Change in a Star's Alignment
Chapter 22:
The next morning, Harry woke up first feeling warm and safe. Hmm, he thought, I could get used to this.
Once he processed where he was however, he nearly fell off the bed, effectively waking Draco up, whom he had been embracing mere moments earlier. Why did I feel so comfortable with him lying in my arms? He quickly discarded that thought when it led to answers he did not want to hear.
"What was that about?" Draco asked with a mixed expression of confusion and fatigue.
"Um… I dunno," he blushed lightly, "let's get ready for breakfast".
"m'kay" the blonde mumbled, obviously too tired to press any further.
Both boys were dressed and ready to go in fifteen minutes and made their way towards the Great Hall.
"So what do we have first?" Harry asked.
He watched as Draco searched around in his school bag for their time table and had to grab the blonde's waist to pull him away from the stairs that had just moved away.
"Thanks" Draco said after realising he had almost just stepped off of the platform which would have led to him seriously hurting himself.
Harry watched curiously as the blonde boy blushed a light red. He then remembered that he hadn't let go of Draco's waist yet.
"Sorry" he mumbled, blushing brightly as he pulled his arm away and continued walking to the Great Hall, forgetting what he had even asked the blonde in the first place.
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Draco's POV:
He was searching through his school bag when he was suddenly pulled back by Harry, who had put his arm around his waist. He was slightly confused until he saw where he had been about to step.
"Thanks" he said sincerely.
He then realised that Harry still had his arm around his waist and couldn't help the slight blush that bloomed on his cheeks. He watched as Harry stared at him curiously and saw the dawning look that overcame the raven-haired boy's face. He watched as Harry also blushed a deep crimson and couldn't help but notice how beautiful the other boy looked in that moment.
"Sorry" Harry mumbled quietly before turning towards the Great Hall.
Draco followed behind Harry, careful this time to not fall to his doom as he continued to search for his time table. Aha! I found it! He thought triumphantly as he sat down in front of Harry.
"Potions" he said happily.
"What?" Harry asked, obviously having forgotten that he'd asked Draco to get the time table out.
He rolled his eyes at the boy, then proceeded to grab some food whilst saying, "We have double potions with Severus first."
"Oh, right!" the green-eyed boy said, "I'm sure that will be so much fun…" he finished sarcastically.
"You know, it would have been a lot easier for you if you had of just answered everything correctly instead of pretending to be dumb." He reminded the boy.
Harry sighed, "It may have been easier while in class, but outside of it, I would have lost my 'best friend'. At the time, Ronald's friendship was more important."
"Well," he said happily, attempting to cheer the Gryffindor up, "you don't have to pretend any longer. I only ask that you be yourself."
He was rewarded with a breath taking smile from Harry.
"Thank you" Harry said, suddenly serious.
"What for?" he wondered aloud.
"For letting me be me." The raven-haired teen answered with a small blush.
"I wouldn't want you to be any other way Harry." He replied sincerely, reaching over the table to put his hand on Harry's arm to show the other boy that he wasn't lying.
The two unknowingly sat like that for a long time, only breaking eye contact when they heard a not-so-subtle cough. They both turned to see Hermione watching them and obviously contemplating something.
"Yes Hermione?" Harry asked, breaking the girl away from her thoughts.
"Oh, um, it's almost time for Potions. We don't want to be late." She answered, still staring intently at the table, with a slight smirk on her face.
He looked down to see what she was staring at and realised that he was still holding onto Harry's arm. He found himself blushing madly at the thought of Hermione witnessing it and snuck a peak at Harry to find that the other boy was blushing as well.
Draco pulled his hand away and grabbed his books, then waited with Hermione while Harry did the same. Eventually, all three made their way towards Potions.
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Harry's POV:
Harry was relieved when they made it to Potions, as it gave Draco and him the excuse to leave Hermione, since she sits with Zabini and not them. The walk there had been awkward as Hermione kept glancing towards him and Draco the whole time. It was a huge relief to be away from her perceptive gaze.
He and Draco had just sat down when the doors closed and Snape walked in, his robes billowing behind him like always. Even though Snape and he had talked everything out, he still couldn't help but feel nervous because he knew Snape couldn't change in classes, lest he be found out.
