldn't help but snigger at the immediate defeat. Cho was either completely daft or was playing the lost puppy card. As Harry reversed the spell and gave her a hand up, she shrugged shyly. "I guess I'll just need to spend some extra time with you practicing."
Draco leered, rolling his eyes. So she was the lost puppy. Harry didn't respond, turning to canter back nonchalantly to Draco. Upon reaching him, he smirked coquettishly. "Care to give it a go?"
Draco lifted his chin coyly, readily accepting the challenge. "You know it."
Everyone watched intently as they took their positions on opposite sides of the room.
"Scared, Potter?" Called Draco across the space between them, a sly smile on his lips.
Harry grinned at the memory, excitement bubbling within. "You wish."
It was amazing that in just a few short years, these words could take on such a new and different connotation. Draco raised his wand, and Hermione counted them down.
Immediately, Draco attempted to hex Harry, only to be blocked by a quick "protego." Realizing that this was going to be an interesting duel, the two grinned at each other competitively.
"Impedimenta!" Called Harry, but Draco blocked it easily. He fired off a stinging hex, which hit Harry partially as he attempted to duck. Refusing to give in, Harry cast a binding curse that Draco reflected back to its owner. Throwing out a shield charm, Harry side stepped as Draco cast another curse his way.
"Expelliarmus!" Harry attempted to disarm Draco, but he was able to catch his wand in the opposite hand before falling victim to the spell.
"Confringo!" Draco called, flames hurled toward Harry from the tip of his wand.
"Aguamenti!" Water jetted toward the flames, extinguishing them in mid-air. Draco was panting at this point, each spell draining energy.
"Duro!" Harry fought back, sweating but refusing to forfeit. The crowd was fully engaged; Hermione was biting her lip nervously while Seamus was making bets with Dean and Ernie. Most others watched intently, unable to remove their eyes from the experienced duelers before them.
"Everte Statum!" Draco dodged the hardening curse, and Harry flew backward a few feet before catching himself. "Flipendo!" He shouted vengefully, the dueling spirit alive within them both.
"Finite incatatem!" Draco nulled the jinx, pausing briefly to catch his breath. Harry took full advantage of this, throwing a jelly legs jinx toward him forcefully. Draco physically jumped to avoid it, smiling at Harry impressively.
"Immobulus!" Draco called confidently, aiming straight for Harry. The spell would've worked wonders, would have won him the duel even, had Harry not cast a similar charm simultaneously.
Magic swirled through the air toward the opponent, sifting in waves of green and blue. Streaks of glowing light wrapped around each other in the center, combining and twisting and feeding from each other. All at once, the Magic seemed to expand, branching outward from the middle. Harry and Draco both held fire to watch; neither had any idea what in the fuck was happening.
"Oh no," Hermione winced, the only one present who had any clue of what to expect.
"What is it, Hermione?" Neville spoke timidly, eyes glued on the pattern of light waves suspended in the air between them.
"It's the magic- the spells. I've read about this. When two experienced duelers channel enough magical energy, and at the off chance that they cast a similar spell, the magic can combine and-"
The next moment was a blur. Streams of blue-green light emanated outward, reflecting off of one another and back to the senders. Harry's mouth dropped in confusion before the light struck him, blasting him backwards until he hit the wall behind them. Simultaneously, Draco was thrown to the opposing wall, slamming against it with a loudness that had everyone gaping. The next few seconds stretched timelessly. Harry and Draco lay motionless, frozen from the effects of the immobilization spells. Hannah's hand was positioned over her open mouth; Seamus's eyes were protruding from his skull. Ron was somber, unable to cope with a motionless Harry.
"...backfire."
Hermione was the first to move, tugging on Ron's arm in an attempt to snap him from his stupor. He shook his head wildly, nodding at Hermione once as she gestured toward Harry.
Hermione headed to the other side of the room, pointing her wand at Draco's chest with a spoken "reinervate." Almost immediately, he sat up with an audible gasp for air. Panting, he flashed a smile at Hermione and her extended hand. He gratefully accepted the boost, rising to his feet and whispering a soft "thank you."
