DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Sadly.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: hey, review responses at end. Once again overwhelmed by the amount of response this is getting. But it is really flattering. And nice. And just plain yeay! Sorry for the long gap between updates but 'Good Intentions' distracted me. Had planned to post this on Wednesday (28th) but did not get it finished on time. Will try to update next on the 12th at the latest, which gives me a week to write the chapter. Maybe a deadline will get this moving again.
Here's chapter four.
Enjoy.
~ ~ Chapter Four ~ ~Monday 18th November
Seamus Finnigan was pissed.
He had set his sights on Blaise Zabini a long time ago and out of nowhere the Boy Who Lived had swooped in without so much as a by your leave.
It was really most unfair.
And Harry wasn't even sharing.
He was actually…what? Dating a Slytherin? A quick fuck was one thing but publicly seeking out one was quite another.
And he was getting away with it.
Harry Potter and Blaise Zabini were dancing around each other and the Prince of Slytherin was accepting it. No, worse, he was joining in, making nice with the Gryffindors like…like he wanted to.
Draco fucking Malfoy.
He had been Seamus' last hope. From the moment Harry had entered the common room with a goofy look on his face Seamus had waited eagerly for Malfoy's reaction.
Soon all he heard was Blaise this and Blaise that. Suddenly Mr Reserve was Mr Share All. And still Malfoy did nothing.
Then they're sitting together in class.
Please, Malfoy can not be totally unaware.
Finally Malfoy acts. He approves.
Fucking bastard.
Yes, Seamus Finnigan is pissed. He is pissed at Harry, at Blaise and at Malfoy. But mostly he's pissed at himself. Because while, yes, he was looking for a quick fuck from Blaise it didn't mean he didn't want more. He knew what he wanted. Really wanted. He wanted anniversaries, holding hands, Friday night dates. He wanted a relationship. But he didn't go for it.
One: it was a Slytherin
Two: it was a bloke
Three: it was Malfoy's best mate.
Four: it was Blaise and he wouldn't want that.
So Seamus played it obvious: leers, gropes, kisses. And was rejected. Then Harry Potter swoops down and does what no one else would dare.
Yes, it's a Slytherin
Yes, it's a bloke
Yes, it's Malfoy's best mate.
And yes, Blaise Zabini wants that.
And Seamus could not even hate him because Harry was his friend and did not even know he was stepping on Seamus. Because you don't talk to Harry about things like that. Because he's so … Harry. But then, every so often he does something to remind you he is just like you, just a normal bloke, that he gets the dirty jokes, that he's not as innocent as the world wants to think.
And then he does something like this. Something that no one else would do. And you remember why he's Harry. Innocent yet not, naïve yet knowing, Gryffindor yet…
***
Monday 4th November
Soon the sight of Harry and Blaise together ceased to be a conversation stopper, though there had been no inconsiderable excitement the first time Blaise sat at the Gryffindor table for dinner. When Harry followed this by joining the Slytherin table no one knew where to look. Gazes flickered between Ron Weasley, Professor Snape, Draco Malfoy and the Slytherins at large, trying to gauge their reactions, reading them with something akin to disappointment.
Ron Weasley, famous for hating Slytherins in particular and Draco Malfoy especially, upon entering the hall to see his best friend seated at the Slytherin table opposite Draco Malfoy simply nodded a hello and sat down at the Gryffindor table with no visible trace of anger or even pique. Professor Snape and Draco Malfoy were equally disappointing for those betting on fireworks – and this was literal, for with the book on Harry and Draco somewhat scuppered by current events Fred and George had opened a new one around Harry and Blaise. Snape simply pretended not to see the Golden Boy sitting amongst his pupils while Draco Malfoy – who you would really expect to be able to rely on given that he had spent the last six years fighting with Harry Potter – bade him good evening and held a civil, nay a positively friendly conversation with him.
It was appalling and under such conditions the Slytherin body as a whole had no choice but to accept the addition to their numbers.
Perhaps surprisingly the new relationship between Harry and Blaise had done little to change the dynamic of the two houses as a whole. Gryffindors and Slytherins continued to clash on every level as had always been the case: Slytherin/Gryffindor classes were still the most explosive, Quidditch was still fiercely competitive and of two people were caught fighting there were no prizes for guessing which two houses would have lost points in the morning. In short, life at Hogwarts continued pretty much as it had always done, with one exception.
