Chapter Five – The reshuffling
Harry woke early and was quite embarrassed to find he was completely sprawled over Draco. He pulled carefully away, slipped off the bed, stretched and yawned. It was this last action which awoke the sleeping blond. Draco yawned as well and stretched like a cat, before scratching his chest idly. "Do you think I'll get out of here today?" Draco asked.
Harry shrugged, grateful that Draco didn't even mention the fact that they slept and cuddled together. Although Harry had to admit it felt very good to wake up like that. But he resolutely pushed those thoughts back to think on later. His stomach growled bringing him back to the present and the fact that Draco was waiting for an answer. "How do you feel?" Harry asked. "I think it will depend on that."
"Indeed it will," Poppy suddenly announced her presence by pushing back the curtains and breezing into the small enclosure. "How do you feel this morning, Mr. Malfoy?"
"A bit stiff," Draco admitted ruefully trying to rub a kink out of his neck. Harry looked at the floor when he realized where Draco had been rubbing was exactly where Harry's hand had been cupping the back of it. No wonder it was sore. As if sensing his thoughts Poppy raised an eyebrow in his direction. Harry was about to defend himself when Poppy cleared her throat.
"Well then, take a sip of this and off you get." She pushed a small vial, which Harry recognized as pain relieving potion into Draco's eager hand. Draco seemed to brace himself then drank it all back in one shot. He tried not to make a face but failed – miserably.
Harry chuckled. "I think Snape makes them taste awful on purpose."
"No, its just the combination of such strong ingredients cannot be covered by some simple flavoring," Draco defended casually.
"Really? Is that why?" Harry wondered why Hermione had never mentioned that all the times he'd complained about the taste of potions. But maybe it was true and Draco really did have a natural gift and understanding of the subtle art of potion making. Merlin knew he didn't have it.
Draco shook his head and immediately regretted it as the cramp he'd just massaged out of his neck returned.
"Oh better let me try to get that for you. Turn around a bit, would you?" Draco moved carefully so as not to create a worse situation and Harry sat behind him. Harry carefully worked on Draco's neck feeling the muscles loosen under his ministrations. Draco sagged underneath him. "Better?" Harry asked hopefully.
Draco was just about to answer when Ron and Hermione appeared next at the curtain. Their eyes went wide. Harry bit his lip and hoped his two friends wouldn't explode. After all, Harry supposed, it did look a bit intimate to have Draco tucked into him like this and his hands on his neck. Ron began to get a funny look on his face, like he did when Hermione mentioned studying. Hermione bit her lip and straightened her shoulders. In a very tight voice she said, "It's time for breakfast. You two better get a move on or we will all be late." She tossed her hair over her shoulder and left. Ron gave one more look at them, put a hand over his stomach and left.
Harry sighed and slipped off the bed. "Well, um, should I go or wait for you?"
Not looking forward to what the reaction might be to his appearance in the Great Hall, Draco bit back his pride, "Wait." He got up and made his way to the bathroom. Harry cast a spell on himself to get the wrinkles out of his clothes. Draco returned and said simply. "Your turn," Harry nodded and went to take care of his morning routine, sans shower. When he returned Draco was dressed, and was trying to get a knot out of his hair.
Eager to touch Draco again and especially his silky fine hair Harry leapt at his chance. "I can get that."
Draco looked at him assessing his motives, and then shrugged. "Suit yourself." He handed the brush over to Harry who began to work on the knot. "I don't understand how it got knotted like this. It's never done that before." Draco commented as Harry worked it out and handed the brush reluctantly back to Draco.
"I didn't mind one bit," Harry smiled. Draco gave a small raise of his eyebrow and a smile threatened to tug at his lips.
"We’d better go," Draco announced finally. Harry fell into step beside the blond, and Draco noticed that their stride was about the same. He'd been very touched by Harry's offer to give him a massage and work out the knot in his hair. He hoped it meant something to the raven haired young man at his side, but he couldn't be sure. He was far too busy trying to analyze his own feelings. Draco had woken up minutes before Harry and upon realizing their bodies had intertwined he had allowed himself a few minutes of sheer pleasure of just being held. It had been a long time since anyone had wanted to hold him like that – especially without wanting something in return. There was something so special about Harry too. It seemed to radiate off him, whether it was his magical signature or his simple innocence Draco could not tell. But he couldn't turn aside the fact it was something to be cherished.
