It all happened in a whirlwind. Things at home were settled with the boy he had hurt because it was proven to be in self defence. Harry gloated to his parents over that, but they still insisted he change his environment.
So that is how he found himself standing in a large entryway, staring at a tall man with a long white beard. Harry blinked up at the man. There was something familiar and comforting about him.
"Hello! You must be Harry."
'I guess they don't get many new students in the middle of the school year…'
"Uh… hi."
The man grinned at him and walked toward him, holding out a hand. Harry took it and awkwardly shook it.
"Welcome to Hogwarts, school of Education and Enlightenment, I am your Headmaster Albus Dumbledore..."
Eyes widening, Harry couldn't help making a small snorting sound. He flushed, trying to cover it up with a cough.
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, grinning. "Do you have a problem with my name?" Harry's flush deepened.
"No, sir. You're British..." Harry mumbled, feeling stupid. Why in the world did he say that?
"Did you assume only Americans lived here?" Dumbledore teased. "The school has a mix of students, you will find out. Now, I understand you have a bit of a record at your old school?"
"Uh..." Harry looked down at the floor.
"Forget it, brush it under the carpet." Dumbledore held his hands out. "All of Hogwarts is your fresh start, Harry."
Glancing back up at Dumbledore, Harry tentatively smiled. He nodded but wasn't sure what else to say.
"At Hogwarts, the students are separated into houses by their last names, A through F are in one dormitory, G through L in another, M through R, and finally S through Z."
Harry continued to nod. He followed Dumbledore as he walked around the entryway and talked about the school's history.
"Other private schools sort children in other ways, but we feel doing it alphabetically is the best way." Dumbledore grimaced. "I once knew of a school that sorted children passed on personality tests. Horrid."
The aging man grinned, "now in each dormitory, all boys are roomed two to a room, your roommate is picked by me of course." Dumbledore tapped his chin with a long slender finger, getting a thoughtful look on his aging face.
"I am afraid you have to room with . . . I don't like to gossip about the students, of course, but I think it only fair to warn you that you have to live with a bit of a troublesome boy. Draco..."
Harry tried to sniffle a laugh at the name, though Dumbledore ignored him and continued, "Malfoy has issues. Like you, he's British, though he was sent here because of his parents . . . Oh, dear, I shouldn't gossip," Dumbledore tutted at himself. "But I will," He decided. Harry got the feeling this man loved to gossip. "His parents died, sad, sad, yes I know, and his aunt, dreadful woman sent him here so she wouldn't have to take care of him."
The brunette looked at Dumbledore as if he had grown two heads. "Are you serious?" he gasped, speaking to the man as if he had known him his whole life. Dumbledore just seemed like that sort of person.
"I don't know what to say... " He glanced down at his feet, feeling horrible for this Draco person and he felt even more horrible for the way he had acted about being sent away. His parents sent him away to give him a chance for a better future, Harry knew that deep down, but Draco? Wow, how sad.
"Yes, it's a dreadful thing," Dumbledore said. "Well, how would you like a tour?" He stood up and clapped his hands, "come on, chop chop."
With wide eyes, Harry got up to follow the headmaster, disturbed by his personality.
"Watch the stairs," Dumbledore warned as they climbed one of the many staircases. "Third board is loose, you might fall through." Dumbledore chuckled as if finding the idea hilarious.
"This way leads to the S through Z house," Dumbledore said, pointing down a long winding hallway. "Watch out for that house, a group of redheads reside there," Dumbledore smirked. "I was once a redhead myself. Nasty little pranksters. You watch out for the twins and their joke items, their little brother is dandy though. You might like him."
Harry just nodded, a bit overwhelmed by everything he had to take in at once, as Dumbledore continued to point at various areas, explaining things that were probably quite pointless. "Oh G through L is that way. Mr. Longbottom is a good kid. He has a tragic past too, but I shouldn't gossip."
"Heh..." Harry rubbed the back of his neck, feeling uncomfortable, though he was happy this guy was so friendly.