And while the school at large might have become used to the sight of Harry waiting for Blaise outside classrooms or Blaise meeting Harry after Quidditch practice, they would never get used to the sight of Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy studying together in the library or Ron Weasley seeking Draco Malfoy for a game of chess. The final blow came when rumours began to spread that Potter and Malfoy, now Harry and Draco, were flying together, racing, messing about, voluntarily and for fun. After that the school at large gave up, leaving the seventh years to themselves and letting their lives go on as if this had never happened.
***
Friday 15th November
It was official, Hermione was worried about Harry. He had been in a foul mood all day, snapping at anyone who tried to talk to him and not participating in class at all. She could see Ron and Blaise shooting him concerned glances, hell even Draco Malfoy looked concerned. Even Snape had avoided asking him any questions. When he yelled at Colin Creevy for saying in all innocence "all right Harry?" and stalked upstairs Hermione followed determinedly. Going up to the seventh year boys dormitory she barged into the room saying "we need to talk."
"'Mione?" he muttered, head buried in his pillow, "where's Ron?"
"Playing chess with Draco."
"Draco?" he sat up, wondering if there was any way he could go back down without loosing face. Or being totally obvious.
"Yes Draco. They're beginning to strike up something of a friendship, as amazing as that sounds."
"That's nice," Harry replied distractedly.
"Yes but its not why I'm here. What are you doing with Blaise?"
"Hermione!" he flushed a brilliant red as he avoided her gaze.
"Harry that's not what I meant," Hermione looked slightly flustered as she continued, "what I mean is why are you with Blaise. Why are you and he doing whatever it is when you clearly fancy Draco."
"Oh, that."
"Yes. Harry you better not be using that boy because he seems really sweet and I will not hesitate to tell him."
"It's not … I mean we're not … sit down, it's kind of hard to explain."
He shuffled over in bed and made room for Hermione to climb in beside him. Once they were squished in comfortably he began, not meeting her gaze.
"I began seeing Draco in sixth year and it was good, what we had. It was just meant to be sex, just sex, no strings. But it never was. We talked and laughed and … and had fun and I fell for him. Hard. And I shouldn't have done. And I tried to continue, hoping that maybe it would go away, that maybe it was just that I thought I should love him if was sleeping with him. But it got worse, or better, depending on how you see it. And I was so confused and didn't know what to do and then Blaise was in the library and we were talking and I told him about Draco and he told me he was sure Draco loved me and then we were talking about Seamus – did you know they like each other? Only Blaise wanted a proper relationship but Seamus is too scared or something cus it's a Slytherin so we made a plan and we're making them jealous or something and…and" he finally trailed off, finally looking at Hermione.
"Well," she said slowly, trying to digest his rapid and garbled confession, "I see why Draco says Gryffindor's can't make plans. That sucks Harry! What the hell do you think going out with his best friend is going to say to Draco? And what about Seamus? Did you even think at all?"
"It sounded like a good idea at the time," he protested weakly, "and at least this way you are getting to know Draco and Ron won't hate him if it works out."
"Well at least that answers one question. I take it you asked Draco to come here, to make friends."
"Yes, when I broke things off I told him I wanted him as a friend and Blaise said he'd only do something like that if he really liked me so that's good right?"
"Oh Harry," she sighed pulling him into a hug. "And what was today about?"
"A month ago today I broke it off, told him…told him I thought I could love Blaise and wanted to let things develop and he said that we were just, just messing around. He didn't care and I felt like shit and then Blaise said that everyone else expected us to get together and," he changed tack asking in a lighter voice, "did you know Fred and George were running a book on us?"
"Harry love you stopped making sense about ten minutes ago. Go to sleep."
"'Kay," he muttered, happy to oblige as his head was spinning. "Don't tell Ron. Please."
"Ok but don't tell Blaise I know either."
"Tit for tat?" he asked sounding slightly annoyed.
"No but its easier to keep track of the lies if no one knows. Go to sleep. And Harry," she stopped at the door, "I hope you get him."
"Me too," he muttered, rolling over and falling asleep.
