Hey. A little faster update this time, eh?
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Ch14: DRACO'S DEAL
Harry didn't have to run far to catch up with Draco Malfoy, but what was surprising Harry the most was that Draco was alone, -without his two goons. Harry smirked.
"Where are your buddies?"
Draco glared back. "Like you care, Potter. You only hang around that Weasel and Mudblood girl."
Harry scowled, his temper already up in the surface. "Don't call her that!"
Draco actually smiled. "So, got the hotties for her?"
"Like I would tell you!" hissed Harry.
"Then I won't talk to you," Malfoy smirked, and Harry suddenly realised that this wasn't going too well.
"Wait," he said, "what do you know about The Dark Lords threat?"
Draco suddenly looked at Harry like he had never seen him before, realisation shining through his grey eyes. For a moment Harry thought he wasn't going to say anything, but then Draco said; "and what would I get if I tell you?"
Harry stared; he hadn't considered that. "I dunno. Er -what do you want?"
He couldn't believe he was bargaining with Malfoy.
"I want to join the DA. That's what you called it, right?"
"What?" exclaimed Harry, "but –we haven't decided if we're going to start it again!"
"You better then," Malfoy smirked.
Harry shook his head; there was no way he could decide that now. "I have to think about it," he promised instead.
"Don't think too long," said Draco and left.
Harry walked dumbly back to the Charms classroom, just in time when Flitwick opened the door. Hermione urged at him.
"What did he say? Did he actually tell you something?"
Harry shook his head again; he was tired and worn-out, he had no energy to deal with things like that now. "No, he didn't tell me... And he won't until I let him join the DA."
Both Hermione and Ron's jaws dropped. Their reactions were quite similar to Harry's- "WHAT?" they both exclaimed at the same time, and Flitwick hushed at them.
"Yeah, I know," said Harry gloomily, and, perhaps out of pure habit, settled for a seat in the front, with Hermione and Ron following suit.
-
He was really lucky to have such good friends, he knew that. He wouldn't even have managed first year without them. However, something was changing. That something was Harry.
Harry didn't need anyone to tell him that he had changed the last year. Ever since Cedric died everything had been different. And he knew, that Cedric, Sirius and everybody else that were killed by Voldemort in Harry's dreams were only the first ones in a long list of people that Harry had to watch die, and –there was no way around it –Harry himself had to kill someone on the way.
Harry could feel the pressure on his shoulders heavily, and he barely kept attention through Charms.
Flitwick told them a lot about how they could use Charms to defend themselves, and more than once he referred to Harry. If Harry had bothered he would've flush brightly, but he didn't. Instead he kept thinking about more important matters; the threat from Voldemort and his new feelings for Hermione.
Yes, he had realised that his feelings for Hermione had changed too. She had changed from being a little girl with bushy hair and large front teeth to a beautiful, young woman.
He couldn't tell exactly how and when it had started, but now he could barely keep his eyes from her.
Hermione's attention, however, was mostly directed towards the class, almost stubbornly, and Harry gave up trying to get her attention and looking forward to the class instead. Ron sat beside him, and Harry wouldn't let him get the wrong idea, at least not so soon.
Flitwick gave a little demonstration and turned half visible. Everyone in the class let out a gas of surprise, except Harry, Ron and Hermione, who had done it before.
Soon the class was to try the new charm, and the Trio tapped their wand over their heads and felt the cold, wetting experience over their head as they, as Flitwick, turned half visible.
Flitwick beamed and awarder Gryffindor thirty point; ten to each of them. Nobody else in the class managed to get the charm right.
-
After Charms they got Potions, which Harry dreaded the most. He was afraid that Snape would be worse than ever, and, sure enough, Snape wasted no time in telling Harry that he would get no special treatment, no matter how soon the Dark Lord wanted him.
Harry, however, felt a bit relived by this, if Snape had changed behaviour because of Voldemort's threat, then Harry would feel much more alarmed by the fact than he already was.
The class was divided in groups with three or four, Harry and Hermione, strangely, were on the same groups, along with Blaise and another Slytherin girl Harry did not know.
Harry quickly figured out that Potions would be much more difficult, and Snape hinted more than once that someone didn't deserve the spot, because normally he only took in people with an 'Outstanding' in OWLs.
-
After the class Harry had decided; he knew there was no way that they could let Malfoy into DA, but yet they really needed the information. However, Harry didn't felt he had the right to take that decision alone, so he wanted to collect the DA and ask them what to do.
Harry activated the coin he still carried around, and through the dinner he got many curious people asking him if it was true that the DA were indeed going to start again.
"Of course," said Harry patiently to everybody that asked, and Hermione kept by his side and beamed the whole time. Suddenly Harry felt a couple of slender arm around his shoulder, and, convinced it was Hermione, he hugged her back and twirled her around, only to discover that it wasn't Hermione after all, but Cho.
"Hi," said Harry and blushed slightly. He could practically feel Hermione scowl beside him.
"Hi," answered Cho, with a look mixed of puzzlement and sadness over her face. "I read the Daily Prophet," she said sadly, and Harry sighed.
