Chapter Six – A Shoulder
Harry saw Draco leave the Great Hall and left as soon as he could after him. He felt great disappointment that the blond had not been sorted into Gryffindor, but was relieved that he would not have to fight Ron on a daily basis. As soon as Harry slipped out of the Great Hall he pushed his emotions aside and gave way to the most pressing one, concern.
Draco slumped against the inner wall of the deserted classroom. He'd tried to get back into the Slytherin Common Room but found the room sealed. Doubling back he happened upon this room near the Ravenclaw dorms and took the refuge he so desperately sought. The memory of the pain, disappointment and disbelief on Snape's face as he closed down Slytherin House replayed in his mind along other memories of what just happened. He would have given all of his belongings at that very moment for a pensive to take some of the pain away. "WHY!" He yelled. In despair he sank to the floor and hung his head between his knees and hugged his legs.
It was this sight that greeted Harry, who had gone all the way to Gryffindor and grabbed his map to use it to find the blond. He slipped in and unsure what to do just sat down beside Draco and waited. The moment seemed too personal to interrupt with whatever he could say. Although what could he say? It took Draco a few minutes to look up. In the meantime, Harry locked the door and put up a silencing charm.
"Harry." Draco laughed but it was tight and near hysterical. "I destroyed my own house? How many students can say that?"
Emotions threatened to overtake the both of them. Harry reached out and put a hand on Draco's shoulder. "You didn't destroy Slytherin House Draco. They did by destroying the one person who gave the House some class."
Draco snorted. "Class? Is that what being a son of a Death Eater is? Is that what being a coward is? Really you need to get a dictionary, Potter."
Harry winced at the return to his surname. As far as they'd come it felt like a slap in the face. But he knew that Draco was in pain and lashing out anyway he could. Using his Gryffindor bravery Harry stood his ground. "They were the cowards. The lot of them attacked you as a mob. Poison is the weapon of choice for cowards."
This time Draco didn't argue. "I still … It's my fault…Severus…He will never forgive me. No one loved their House as much as he did. After he hid me out and protected me all summer, he did not deserve to have …this….this shame."
Gulping Harry blatantly ignored the suspicious burning of his eyes. "I've had my house turn on me too, Draco. They didn't try to kill me but they did turn on me and Gryffindor is supposed to be the most loyal House of them all. And this is no more, "Harry winced unbelieving of what he was about to say, “Snape's fault than it is yours."
Draco threw his head back and laughed. He turned red eyes to Harry for the first time since his arrival. "And how do you think McGonagall would have reacted in Snape's place?"
"It would kill her. I…don't think she'd ever recover." Harry admitted in a soft voice.
"Exactly and Severus is a proud man, Harry. You may not believe it, but he is. I've brought shame to the name of Slytherin and Malfoy. He can never forgive me," Draco choked out.
"He will forgive you," Harry said weakly wondering if it was true.
Draco shook his head. "Why are you here, Harry?"
"…Because you need a friend. I wanted to be here for you. I …I was …worried," Harry admitted looking at his shoes.
"You stupid sod," Draco whispered. "After all I've done, bringing ruin, shame and pain to everyone and you want to be there for me? Are you mad?"
"I've been accused of worse," Harry shrugged.
Draco almost smiled. Then his eyes filled. His lips vanished into a tight line as he searched Harry's face. Draco began to shake. "What have I done?"
"What you always do Draco – survive. It's what I've always admired about you," Harry admitted.
"Do you mind telling me what you're blathering on about now?" Draco asked in a shaky voice.
"Your father got sent to Azkaban, but you survived. For years, you dealt with Ron beating you down at every turn for what your father had done with his life. But you persevered. All those matches I beat you at, you still stayed strong with your head held high. No matter what I've seen you deal with you've always survived. Being strong is what you're good at. I…I envy that about you Draco."
Draco sniffed. "It's not like I had a choice. What about you? Your godfather is killed, your parents and yet you killed that crazy mudblood dictator. I think that makes you a hell of a lot stronger than me."
"I didn't have a choice either Draco. And because of that I know that you'll get through this. As for Snape, well I still don't care for the man, but he's as strong as any wizard I've met. It will take a lot more than this to take him out. Sure, it will take some time for him to adjust and for you too, but you will."
"See this in a teacup or something did you?" Draco sneered.
"No, I see it in you. Both of you," Harry amended.
Sighing deeply Draco said, "You are something else, Harry."
Harry smiled at the return to his first name. "I think you are too, Draco."
"Come here idiot," Draco opened his arms and Harry readily filled them. Pulling Harry close Draco sighed into Harry's hair making it flutter. He nuzzled the top of Harry's head for a moment then closed the distance turning Harry's head slightly he leaned down and kissed him. Just as suddenly he pulled back and kissed him again on his forehead before resting his chin once more in Harry's locks. "Moron."
"Moron lover," Harry teased back.
Draco pulled him tighter. Harry barely felt the nod brush across his hair.
Harry smiled although Draco didn't see it.
A wave of magic indicated the silencing and locking charm being dismantled. Draco looked over Harry's head to see his new Head of House, Professor Flitwick standing in the door. "Oh my! Oh well, sorry to interrupt boys, but it's getting late. Mr. Malfoy, are you …Are you alright? I was quite worried when I realized you had disappeared so quickly. The Headmaster sends his regrets he could not help you settle in but he had to tell the Ministry of his decision. They've been quite insistent that he deal most severely with those who…attacked you."
Harry lifted his head to look into Draco's eyes before turning to the man at the door. "I'm sorry Professor, it's my fault." Harry rose to his feet and gave Malfoy a hand up. "I needed to…um…talk to Draco."