***
Saturday 16th November
The next day saw Harry back to normal, going through a round of stuttering apologies for his bad mood the day before. When everything had been smoothed over everyone once again congregated in the Gryffindor common room. Lavender, Parvati and Jessica were in one corner reading witch weekly, Neville, Seamus and Ron were talking about Quidditch strategies and next to them Dean was arguing with Briony about the referee's use of the off-side rule in a football match they'd just watched. And on a sofa next to the currently dormant fire Harry and Blaise were working on their potions homework. Or rather Blaise was trying to explain something to Harry and Harry was distracting him, taking the text book, or his pen or being equally irritating in another way.
Draco sat their watching the scene before him smiling slightly. He was sitting alone, which didn't surprise him as the only Gryffindor who made any real effort to talk to him, apart from Harry, was Ron Weasley. Actually that was something that amazed him; he could not comprehend how Ron was able to ignore the antagonism and unpleasantness of the last six years simply because Harry showed the inclination to be friendly. He was roused from his reflections by Hermione saying "I think I'll join you if you don't mind Draco," she smiled tentatively.
"Not at all…Hermione," he remembered at the last minute that she should be Hermione as much as Weasley was Ron.
"Thanks," she smiled more confidently now and sat down on the sofa. A semi-uncomfortable silence followed as she studied his face, especially the calm, almost pleasant look it held.
"If you don't mind me saying," Draco broke the silence, chafing slightly under her gaze, "I am amazed that you accept all this so easily."
He didn't need to qualify what he meant and she replied honestly, "right back at you."
"Ah well I made a promise," he smiled slightly, knowing she'd think he meant a promise to Blaise, she smiled slightly at the illusion to Harry.
"To someone important to you?"
He paused, he had never considered that before but a slow smiled spread across his face and he replied with a simple and somewhat amazed "yes." 'Fancy that!'
"Then I'm glad."
They sat in silence for a while, watching the other people in the room, watching Ron gesticulate frantically, watching Dean arguing enthusiastically with Briony and watching Blaise grab 'Quidditch Through the Ages' from Harry and run off with it. As their laughter grew fainter as they ran upstairs Hermione turned to Draco again.
"You don't have to sit here if you don't want to. I can't be your first choice of companion."
'No he's busy.' "What makes you think that?"
She just looked at him and he flushed slightly.
"I've been an ass, to put it mildly, and I know that. And I'm not going to blame it on Lucius' indoctrination or far of him or any such crap. I was just a silly kid trying to be important the only way I knew how. And it didn't seem wrong. At the time everything was very…"
"Black and white?"
"Exactly. And it was easier. But I've learnt things," he checked himself, "I want to try. Not to change for changing's sake or because I want to be on the side of light, fighting the Empire and that but because…because I want to think in terms of people not colours. Does that make any sense?"
"You are growing up. It's the same think that makes Ron able to see past the last six years."
"No, that's chess."
"Well that too," she grinned, a genuine, beaming smile, "And Draco? Star Wars?"
"That was the analogy I heard once. I liked it."
FLASHBACK – a week or two into Harry and Draco's 'relationship.'
"What are we doing Potter?" They were lying in Draco's bed, sweaty but sated, Draco's head resting on Harry's shoulder.
"You of all people should know that, Draco."
"Cute but really, this is like something out of a bad film. Like I'm going to seduce you over to the dark side or something."
"Hate to burst your bubble but your not that good in bed! Reign in your ego before in escapes."
"Well I don't see you taking me over to the light."
"No…we're just fucking. Aren't we?"
"Just fucking. I like that," Draco nodded and Harry shuffled round him to get more comfortable.
"And anyway I hate those labels. Dark side and light side. It's so Star Wars. It trivialies everything."
"Star Wars?"
"God, you know 'know thy enemy' is not just a catchy tag line but a good idea. And would save me heaps of explanations. Here goes: Star Wars is an incredibly popular muggle film. And don't give me that blank look, I explained films last week when I mistakenly said 'you lookin' at me?' 'Once upon a time in a galaxy far far away…'"
"What?"
"It's how the films start. They're a trilogy, two actually but the original Star Wars, the 1970s films were about a struggle of light against dark, Jedi's against the Empire. And there was a gold bikini," he grinned at Draco's puzzled expression. "Look next time we're in my room we'll watch them."
And they did. It was, up to that point, one of the best moments in Draco's life; him and Harry curled up on Harry's bed watching the original three Star Wars films back to back. Like friends.