"Yeah, well, that's some of the things we're going to discuss in the DA meeting tonight," Harry said, trying to look calm. Cho, however, was nowhere near calm, and gave Harry a new hug, tears dripping from her eyes.
"I'm so sorry Harry," she whispered, and traced a finger up and down his spine. Harry shuddered and broke off the hug, holding her safely on arm- lengths away. He didn't felt too comfortable around her.
"It's okay," he said, looking at her sternly. "Voldemort has threatened me before, I just have to watch my back..."
Harry seemed to use that excuse a lot lately.
Cho nodded, gave his hand a squeeze, and went back to the Ravenclaw table. Harry frowned slightly before turning to Hermione, who still had a scowl on her face.
Harry gave her a small smile, before trying to take her hand. However, Hermione took her hand away and gave him a threatening look.
"What was that all about?" she asked.
"What? Cho?" asked Harry, puzzled. Was Hermione jealous or something? "Hey, don't worry, you're the one I like," said Harry hastily, and, luckily, Hermione let him take her hand again in approval.
"Can you prove it?" asked Hermione suddenly, her voice almost teasingly, and Harry froze. He could tell she was testing him.
"What? Here? Now?"
Hermione chuckled before putting her arms around his neck. "Yeah," she said, "if we're going to be a couple people would find out anyway..."
Harry swallowed hard, trying to find some courage to do what she asked him to. However, that was not an easy thing, every time they had kissed it had always been impulsive, and in private. Just kiss her! His mind yelled at him, and he bent down, their lips touching briefly before pulling apart again.
"Sure you can do better than that, Potter," said Hermione mockingly, and Harry bent down again, to whisper something in her ear:
"Meet me in the room of requirement a little early, would you?"
Hermione giggled, and, both flushing brightly, went over to the Gryffindor table.
Suddenly the whole table broke into applause, and soon nearly the whole hall joined in, as well as the teachers that were present. Harry blushed even brighter, and wished nothing more but to run and hide somewhere, anywhere else.
Hermione, however, dragged him stubbornly the rest of the way to the Gryffindor table, and sat down beside him.
Suddenly, without warning, Harry could feel something, or rather someone, pulling his mind. It didn't hurt, but it left Harry quite puzzled still. Voldemort! Harry suddenly realized, and blocked his mind with all his might; he would not let Voldemort ruin this.
Harry let out a sight of relief when he felt the connection subside. Luckily it didn't seem like anybody had noticed his change of expression.
Alarmed, Harry looked over at where Ron used to sit, but Ron was gone. Harry swore under his breath.
"Where's Ron?" asked Harry, and Ginny turned her head.
"I don't know. He hasn't showed up yet," she said, with a strange, empty voice. Harry felt even more uncomfortable.
"Shit..." cursed Harry and got up, "I need to find him!"
Harry dreaded the reaction he might get from Ron, after all, Ron had a hard time getting on good terms with Harry again after the last time.
Without having anything to eat, Harry escaped the great hall and the stares in it with quick steps. There was no way to avoid it; he had to talk to Ron before someone else told him what had just occurred.
Harry continued to swear under his breath as he hurried towards the Gryffindor common room, praying that Ron was still there. Harry doubted that, however, because it was not common for Ron to be late for a meal. Unless-
Harry was just running past the Transfiguration classroom when he heard something that made him trip and fall hard on the floor.
"Oh Ronald!"
Harry, not daring to believe his own ears, slowly got up to his feet, and peeked inside the classroom. There, on the teacher's desk, no other than Ron Weasley and Luna Lovegood sat snogging.
Harry let out a cry of surprise before he could collect himself. This was certainly not what he had expected Ron to do anytime soon!
Ron looked up, his eyes huge, and then blushed a very, deep shade of red.
Luna giggled and poked Ron in his chest, making Ron blush even more, if that was even possible.
"Ron!" Harry finally cried out, after some embarrassing moments in silence.
"Uh..."
"How long?" was all Harry managed to ask.
"Er..." said Ron, passing Luna uneasy looks. "Right now?"
Harry goggled. "What?"
Ron, however, looked down with a smile playing around his lips, no longer blushing. "Yeah, and we'd like to continue if you don't mind..."
Harry, shaking his head flabbergasted, left them alone and made his way back to Hermione, feeling revealed and a bit scared at the same time.
-
Hermione did indeed meet him in the room of requirement a bit early. Harry felt his throat go dry, and Hermione was biting her bottom lip nervously. Harry knew only too well what he had meant when he had told Hermione to meet him a bit early, but now as the present had caught up with him, it seemed like his courage had left him at the same time.
"Hi," he croaked out, feeling as pitiful as Snape used every opportunity he had to tell him he was.
Hermione smiled. "It's just me. No impostor, no Death Eater in disguise. Relax!"
Harry grinned back. Trust Hermione to know exactly what he was thinking. And she was right, even though Harry looked at her a bit more different than he had a year ago; she was still the girl he had known for five years. He shouldn't feel so nervous.
They sat down on a couple of pillows beside each other, saying nothing, only looking at each other and holding hands.