The noise of the Great Hall brought his musing to a close. He looked at Harry, not wanting this time between them to end. Harry seemed to feel it too. The Gryffindor reached out and took his shoulder gripping it hard before letting it go. "It will be over before you know it." Draco nodded, gulped and hoped it was true then before his courage fled him entered the Hall making a beeline for the Slytherin table. He sat down and tried to pretend he didn't notice the hundreds of eyes suddenly upon him. Or the fact that all the chatter had stopped the second he entered. At the other end of the mostly empty table the First Year Slytherins looked at him like he was an unknown quantity.
Taking a deep breath Draco took a sip of his pumpkin juice, after giving it a surreptitious sniff. It wouldn't do to be poisoned now after already escaping it once. A firm hand touched his shoulder. He looked up to see Professor – no Headmaster Snape looking him over. Nothing was said but a wealth of understanding flowed between them. It had always been this way between he and Snape. For a while he wondered if there might be something more sexual about it but soon realized it was just part of the enigma that was Severus. The Headmaster gave a sharp nod then moved swiftly up to the podium, with his telltale black robes flowing behind him. Some things never changed and Snape's dramatic flair was one of them.
All eyes turned mercifully from him to the front of the room. The tension reached a new level as they all waited with baited breath for the announcement. For only a breath a look of sadness crossed Snape's face. Draco was sure he'd seen it, but was just as sure no one else had. Snape cleared his throat.
"Slytherin House will be temporarily closing; my estimate would put it at several years until it recovers." Gasps filled the air. Snape shot a cold look about the room and it instantly fell silent once more. "The remaining members of that house will be resorted into other houses." There was no explanation for this plan, but Snape wasn't the type to explain himself. Draco guessed it was so that there would be as little disruption as possible. A resorting of the entire school was a bit insane after all.
Deputy Headmistress Sprout toddled forward. She placed the Sorting Hat upon the chair and motioned for the Slytherins to come forward. Draco tried to ignore the feeling of sheer dread that came over him. He watched as the small First Years before him were sorted into every single house from Hufflepuff to Gryffindors. The cheers and clapping were reserved to put it mildly.
Draco felt like a zombie. All feeling had left his body and he prayed he wouldn't pass out from lack of oxygen. He pasted the best mask he had onto his face and willed it to stay in place. For all the time he'd spent in Slytherin, he'd always raved about its virtues and the glory of being Slytherin. To have this happen and to have it be essentially his fault…Draco felt sick. It was as if he'd betrayed everything in his entire world. Emotions crashed over him, like waves at the seashore. He locked his knees in place and tried to imagine he was anywhere else but there. When that failed as the boy in front of him was sorted to Hufflepuff, he summoned every bit of bravery he had and marched forward sitting upon the stool once more.
Ah, Mr. Malfoy, back again I see. Quite the lesson you've learned isn't it? The snake eating the snake. Ah, but where to put you? You're certainly no Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw might work. You are quite studious. Perhaps Gryffindor. They would eventually warm up to you as Mr. Potter already has. But then again, I know how you dread those colors. You did summon up quite a bit of courage lately, but still I think there's no choice except – RAVENCLAW!
There was a stunned silence and no clapping. The Ravenclaws seemed just as stunned as he was. He sat down numbly next to Luna Lovegood who actually seemed to be a bit amused by the whole thing.
Snape stepped forward once more as Deputy Headmistress Sprout took the stool and chair away. He pointed his wand at the Slytherin table and it vanished. The Bloody Baron drifted through the wall and Draco wondered what he would do now his House was gone. All the drinks suddenly floated up in the air. There was a great creaking and the tables shifted. Draco grabbed the table as he was taken on a small ride. The tables walked over and resorted themselves into a new arrangement. When they stopped the drinks settled right back in place and food appeared.
Looking around Draco could see they were grouped by year and no longer by house. The Seventh Years were the closest to the door while the First years were right up by the Head tables. The tables were also now going across instead of lengthwise. It seemed to fill up the room a bit better and left three easily accessible pathways to the front of the room. Snape waved his wand one last time and the Slytherin flag fluttered one last time. It folded itself into a perfect triangle and fell gracefully into Snape's arms. The wash of emotion of Snape's face was unmistakable this time. He turned on a heel and left the room. Feeling sick, Draco got up and followed suit.
Seal of Sincerity by Keikokin [ - ]
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