END FLASHBACK
Hermione smiled to herself wondering exactly where Draco was lost in thought, wondering if Blaise could be right or if wishful thinking was making her see too much. Finally he shook himself out of his thoughts and stood up,
"I think I'm going to go back to Slytherin. All this Gryffindor goodness might be contagious," he smiled tentatively at her, "maybe we'll talk again. Tomorrow?"
"Yeah, I'd like that. You never know we might even be friends."
"Heaven forbid!"
END CHAPTER FOURWell I'm really not sure what I thought of this (excepting the Seamus bit which I liked. Really I wanted someone other that Hermione to tackle Harry but Ginny had already been told about the bet and I would have used one of my 'own' characters but there was the risk of Mary-Sue accusations and really they were just there to make up the numbers (5 boys and 5 girls in each house now!) and no one uses Lavender or Parvati really so Hermione it was).
Please let me know where you want this to go next – all advice welcomed. One thing I do know is that there will definitely be a Draco POV in the next chapter – I've had it written for ages but I wanted to delay it some, but I really like it. So having built that up…
Review responses:
Jade Maxwell: a magical game? Do tell. Sounds intriguing. Here's the chapter ready for applause J
Morgana: love the name! I know this has been a real long wait – so sorry but it's been really hard (looks sheepish). I'll try to be faster with chapter five.
Frizzy: ok fan girl thing first. Wow you read my story. So flattered (I love magnetic attraction) and it has lead to some good vela stories. Glad you liked it. I'm just going to sit here and be flattered now. Yeay.
Wintermoon: glad you like the story – hooked? Wow that's nice. You're right, there's not really much room for Snape in here. Will have one little Snape scene but wasn't planning on using him at all (sorry all Snape fans). Glad someone else agrees he can't do much here and I'm not sure I'm ready to tackle his sarcasm! As for the Romeo and Juliet bits, well every fic uses R&J so why break the trend? And as a side note I love your 'Blast from the Past.' It's great.
Willowstar: I'm on your favourites list? That's so nice! Aw. So what is a beta?
Dark Comet: thanks so much for the grey eyes confirmation. Not to rub it in but yeay my exams over! Romeo and Juliet and war poetry. Your English course is good. Like R&J (read it when my little bro and sis knew Paris died and I didn't – came as a shock really that R&J had Hamlet-esq death totals.) And war poetry is good when your not studting it – I love Dulce Et Decourm Est and The Soldier myself. And Charge of the Light Brigade. Being word perfect though! Wow, that's a lot of revision!
Desertrain: glad you liked the Anne of Green Gables reference. Couldn't resist slipping it in. I love the Anne books.
Blue Rosed Dragon: confession time. Actually wasn't really sure where to go with that chapter (chapter three). It kind of took itself that way – I was too flustered by the reviews! Kept thinking 'this is never going to be good enough.' All I knew was I wanted to do Ron and Hermione. The rest just kind of happened.
Lil Dreamer: just to clarify I know its Gilbert Blythe but somehow I can not see a wizard being called Gilbert. Don't know why but it didn't feel right. So I made it Giles. Not that its much better but take it as a nod to Buffy or something if you will. Actually I like all the Anne books. Love the World War One one – can't remember the name. Makes me cry. Anyway, hope this answered your desire to see more quasi-dating between Harry and Blaise. Hard line to take between convincing and cheating on Draco. Tis difficult!
Menecarkawan: I promise that next chapter will look at Draco. Promise. You can yell if it doesn't. Actually have already written the Draco stuff in draft, just didn't want it too early. And the whipped cream and cherries were very convincing (though I made them strawberries!) However I have just read the most recentest chapter of The Light of the Pheonix and it was evil so now I'm holding Draco scene hostage!
Mak: you are so kind! I hope I can live up to the praise. But it feels good to get it J As you can see I didn't finish the game (of risk) but the real game is still going.
She-Who-Is-Not-To-Be-Psyc: hey can't think why I didn't answer last time. The book? Well that is well, English slang, I guess. When you bet on something and there are a lot of bets (such as people waiting for Harry and Draco to get together) it is known as a book. I guess because you record the bets in a book or something. But basically if there is a bet on, we usually call it running a book on 'x'. I hope this makes sense. Thanks for reading.
Also thanks to Silver-sparklze, Rissa, Someonesgurl, AzureLuna, Michael Serpent, Lunadeath, NayNymic, Akemi and Icy Flame for their reviews.