Across the room, Harry too was beginning to stir after Ron's intervention. He gazed upward, vision of the redhead swirling slightly. Ron offered a hand, pulling a rejuvenated Harry upward with a slight smile. This was the most contact he'd had with Ron in days, and his saving spoke thousands of words that had gone silent between them. Things weren't back to normal yet, no, but this was definitely the start of something. Harry grinned at the newfound hope, pulling Ron into a brotherly embrace.
"Pay up!" Macmillan slung his arms around Seamus and Dean, who forfeited a sickle each to the Hufflepuff. "Told you it would be a draw."
"I really thought Harry would win this one. I had no idea Malfoy could duel like that," Seamus admitted, and Dean shrugged.
"I've seen him in Snape's class. I knew he had a shot."
A humming spread throughout the room as everyone gossiped and shared their thoughts on the excitement of Harry and Draco's duel. The two crossed the space to each other, shaking hands and laughing at the turn of events.
"Not bad, Potter," Draco complimented impressively with a hint of playful sarcasm.
"Not bad yourself." Harry crossed his arms but grinned whole-heartedly. They stared at each other briefly, caught somewhere between the past and present. Memories of fierce competitions and bitter rivalries flashed through each mind, and it was only a moment before both of them burst out laughing.
Oh, how things had changed. And the best part of it all was that neither Harry or Draco would've traded it for the world.
The rest of the meeting went smoothly. Draco's fighting skills and honest confessions had earned him a spot in the Army, and he honestly couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so... normal. Even the Slytherin house wasn't so welcoming to each other; everything was constantly a power struggle amongst the serpents.
At the end of the meeting, Draco was greeted with several hand shakes and hugs from the group members. Ron was still distant, though his presence lacked the contempt that it had once held. The room cleared out slowly, pairs leaving in a staggered array to avoid suspicion. Hanging around much longer than necessary was Cho, who approached Harry when all that remained was the three of them.
"It was great being back here again." Her hands were folded, shoulders rocking side to side with each step. The movements instantly reminded Draco of a shy, desperate puppy, and he felt himself need to vomit.
"You know, I've really missed you, Harry. Things have changed so much since last year, don't you think?" She completely ignored Draco, who glared at her scornfully. Instead, she stepped closer to the Chosen One.
"They really have, Cho. More than you think." He shot a sideways glance at Draco, who was brooding until soft, knowing eyes met his own. It was clear that Harry wasn't interested in the damned girl, and Draco found it hard to stifle a victorious grin. Harry remained indifferent, his arms folded in a stance that was very matter of fact.
Cho wore a bemused expression, and Draco wondered how the hell this girl was sorted into Ravenclaw. "Okay, then. Erm, well, I guess I'll see you, then." She flashed him that canine smile, full of longing. Draco really did try his best not to roll his eyes, but they may have done so just slightly.
Cho exited the room, unsure of her ability to woo Harry. He seemed preoccupied, but with what? Maybe it was just bad timing. She convinced herself that this was true as she cantered back to Ravenclaw tower.
"Aren't you going to run after her? She's getting away, you know," Draco asked sardonically. The door to the Room of Requirement had just latched, and they were alone.
Harry rolled his eyes, stepping closer to Draco. "Maybe you should run after her. And tell her that I am already absolutely, moronically in love with someone else."
He ran a finger from Draco's temple, tracing his cheek and jaw, studying his features like he'd never seen them before. Every time was like the first time when it came to Draco, a fountain that left Harry thirsty for more. He touched a fingertip lightly to both lips, brushing across the soft pink. Draco's mouth opened slightly in response, falling limp at the tingling sensation brought on by Harry's touch. He let his hand drop, appreciating Draco's angelic features shyly. Both eyelids had fluttered shut; his lips were still parted beneath soft, rosy cheeks that appeared to be completely relaxed. Unable to resist, he reached forward to gently grasp either side of Draco's head and propped himself upward to plant a kiss onto the center of his frontal bone. This was followed by a trail of several pecks along soft, pale skin. He placed his lips gently along each closed eyelid, to the tip of his nose, and down along the side of his left cheek and jaw. Draco hummed gingerly, absorbed by each smooth caress.
