I Am Draco Malfoy-Potter
Chapter Three: Easy Magic
They separated when the train stopped, deciding that while Harry liked the new Draco, everyone else had yet to even see him, so the possible appearance of the two together wouldn't have fared very well among the other students. The ride in the carriage had been hell though. Forced into a carriage with Pansy, Blaise and Theo, it was a wonder that Draco was able to keep his breakfast in his stomach. Just seeing the other Slytherins left him feeling hollow and all the earlier happiness was shadowed by the memories their faces held.
No matter how many times Draco attempted to convince himself that it hadn't happened and Pansy, Blaise and Theo were his best friends and could be change, he still found himself having a hard time around them.
Blaise was probably the hardest to stomach.
Draco had witnessed the young Death Eater torture his father and smile at the approval in Voldemort's face. He also recalled that when Blaise turned to look at him his face had gone blank and cold. Just like a trained Slytherin hiding his emotions.
"Dray~! Why aren't you paying attention to me?" Pansy's whine had Draco sneering. They were sitting at the Slytherin tables eating the feast after Dumbledore had given his yearly speech, added on the introduction of Professor Lupin, the list of new confiscated items, and Hagrid teaching Care of Magical Creatures. All things that Draco knew in advance. Already Draco was in the beginning of a major migraine.
"Pansy if you want to keep that hand, you will remove it from my arm." Draco hissed, glaring at the girl who backed off surprised. Her Dray never looked so murderous.
"What's wrong Draco?" Blaise's voice was serious as it sounded from Pansy's other side, but Draco ignored him, stuffing a piece of chocolate into his mouth so he didn't have to answer. The taller male didn't let it go.
"Draco, I'm serious. Either talk or-"
"Or what Zabini?" Draco's eyes seemed to spit fire as they landed on Blaise, and anger so deep and intense that's been held back for so many years had suddenly found its way to the surface and Draco didn't know how to rein it back in. "You can't do anything without a word from me. You would even stop breathing if I said so. So what will you do if I'm not in a chatty mood?"
Every student at the Slytherin table quieted as their attentions turned to their Prince and one of his loyal followers.
"Don't make threats you can't come through with. And refrain from speaking to me until I address you, understood?" Draco felt himself raise back into the Slytherin's possession of power. Even more so when the taller boy glared at him but nodded his head slowly. Blaise was clearly not happy at being humiliated in front of the other Slytherins and even the new first years, but Draco could care less at that moment, finally feeling like he's had enough.
He pushed himself off his seat and nodded to Crabbe and Goyle. Those two carried no memories and were easier to look at in the face now a days. As he walked out of the Great Hall, he took a chance and allowed his eyes to search out Harry, needing the boy's reassuring smile to feel at least a bit alright again. What he found wasn't a smile. It was looks of confusion from not only his Harry, but actually most of the Gryffindor table that had been close enough to hear him snap at Blaise. He nodded when he met Harry's eyes and then sneered at everyone else.
He left the Great Hall before the feast had even ended and none of the teachers even attempted to stop him. That was good for Draco's sanity he reasoned.
Climbing up the stairs of Hogwarts took less time than it used too. It was probably due to his younger body and the lack of knee injuries. Once he got to the right floor and managed to locate the Room of Requirements, he finally felt safe enough to allow himself to drop the Slytherin mask.
It's been so many years since he's needed the damn thing, but bring it back was like riding a bike.
"I guess some things you just don't forget." He sighed and walked into the room his imagination had created.
A fire place sat lit in the far corner of the room, keeping it warm and adding a cozy feel. A love seat and two arm chairs, all colored an emerald green, made a sitting area in front of the burning flames. Besides the sitting area was a four poster bed with blood red silk sheets and a black comforter and pillow casings. On each side of the bed was a dark wood night stand both had lanterns on them but they were turned off so that the fire was the only bright light the room received.
"Well, it came pretty close. Guess I can't remember it that well after all." Draco sighed.
In his mind he had pictured his room at Snape Manor, but it intertwined a bit with the image of his shared bedroom with Harry in the Potter Manson.
Shaking his head he plopped onto the bed on his stomach and buried his face in the sheets. The smell was there. The smell of home and Harry. Least that he still remembered vividly and the room had given it to him. The absurd notion of thanking the room popped into his head before he shook it off. It was the little bit of Harry inside him, he swore it.
"I doubt I'm gonna last very long if everyday is like this." Draco mumbled into the bed before sleep completely overtook his relaxed mind. Harry's scent did that to him.
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"Dementors, Sirius Black, Lupin, what else can this year possibly throw at us." Ron groaned aloud from his bed, finding no problem in the fact that Seamus, Neville, and Dean could hear him too.
"Well there was that Malfoy thing at dinner." Seamus pointed out. That made Harry and Ron stiffen. They had decided to let the events in the train go and made peace, but the subject was still a little tender. Harry now had full confidence on Draco's improved personality but Ron wasn't quiet so taken by it.