"You know," said Harry after some while when he felt one of them should say something, "I'm absolutely clueless about what this boyfriend and girlfriend includes!"
Hermione laughed softly, and then took her finger on his lips.
"Before we do anything though," she said, "you must promise me to continue with occlumency lessons. I care about you so much, that I would do anything to make sure that you're as prepared as you can be when the... when the time comes."
"All right." Harry agreed without hesitating.
"All right?" asked Hermione, as if she had expected him to protest quite a bit with her before he gave in.
"Yeah. You're right. I should be prepared, and it certainly won't hurt." The truth was, Harry had already agreed with himself to continue with the lessons, in one way or another.
Hermione smiled, and kissed him gently on his cheek. Harry blushed and brushed away some hair of her face.
"You're something special, you know that?" he said drowsily; somehow he didn't have much control over what he was saying anymore.
Hermione giggled. "Oh, thank you Mr Potter, what have I done to owe this pleasure?"
"Being you," said Harry, and kissed her softly. Somehow it wasn't that hard to do anymore - actually it felt rather natural.
-
Seamus, Dean and Ginny interrupted them ten minutes before the DA meeting began. Shortly after even more people joined in: Ron, hand in hand with Luna, Neville, Parvati, obviously friends with Lavender again, Susan Bones with Hannah Abbot, Cho Chang, Katie Bell, Ernie MacMillan, Justin Finch Fletchley, and everyone else that had joined the DA last year, except Marionetta and the ones that had graduated.
Everyone found a pillow to sit on and sat down in a half circle in front of Harry, watching him expectantly.
"Right," said Harry, and tried to appear confident. "I'm sure by now all of you know what stood in The Daily Prophet this morning, right?"
Everyone murmured and nodded in agreement.
"And we'll support you in any way we can, you know that," said Justin.
"Yeah, whatever it takes man," said Dean.
"We won't let you down," whispered Parvati and blushed.
Harry's chest glowed. They cared.
"It appears-"started Hermione, "that Mr Malfoy knows something about this."
Everybody was looking at Hermione now, their mouths open. Ginny looked extremely angry. Hermione shot Harry a look. "Harry talked to him today," she told the DA.
"Yeah," said Harry, "but he wouldn't tell me anything. Unless-"Harry interrupted, because people had started to mutter angrily among themselves, "-he could join the DA."
Silence.
Harry cleared his throat. "That, of course, is out of question."
Some seconds passed without anybody saying anything, but after a while Ginny cleared her throat too, still looking furious. "I think," she started, "that let Malfoy join the DA is a small price to pay compared to loose you."
This seemed to catch everybody's attention. "Yeah." Said Parvati, and soon the whole class murmured their agreement.
Harry didn't know what to say.
"I don't care about the Ferret boy," said Ron and scowled slightly, "but I care about you. –And decides, I wouldn't mind kicking that slime ball's ass sometime, without getting detention."
Harry broke into a grin.
"Thank you, guys. That means a lot to me... I still don't like it though."
"Well, neither do we, clearly," said Zacharias Smith sarcastically.
"So... what's this thing between you and Hermione?" asked Lavender, her eyelashes fluttering towards Harry.
Harry grinned sheepishly. Ron's head snapped up, and stared at him like he had grown an extra head. Hermione looked down, flush creeping up her chin.
Harry arched his eyebrows at Lavender, making her giggle.
"Oh God!" cried Zacharias. "You girls make me sick! Why's Harry so bloody special?"
With the exception of Cho, Parvati and Ginny, the rest of the girls giggled. Harry glared at them, totally bewildered. Hermione nudged him, and Harry realized that everybody was looking at him, as if they expected him to answer.
"What?" he snapped, "just because I've escaped Voldemort-"a wave of shudder went through the group- "a few times, it doesn't make me any different from you guys!" That was a downright lie and Harry knew it; but there was no reason whatsoever for them to know about the Prophecy.
"Gees, stop saying his name already!" said Dean, rubbing his neck awkwardly.
"Yeah," said Seamus, "there's no reason to say it!"
Harry frowned. "Is there something else you like to discuss, except me and Prophe- I mean the Dark Lord?"
Several of the people in the group gasped, and Harry cursed under his breath. He hadn't meant to say Prophesies; it had just slipped his mind.
Hermione turned around and looked at him searchingly, a worried look etched over her face.
"What did you say?" gasped Susan.
"What?" asked Harry, desperately trying to buy himself some more time.
"You said the Dark Lord!" Susan exclaimed, and Harry sighed in relief.
"Well, yeah, you didn't want me to say Voldemort, so-"
"You've said it before!" said Hermione suddenly. "I don't remember when, but you've said it!"
Harry glared at her angrily. "So...?"
"Only Death Eaters say 'the Dark Lord'," muttered Ginny under her breath, but everybody heard her.
Harry's insides turned to ice. "I'm not a Death Eater! Honestly, you should know!"
"We know," said Ron instantly, "but it's weird, that's all."
Harry felt horribly insulted, but deep down he couldn't help but agree. Since when did he say the Dark Lord instead of You-Know-Who?
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