Flitwick smiled broadly and knowingly. "Good, good Mr. Potter, I'm glad someone found our wayward Mr. Malfoy. Professor Wood thought you might have tracked him down. Something about Mr. Weasley being a bit green?" Draco snorted and Harry chuckled. Flitwick winked. "Well, come along Mr. Malfoy. I want to talk to you about Quidditch!"
Draco nodded and with a sidelong glance of gratitude toward Harry he walked out the door. Harry sighed and Flitwick smiled at him. "Don't worry, Mr. Potter. I'll keep a good eye on our Mr. Malfoy. Rest assured."
"Thank you Professor," Harry replied numbly, already feeling Draco's absence keenly. As Draco and Flitwick headed toward the West Tower, Harry headed toward Gryffindor. He had a feeling neither he nor Draco would be sleeping well that night. Arriving at the Gryffindor Tower Harry braced him self for the inevitable and entered.
Sure enough Ron and Hermione were waiting for him. The rest of the Gryffindors had broken into suspicious groups and were completely ostracizing the three Slytherin first years they'd taken in the resorting. Deciding he was damned anyway, he made a beeline for the trio. "Hi."
They looked up at him with suspicion. A small blond boy stuck out his chin and stepped forward. "Potter, what do you want?"
Harry was taken slightly aback. "Um, I just thought I'd welcome you to Gryffindor."
A group scowl was his response. "It's your fault that Malfoy went soft!" The sudden silence in the Common Room was deafening.
"Look I just wanted to-" Harry began but was cut off by the brash young blond.
"You wanted to shag Malfoy and cost him our House." Harry jerked back as if he'd been slapped hard. "Harry Potter!" the blond spat at his feet. "You're nothing but a bloody poof. And if Malfoy wasn't such a slut we'd never-"
Harry saw red. He didn't even realize he was beating the shit out of the son of a bitch until he heard Hermione screaming at him. "HARRY!! STOP IT!!! LET HIM GO!!"
He was lifted forcibly off the mouthy ex-Slytherin and restrained by Ron and Dean. Harry kept twisting in their hold for another shot at the student that was already bleeding profusely from his nose and mouth. The boy only smirked. "Saint Potter," he spat and red flecks of blood flew," has a soft spot. Too bad our Lord didn't know about it – or you'd be dead."
"SILENCIO!" the voice of Oliver Wood came out of nowhere. But Harry was straining too hard at the bonds that had suddenly appeared around him. He dimly registered Hermione putting away her wand. To his satisfaction the ex-Slytherin was in the same predicament- unable to speak to boot.
Oliver exhaled heavily as he stepped in between the two. He glared at the former Slytherins, but especially the one in binds. "Detention with Filch for a month, and if I ever hear you say those words or entice a fist fight again in my house I'll make sure you get expelled. Got me?" Instead of nodding the former Slytherin fought all the harder. Oliver ran a hand through his hair. Harry could see the mixture of emotions on his friends face. "Fine, let's go see the Headmaster then." He looked to the others. "Do not follow his example." The girls nodded with their arms folded over their chests.
Harry didn't trust them as far as he could throw them. Evidently Oliver didn't either. With a wave of his wand he conjured up a bracelet that clinked shut over their wrists, glowed for a second and vanished into their skin. "This is a mischief detector, courtesy of an old friend of mine. Mad-Eye Moody. Perhaps you've heard of him?" The girls looked panicked. "I see you have. If you so much as have a cross thought I will know about it. So either make an effort to fit in, or write to your parents and ask for a transfer to Durmstrang."
"We will," the one said bravely.
Oliver conjured up two quills and pieces of parchment handing it to them. "Don't let me stop you." He turned back to the boy. "Let's go. I'm sure the Headmaster needs someone to take out all of his anger on, it was so kind of you to volunteer." The boy paled. Harry heard Ron snicker. The girls sat down and began to write quickly.
The rest of the house went back to ignoring them. That is everyone except Ron, Hermione, Neville, Dean and Ginny who all looked at him like he'd grown a second and third head. Harry groaned. "Look, come upstairs all of you for a moment." Ron gulped and they all followed Harry to his dorm. Hermione folded her arms across her chest. Ginny bit her lip. Dean shook his head and Neville looked nervously around. Seamus ran up and joined them looking curious.
Harry summoned up his courage and faced them all. "Here's the deal. I like Draco and he likes me back. And I don't care what anyone else thinks, I just…I just wanted you to find out from me instead of someone else."
Ron sank onto his bed and looked ill. Hermione's eyes went wide. "Oh Harry. Are you sure?"
"Oi, Harry mate, you'll have your hands full with that one," Seamus smirked.
"I've got a bad feeling about this, I do," Dean added.
Neville walked forward and put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "I'm…I'm glad you found someone Harry."
Harry smiled. "Thanks Neville." Neville nodded and moved off, looking sharply at the others. Ginny nodded in agreement before Neville took her hand and walked her out of the room. Dean grunted and began to turn down his sheets. That left just Ron, Hermione and Harry in an awkward silence, punctuated by Ron's mutterings about ruining a perfectly good day.
Hermione pursed her lips in a tight frown. "Well then. It's your decision, Harry. I don't approve but it's your life. But don't expect me to be kind to him if he continues to act like a Slytherin prince. I'm only putting up with this for you and …Well…because he hasn't started in on us this year."
Ron stood up and put a large hand on each of Harry's shoulders, looking him square in the eye. "I'm your best friend mate. I…Well, that is to say…Good Luck."
"Thanks," Harry replied beaming at his friend. He knew it would be a lot of work, but it meant a lot to him that he still had the loyalty of most of his friends – Gryffindors to the end. Ron walked Hermione out and Harry went to bed, but he didn't fall asleep for a long time.
Seal of Sincerity by Keikokin [ - ]
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