"Don't even get me started." Ron growled before sighing.
Harry pulled out one of the only pictures he had of his parents and set it on his bed stand, smiling at the room in contentment.
"Good to be home, hm mate?" Ron grinned at him and Harry had to grin back as his mind went back to his and Draco's exchange on the train.
"Yeah."
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The first day of classes wasn't really so terrible. They were all things that Draco already knew and he found himself simply wondering around in his mind for greater part of the day. It was when Care of Magical Creatures came along that anything interesting happened to him.
Blaise and Crabbe had teased Harry about his fainting on the train, and his affinity to dementors when Hagrid brought out Buckbeak. Like it had happened in the past, Harry had been chosen to approach the beast first and Draco watched in wonder, already knowing no harm would befall the Gryffindor. The only thing about it that seemed to change from the past was that Blaise had begun to be the one to take Draco's place as Harry's tormentor, this wasn't so odd to Draco. Harry grew a lot from his past scuffles with Darco, so it is only fit that time would replace Draco with someone who actually carried malice for Harry.
It was only do to Harry's proximity that Draco stepped in to intercept Blaise.
"Back down Blaise." Draco hissed at the boy coming between him and the hippogriff. The boy looked angry and confused.
"Why should I? That bird is clearly harmless or he would have attacked Potter." Blaise sneered back. "I bet I can get that thing to like me without having to bow like a girl."
When Blaise attempted to get past Draco, the boy grabbed his arm and threw him back.
"Back down!" Draco said harsher.
"You ride the bloody bird then!" Blaise yelled. The sound startling Buckbeak into backing up a couple steps.
Draco stared Blaise down, establishing his superiority right there in front of Slytherins and Gryffindors alike. "Fine." He let out a sigh and turned his back on Blaise facing the hippogriff with a frown.
This hadn't happened in the past. In the past he had gotten hurt by this bird and called it's execution, but he was going to do no such thing this time around. This was a pride thing now, he had to prove himself to Blaise otherwise the boy would believe he could fall out of Draco's control and that was unacceptable.
Slowly with his head down low, Draco approached the best.
Hagrid that had been too shocked to say anything before, but he began to protest when Draco tried to approach the hippogriff. A single glare from Draco had him quieting down though. Draco's father had influence, it was the reason Draco was in the possession of Prince within the Slytherins, so Hagrid new better than to do anything against the younger Malfoy. Still, it was dangerous.
"Draco." He heard Harry's voice call for him but he shook it off, this was something he had to do. Truthfully it was something he had wanted to do since he watched Harry fly on Buckbeak that first time. Now was his shot to do it without seeming like a prick.
Slowly and stead he kept moving forward, bowing lower when the Griffin backed off some. Soon there was barely any distance between them.
"Draco don-"
"Harry." Draco's voice was hard but soft. An intense command while attempting to keep quiet. "Let me handle this."
Lowering his head low while maintaining eye contact and raising his hand he waited. It took a few seconds but the Hippogriff had nudged his hand with his beak. Draco had to smile as he looked up at the beast. "Good hippogriff." He cooed.
The half-giant grinned as asked if Draco would like to ride it. When the blond nodded the half-giant picked Draco up by the waist and dropped him on Buckbeak's back, only earning slight sounds of surprise before he hit the hippogriff's behind and the bloody thing took off flying.
Draco could finally understand what Harry had been talking about all those years ago when the hippogriff had come up in conversation. Being on the back of the hippogriff was like flying on a broom, but more elating. On a broom you were in control of an object that helped keep you in the air, but the hippogriff was breathing, his heart pounding under his hands and its wings beating to keep them both up. It was amazing.
That act had gone a long way in making people respect him as Draco and not a Malfoy. Ron being, surprisingly, one of them. Seems the act of a Malfoy bowing was enough to make Ron let things go.
Draco wasn't too worried though. This growing in status would keep Blaise in his place. It was also making it easier to look at the taller man without swallowing his tongue.
The year seemed to fly by to Draco as he watched Harry from afar, picking moments to step in when it looked like Harry would be in needless danger. The only times he actually talked to the boy was in the library after classes. He would assist Harry in his work as well as doing his own. It had been the best few hours of every day.
Other than minor things, Draco allowed Harry to experience his third year as it should be. Learning the Patronus with Lupin after the blond refused to teach Harry himself, learning Sirius black was his godfather, even the episode in the Shrieking Shack. Harry and Hermione also had their time-turner adventure by themselves, saving the people that were in need, even Buckbeak as Blaise had commented to other teachers how dangerous it was to let students ride Hippogriff. Looks like some things just couldn't be stopped. And as much as it went against his promise, he stayed in the background and let Harry live out this part of his life. It was important to who he would become in the future after all. Draco would never knowing change who Harry was.