He didn't have to wait long before he was called upon.
"Um… I don't know Sir…" he said quietly.
He was suddenly nudged hard by Draco who whispered, "You don't have to pretend anymore Harry."
"Really Potter? You don't know? That seems to be your answer to everything" Snape snarled while some of the students laughed, especially Ronald.
Harry took a deep breath before saying, "Well actually Sir, I do know the answer."
At this, Snape raised a brow. "Oh really? Then why did you say you didn't?"
"Habit" he shrugged.
Snape looked confused for a minute before he looked over towards Weasley. When he looked back, Harry gave a nod of confirmation.
"I see" Snape said, both brows now raised and a slight smirk forming, "Well then Potter, enlighten us, won't you?"
"Well, dragon scales have the potential to be highly useful with potions of protection, as they are one of the strongest things in the world. Unfortunately, researchers haven't been able to use it without blowing the potion up due to the reaction the scale makes with the other ingredients. No one had been able to think of something that would counter the expressive properties of the scales, apparently."
Everyone in the class except Draco was looking at him in awe and confusion, even Snape.
"Apparently?" Snape questioned.
"Well, yes. I believe the answer is quite simple." He replied confidently.
"What do you mean simple, Potter? The best Potions Masters in the world can't even figure it out, what makes you think you could?" Snape asked in disbelief.
He simply shrugged in response.
"Alright Mr. Potter, what is your solution then?"
"You only need to add one ingredient, Sir. The scale from a water dragon." He stated with a smug smile.
"And how would that help?" Snape asked, dumbfounded. He obviously knew the answer, but wasn't able to believe he hadn't thought of it when a teenage boy had.
"It helps Sir, because they are using a fire dragon's scale and how do you fight fire? With water. Adding the water dragon's scale will neutralize the explosive effects of the fire scale and will even add more protection since you're using two different scales and therefore getting two different types of protection."
"Mr. Potter-I-That…" Snape was obviously unable to come up with an insult, so he simply said, "You're just full of surprises, aren't you Mr. Potter?"
"You don't know the half of it, Sir" Harry replied with a smirk.
He had never felt more proud of himself before. He found himself actually enjoying the class and he even participated when Snape would ask questions or start a debate.
When he noticed that everyone was focused on Snape, he wrote a quick note to Draco, passing it by grabbing the blonde's hand under the table. The blonde looked startled before realising that there was a note. Harry gave Draco's hand a quick squeeze before letting go and going back to taking down notes, but peaked over at the blonde to see Draco smiling dreamily, still looking at the note.
"Passing notes, are we?" Snape said, grabbing the note out of Draco's hands. Snape read it quickly before saying, "Potter, Malfoy, my office after class."
"Yes, Sir." The two boys said simultaneously.
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Draco's POV:
Once Severus continued with the lesson, he leaned towards Harry and whispered, "You don't need to thank me Harry, I didn't do anything."
He watched intently as the raven-haired boy turned towards him, they were so close their noses were almost touching. "Without you Draco, I wouldn't have been able to do that at all."
Draco sat back in his seat and let himself smile like an idiot while Harry went back to taking notes. Eventually the class ended and he got up to leave before he remembered he had to stay back with Harry to speak with Severus.
Once everyone left, Severus closed the door and motioned for us to follow him. Severus took us through his office to a hidden door that he knew lead to the Professor's private sitting room. It was the exact same as Draco remembered it: stone walls, black dragon hide couch and chairs, glass table in the centre. It was a sort of sophisticated darkness that fit Severus perfectly.
"Have a seat" Severus said, motioning towards the couch.
He and Harry sat beside each other on the couch while Severus took the seat across from us and subtly flicked his wand, bringing tea over to the glass table. Harry took a cup of tea right away and he and Severus followed suit.
"So what did you wish to talk about Severus?" Harry asked, surprising him.
Why did he use Sev's first name? Draco wondered, And why isn't Sev seathing? Or at the very least surprised? Seeing his confusion, Harry explained how the two had called a truce in the hospital.
"Anyways, why are we missing Charms?" Harry asked their professor.
"I called you both in here because I am curious as to why you, Mr. Potter, have seemed to gain so much intelligence in such a short amount of time."