"Say are you homophobic at all?" Dumbledore asked out of the blue.
"Say what?" Harry nearly choked. What kind of question was that? That wasn't something you just randomly asked a student.
"I just saw the sign for GSA and I thought I'd ask if you were homophobic before explaining the sign to you."
"Oh . . . I'm not homophobic . . ." Harry blinked a couple of times, thinking this was too weird a conversation to be having with someone he had just met, the headmaster at that!
"My uncle is gay and he talks about kissing his boyfriend all the time. My mum thinks he's a bad influence, but not because he's gay." Harry blushed. "I talk too much."
"I don't mind, GSA, gay-straight-alliance is open to students and staff if you ever want to pop by and show your support." Dumbledore winked. "Oh and look, the M through R house, this is our stop! Draco knows he has a roommate and he isn't exactly happy. Try not to kill each other, okay?"
With an uncomfortable smile, Harry just nodded, before he was left alone outside the door leading to the common room for his house. He walked in and looked around shyly. A bunch of students looked up at him, some going back to what they were doing and ignoring him, and others staring boldly. Harry was used to both. Blushing, Harry looked around. How was he supposed to find his room, or this Draco person? Dumbledore could have been a little more helpful, couldn't he?
"You look lost," someone said. Harry turned around and nodded embarrassedly. "Mr. Dumbledore didn't tell me how to find my room."
"Who ya sharing with? I'm Theodore Nott, by the way."
"Draco Malfoy," Harry said with a shrug. "You know him?"
Theodore's eyes grew wide, before he whistled, "tough luck man." Harry got slapped on the back, "I feel for you, I do. Draco is a bitch."
Feeling himself becoming angry, Harry scowled at Theodore, but the boy didn't seem to notice or care. Did he even know why Draco was troubled? Did he even care to find out why he acted the way he did? Harry didn't even know Draco and yet he wanted to be his friend.
"Do you know where he sleeps or not?" Harry asked, his eyes cold.
"With everyone," Theodore snickered before someone else pushed him and told him to shut up.
"Joke joke, he's too uptight to let anyone near him in that way. God, can't you take a joke, MacMillan?" Harry watched as the two boys glared at each other.
"Hello, will one of you please help me?" Harry grumbled, annoyed.
"Sorry about him, I'm Ernie MacMillan. Don't listen to what Theo says about," Ernie lowered his voice, "Draco. The sleeping around bit, I mean," Ernie said. "Draco would kill him if he heard him talking like that."
"I see..." Harry was not sure what else to say.
"Don't call me Theo, ugh.." Theodore groaned. He rolled his eyes and then walked away, losing interest in the two goody two shoes.
"This is your room," Ernie said. He rubbed the back of his neck, "even if what Theo said was mean, he did kind of have a point. What I mean is, Draco is hard to deal with. He has only been here for a few months, but he hasn't tried to make any friends, and truth be told, I think he likes it better that way."
Harry nodded slowly, with a frown. "Okay... thanks for telling me, I guess. See you in class, maybe..."
"If you survive," Ernie joked before walking away.
With his head held high, Harry entered the room. He had to blink a few times to get used to the change in light. The room was dark, too dark. Harry was surprised to note that someone, he assumed Draco, had even tapped a blanket over the window so that no sunlight could get inside. The room was only lit with a couple of candles placed on a desk between two beds. One bed was made, the other was . . . occupied. A blonde, a very strikingly handsome blonde, not that Harry cared about looks, was lying in the bed. He seemed asleep.
Harry walked between the beds and stared down at the blonde. He was taken aback when he realized the other's eyes were open and glaring daggers at him. Draco's mouth was set in a straight line, his arms were crossed.
Slowly, Draco set up, his blanket pooling around his waist. Harry looked away because Draco seemed naked under the blanket.
"Let's get one thing clear," Draco said in a smooth rolling voice; a voice that could probably put babies to sleep, it sounded like music. "I don't want you here. I don't care to know you, so forget small talk. Turn on a light or remove the blanket and I will kick your arse." Now his voice sounded like very angry music, but still music. Harry stared at him dumbfounded.