"You know, I would say that tonight was a success," Harry whispered in a hushed breath that Draco could taste. "I'm proud of you."
The words struck Draco, and both eyelids sprung open to search emerald irises for sincerity. The sound of each consonant and vowel was foreign; it was a sentence that he had never heard until the present moment. Grassy eyes showed nothing but raw honesty, and Draco melted at the realization that his emotions were valid.
"Don't look so shocked," Harry smiled wryly, the edge of his mouth turning upward. "You are the greatest thing that's ever happened to me, and one of the bravest people I've ever known. Definitely the bravest Slytherin." His smile widened as his face inched even closer to Draco's.
"I love you." The words were almost blurted, Draco unable to contain his rising affection for the boy before him. He was drunk on Harry's scent, his breath a cool breeze upon lips. Something deep within Draco, a knot of sorts, was loosening. He could feel it tighten and relax in phases that were induced by Harry's pride. Here, in this moment, a bliss had settled upon them that led Draco to believe that for the time being, there was a chance that everything would turn out okay.
Harry pressed his smile against Draco's lips wholly, returning the sentiment with a whispered "I love you, too."
Dumbledore's Army met consistently over the course of the next week. They'd mastered the review of things they'd worked on during 5th year and were broadening their knowledge of defense spells. Hermione had been studying especially hard, bringing textbooks to the meetings that were quite large and found only in the restricted section of the library. They'd branched from hexes to shields to defensive charms and spells that increased power. Draco even learned a thing or two, extensively trained in dark arts and hexes but lacking in charms. He and Harry made a hell of a teaching duo; Draco was able to educate the team on what to expect from a Death Eater while Harry taught them how to fight against it.
This evening, the two stood back to back while streams of light shot and reflected around the room. Harry and Draco observed their "students" proudly while they engaged in practice amongst themselves.
Ron, Harry noticed, had improved greatly. He had even managed to beat Hermione a time or two, which was absolutely unheard of thus far. Harry had patted him on the shoulder after he'd won, a wide grin beaming on his face. For a second, Ron's face had matched, until he noticed Draco smiling in his direction as well. Refusing to accept the fact that he'd learned anything from Malfoy, Ron's shoulders slumped as he turned the other cheek. Harry shot an unspoken apology at Draco, who shrugged in defeat.
Tonight, however, everyone seemed to be in good spirits. Hannah beamed excitedly at Neville, who she'd defeated 3 times in a row with her superior charm work. Ginny fought to hex Luna, who preferred shield charms in her own peaceful, delicate demeanor. Ginny's flirty teasing and Luna's overly touchy reciprocation did not go unnoticed by Draco, whose speculations were brewing rapidly into fact.
Bones and Macmillan were laughing heartily after they simultaneously struck one another with a tickling jinx. Overall, the air in the room was joyful, determined, triumphant even. The team's increasing skills had their confidence peaking. Seamus has taken the time to tell tales of their impending victory against Voldemort, a twinkle of strength and determination in his eye. No one knew what to expect in the upcoming nine days, which was all that remained in the timeline given them by Lucius Malfoy.
"Dean! Try holding your wand higher!" Harry called over the warring chaos, spells flying in each direction around them.
"Got it!" Dean Thomas raised his arm, and sure enough, Seamus tumbled to the ground in a binding spell.
"Great! Keep up the good work everyone!" Harry called across the room before tilting his head to the right, leaning inconspicuously toward Draco's ear. "I think we're really close. I can feel it in my bones. Dumbledore's Army is almost ready."
Draco nodded. "Maybe this is a long shot, but, Harry, I think we might have a chance."
Harry squeezed Draco's hand beneath the billowing fabric of their robes. No one seemed to notice.