"Oh, I've always had the intelligence, I just never used it before." Harry replied.
"But why Harry? Why hide such a thing?" Sev asked exasperatedly, obviously frustrated with the teenage boy.
Harry sighed deeply so Draco looked over to see how the other boy was feeling. It was obvious to him that Harry was ashamed, "Hey," he said, putting his hand on Harry's knee for support, "its okay. It's nothing to be ashamed about. It's him who should be ashamed, not you."
"Ah, so this is about Mr. Weasley, then?" Sev questioned.
Reluctantly, Harry nodded his head, "He would get angry every time I would say something intelligent."
"But why?" Sev wondered.
Before Harry could answer, Draco said, "Because he was jealous of Harry's fame and fortune and couldn't stand the thought of Harry having smarts and power as well."
"So you pretended to be dumb…" Severus concluded.
"Yes, I did." Harry said quietly.
Draco squeezed the raven-haired teen's knee lightly to show his support and he couldn't help the bright smile he gave when Harry smiled at him in thanks.
"Tell me something Harry," Severus said, looking extremely serious as he studied Harry, "What was it like living with the Dursley's?"
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Severus' POV:
He knew that something was going on right when he asked the question, as the boy had flinched slightly. I knew it, he thought, why else would he stick around that Weasley boy when it was obviously a terrible friendship? That Weasley brat was his first friend most likely…
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, trying to hide his nerves.
"Never mind, it's not important." He said and watched as the green-eyed boy exhaled in obvious relief.
I don't want to bring it up with Draco here, but it's obvious something was happening in that Muggle household that was not pleasant. I would know the signs considering my experiences, Severus mused.
Remembering what he had gone through in his past made him determined to get Harry out of that situation… No matter what it might take.
"Is there something else you want to talk about Sev?" Draco asked, successfully snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Ah, yes. Harry, how long did it take you to figure out the solution to the dragon scales?"
"Oh that? Well, I just read through the chapter on it and after about a half-hour or so, I remembered that there were water dragons and then put two and two together." The boy said dismissively.
"Only a half-hour!?" Draco blurted out, shocked.
He himself was surprised, "Yes, that's quite impressive Harry…"
Just how smart is this boy… he wondered. We have all underestimated him, and that could be the Dark Lord's greatest and most fatal mistake…
"Oh… Well, thanks." Harry said, obviously not used to all the compliments.
"I wonder," he mused aloud, "if your poor brewing skills were a lie as well…"
He watched as Harry hung his head, "yes, that was a lie as well, I am actually quite skilled in brewing."
"Skilled enough to brew the dragon scale protection potion?" he asked with a small smile.
He saw the boy's eyes light up before Harry said, "I believe so, yes."
"How about we put that to the test, Potter?" Every day after dinner, I'll expect you to be here working on it. I will be present just in case your theory is incorrect."
"Oh I assure you, I'm not wrong" Harry said with a very Slytherin-like smirk.
"We shall see… You are dismissed." He said with a final smile at the two boys.
He watched them leave and then sank slightly into his chair. Hopefully Draco will not be there every time so that I can speak to Harry privately… Something has been happening at that house and I will figure out what it is.
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Harry's POV:
He felt nothing but pride the rest of the day, as he surprised all his professors with his intellect. He felt even happier however, when he would look over at Draco and see how proud the blonde was of him.
Finally the day was over and he and Draco returned to their flat in the tower. Once they were inside, he couldn't help but give Draco a huge hug, lifting the blonde up by the waist and spinning him around.
"Thank you so much Dray! I don't think I've ever been so happy in my whole life!"
"It was nothing Harry, really." Draco said, fully returning the hug.
Both boys pulled apart slightly to look at each other. It seemed like ages to Harry before they pulled away.
"I'm tired," Draco said with a yawn, "I think it's time for bed."
Suddenly realising just how tired he was, he agreed, "Yeah, it's been a long day."
He and Draco prepared for bed and turned out the lights. The blonde fell asleep in no time, but Harry found himself somewhat unable to sleep as he remembered Severus' question about the Dursley's earlier that day. He couldn't help but worry that the Potions Professor knew something, or at least suspected something. No one can know, he thought fiercely, No one can ever know…
With those thoughts in mind, he fell into a rather restless sleep.