"Well..." Harry had no idea what to say and according to Draco that was just what he wanted. What an ass. A big big big ass! Harry glared down at Draco, meeting his anger, before he turned away from him and crossed his arms. What crawled up the blonde's uptight ass? Now he knew why Nott called him a bitch. 'A big angry, bitch.' Harry huffed.
'Thanks mum, I got a roommate possessed with the devil and it's all your fault, though there is a plus side, I doubt he will try and seduce me, happy!'
Then Harry remembered what Dumbledore told him and his anger softened, just slightly. Fine, Draco may not want to be friends, he may not want to talk, but damn it, Harry was going to talk and if Draco wanted to be a wall, then so be it.
"Well I happen to have an issue, Draco, do you mind me calling you that? Oh, you don't? Okay, perfect! You see, I talk to myself, oh it's a dreadfully pathetic thing, so you will just have to get used to it, won't you?" Harry looked at Draco and smiled. He was being evil, but it was also kind of fun. "Since you're here then I will at least be able to pretend I'm not completely crazy, eh Draco?"
Draco just glared at Harry as if he had two heads. "You're a freak."
The brunette laughed. "Thank you, compared to what I have been called before, I take that as a compliment. You're awfully sweet, Draco." He sat down on the bed he assumed was his and yawned. "Still can't believe..." He trailed off. "Well, no matter..." He was about to complain about his parents and he doubted Draco would want to hear that.
Making a point of not saying anything, Draco turned over onto his side, facing away from the boy. He hadn't learned his name yet, nor did he care to know it. It was probably a really stupid name like Leroy the Third. Draco smirked, before glaring at the wall. He didn't care what his name was and that was that.
"Yooo hoo Draco, hey..." Harry sighed. "Are you a person or a rock?" Harry complained. "Can you at least show some sign that you're breathing?" Harry kicked Draco's bed, annoyed.
"Draco, man... I get stuck with a weirdo, what luck. You'd think I'd get some break after getting sent away because I killed a guy on accident, but noo..." Harry grinned when Draco turned to face him, his eyebrow slightly raised.
"Hah, he lives," Harry cheered. "You're so impossible. Maybe if you ask, I will explain about the guy I killed, okay beat to a bloody pulp, but he could have died."
Draco rolled his eyes.
"Okay, so I only knocked him out with a lucky punch. You're annoying." Harry pouted. He wondered if Draco wanted to kill him yet?
"Seriously though," Harry whispered, "you ever think it would help to talk?" he asked softly. He sat on his bed and sighed. "I don't know what your issue is with life, but..." Harry did know what it was, but he couldn't let Draco know that he knew.
"It won't make you any less of a man to talk, or even cry if you wanted to! Heck, I cry all the time." That was a lie, but Harry wasn't sure what to say to get through to the blonde. Heck, how was he supposed to get through to someone he had just met, and who wouldn't give him the time of day?
"Also, not tat you care, but I do, my name is Harry Potter. Feel free to continue calling me Freak if you prefer."
"Shut up, Freak," Draco growled in his oddly music-like voice. "I didn't ask what your name was. I didn't ask for you to be my shrink. Your voice is getting on my last nerve." Draco pulled his blanket over his and swallowed hard. What did this kid know anyway? He should just mind his own damn business.
Being an only child, Harry was spoiled beyond belief, and he was used to getting whatever he wanted, yes, even Lily gave him whatever he wanted within reason. So this whole deal with Draco was very frustrating, though he was determined he wasn't going to stop talking. Draco needed someone to talk to whether he'd admit it or not. At least he was talking, yelling yes, but he was talking. Too bad he was letting his anger out on Harry, but there was nothing Harry could do about that. He supposed he had to stick aro until Draco's anger ran out.
"This is something you will have to learn to deal with," Harry said with a yawn, "I don't shut up, not even in my sleep." With that, he crawled under his covers and tried to fall asleep. It was hard with Draco huffing and sighing every two second.