While Draco promised to protect Harry himself, he knew that if he stood in the way of Harry's growth it wouldn't benefit anything. Harry did have to fight Voldemort after all, Draco had no say in that one. So it was up to him to leave tasks in the past intact so that Harry may learn to be strong, it didn't hinder anything for him to leave clues though. He had done all that he could this year, and next year, the Tri-Wizard Tuornament, he would also have to sit and watch.
Not that he was particularly happy, but that is what the constant thinking in the middle of classes lead to as a result. Just as he himself needed some experiences to grow and become who he is, Harry was also under the same need. That didn't stop Draco from interfering sometimes though. Like Harry's home life.
"You headed home?"
They had just gotten off the train and the Weasleys and Hermione had all left King's Cross, so when Harry was all alone, Draco decided to go and ask him the pressing question.
Turning to see Draco, Harry smiled tiredly. "Sadly enough." Harry replied. "How about you?"
Draco shrugged. He'd set his parents a note a while ago saying he'd be spending his summer at a friend's house and they could go on vacation if they so wished. They sent a reply thanking him and wishing him well. Not surprising. His parents loved him but his dad was often busy and his mom loved nothing more than after wedding honeymoons.
"Not really. Parents are on vacation. I was wondering if I could spend the summer with you." Draco smiled, already knowing how this conversation was going to go. Especially when Harry's eyes lit up and then his whole face fell.
"My relatives are muggles Draco." Harry sighed. "You would hardly find them..." Harry struggled for the word.
"Pleasant?" Draco offered. It had been the same sentence that Harry had used to describe his relatives the first time around, and Draco offered the same word he had given in the past as well, smiling even wider at the deja vu. He hadn't gotten completely used to being in the past, but he was slowly getting there.
Harry smiled. "Yeah. Pleasant."
"It's okay." Draco said twirling his wand between his finger. "I can handle them."
Draco could to, seeing as he was sent to stay with Harry and his relatives during the summer of their sixth year, going onto their seventh. He knew exactly what to do to get them to leave him and Harry alone for the whole summer.
Harry didn't know that though and he fought with himself about how to answer.
On one hand Harry hadn't seen Draco that often and it would be great to have some fun during the summer for once. On the other, not even Ron offered to spend the summer at the Dursley's so why would Draco?
Narrowing his eyes, Harry spoke his mind. "Why would you wanna spend your summer with muggles?"
Draco sighed with a slight smile at Harry's careful nature. "Because you're there." Draco answered pushing the leather bag higher on his shoulder.
Harry stood silently for a moment, before nodding.
"Okay. Come on." He escorted Draco to the entrance of King's Cross where this nasty relatives awaited him.
"Uncle Vernon." Draco scowled at the oaf as Harry went about introductions. "This is Draco Malfoy. Draco, this is my uncle."
"Pleaser." Draco sneered with his nose up, acting mightier-than-thou. Harry just shook his head with a smile, knowing Draco was only trying to intimidate Vernon.
The big oaf turned and angry glare to Harry.
"What is this boy?" He asked suspiciously.
"Draco's going to be staying with me this summer." Harry said, not cutting corners. The colors that flashed through Vernon's face was almost mesmerizing had the man not looked so ugly.
"He will do no such thing!" Vernon yelled catching the attention a many passer-byers.
Draco huffed pulling out his wand and pressing it against Vernon's large stomach while hiding it with his dark blue hoodie.
"Oh yes. He will." Draco hissed.
Vernon's eyes told the blond that the fat bastard was scared, but the dumb oaf just had to dig a deeper grave. "You're under aged! You can't do magic!" He went to grab Draco's wand but was stopped with a strong stunner. The big man's scream caught even more attention.
"Age means nothing to me. You will live peacefully if you remember that."
He strolled past Vernon, pulling Harry with him. As the brunet pushed his cart.
"How did you do that?" Harry whispered in awe. "We aren't supposed to use magic outside of school."
Draco smiled and held up a wand Harry hadn't seen before.
"Untraceable wand. I use it to practice at home over the summer, figured it'd come in handy if muggles wanted to pick on us when we can't defend ourselves."
Harry gasped. "No way! Where can I get one?"
Draco smirked. "You can use this one when I'm not using it."
Harry frowned. "I thought that wands picked their masters."
"They do." Draco reassured. "But when people have a strong connection, so do their magic and therefor, their wands."
"Do we have a strong connection?" Harry asked with a small smile.
"No." Draco answered in a monotone, making Harry frown. "But we're getting there." He turned his head and sent Harry a smirk before having the brunet pick out the oaf's car.
Looking around to make sure no one would see, Draco shrunk Harry's trunk and helped the brunet get Hedwig in the back of the car.
"It's so much easier with magic." Harry sighed. Draco just laughed.
"I hope you're ready for a fun summer." Draco promised. "Because magic is going to make everything easier."
A/N: I want to thank my loyal reviewers who are seeing me through this story with such good reviews. I've been writing more and more because I'm motivated by the people who actually take the time to comment. So I really really want to thank those individuals.
Chapter four will be coming up in a couple hours depending on reviews. How soon do you guys want to read the next chapter?