Chapter Seven – Discoveries
The next morning in the Great Hall Draco picked at his food. He felt ill at ease at the Ravenclaw table. It took him a minute to realize why he felt quite so strange. It wasn't just the Ravenclaws that were making him feel oddly. After all, he'd been raised to be comfortable in almost any setting. Then it came to him. He was the only remaining former Slytherin left. His fork clattered to his plate noisily, indicating his shock at the cold, harsh, truth. He'd been completely shunned, abandoned and forgotten. His rasping breath was the only thing he seemed to hear. "You'll be okay. Don't worry about it," came an odd voice. Draco looked over to see Luna Lovegood smiling dazedly at him.
"How do you know that?" He asked in sheer disbelief.
"Because the grass isn't always greener," she smiled and started to read a copy of the Quibbler, upside down.
He shivered involuntarily. Unconsciously he began to get up when his attention was suddenly diverted. A cry of happiness filled the room as mail call began with owls swooping in from all directions. A bad feeling of foreboding overcame him. Rising from his seat, he turned quickly on his heel to leave when gasps began to mix in and then whispers broke out like small wildfires all around the Hall. He caught Harry's eyes. Concern filled the deep green orbs.
Draco fought back a waving tide of emotion. He was uncertain whether he was going to be sick, or pass out. But he knew without a doubt that he just had to get out of there. He'd just made it out of the Hall, when he felt a tug at his elbow. "Draco! Didn't you hear me calling you?"
Closing his eyes, Draco wished this once Harry would go away and leave him alone. "No I didn't, Potter." He wrenched his arm loose and out of instinct made a beeline for the Slytherin dorms.
It only took a few steps before Harry had caught him up again. "I let you push me away once Draco, so just forget it. Malfoys don't run away and a Potter doesn't let anything get between them and the person they care about –especially if they are needed. You need me Draco."
Draco turned on his heel, a bitter retort on the tip of his tongue. But it failed him as he looked into the honest green eyes before him. He sagged into Harry's arms. "I can't deal with it. They're all gone...All of them. I can just imagine what the paper is saying about me. I've probably been erased from the family tapestry."
"It's not so bad as all that. Come on then, Draco and have a look," Harry pushed a copy into Draco's shaking hands. Nervously Draco looked down after seeing the quiet urge and resolve in the deep, emerald eyes.
DURMSTRANG IN UPROAR!
A record number of transfers from Hogwarts have pressured the officials of Durmstrang School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for acceptance. The school, long known for its secretive teachings of the Dark Arts, was stunned to hear of the alleged closing of Slytherin House at our own Hogwarts. Sources say that Headmaster Snape expelled six years of students for attempted murder of one of their own, whose name is currently being withheld.
Durmstrang's gates were locked for the first time in the school's history to ward off the sudden influx. According to Ministry records there clearly is not enough room for the new applicants at the ancient school. Yet surprisingly, as soon as the news of the depletion of Slytherin House at Hogwarts made the rounds at the school, students lined up to be transferred to Hogwarts.
"It's bloody cold here and Headmaster Snape understands what we've been through. Slytherin House will rise again," claimed Valkerie Valstock a sixth year student at Durmstrang. "These students coming in are in for a rude awakening! I'll gladly switch schools!"
It is this reporter's belief that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry should expect a tide of new students to refill Slytherin House. By the looks of things it is about to rise from the ashes to be reborn.
Draco looked up into Harry's eyes incredulously. "This…It can't be…I mean…No." Draco's voice shook.
"It is true. You better not get used to wearing blue and grey. I don't think you'll be in Ravenclaw for more than a day or so." Harry tried to smile but it didn't quite each his eyes.
"But should I go back to Slytherin? When they find out won't they all hate me like the others did? Who's to say they won't try to poison me next, but with something so deep into the Dark Arts that old bat won't be able to figure out an antidote in time? What if –"
Harry could tell Draco was starting to get more wound up with each passing second. So he kissed him right there in the hall. Draco gasped and Harry took the opportunity to deepen the kiss. Moaning deeply in his throat Draco pulled Harry closer to him, wrapping his arms around his waist.
"OH YUCK!"
Draco and Harry sprang apart as if their robes were on fire. Ron Weasley stood there next to an open mouthed Hermione Granger whose arms were filled with books. "I just ate!" Ron wailed.
Hermione thrust out her chin. "Care to explain, Harry?"
Harry stood closer to Draco and with a shaky hand pulled Draco's hand into his own, lacing their fingers together. "We're dating."
Draco looked at Harry, but thought that now was not the time to contradict him. Besides, it was nice to hear. Plus there was the added bonus of Weasley's expression, which he would have paid money to see. So Draco smiled and leaned over to plant a kiss on Harry's cheek. "That's right."
Ron shivered and stuck out his tongue in a disgusted manner. Hermione's sigh was audible. "Fine then, but I do expect you to follow proper decorum and not be snogging in places you don't belong." Her tone was very tight, clipped and authoritarian, reminding Draco of McGonagall so much, he bit the inside of his mouth to keep from laughing. One look from Harry, however, ended the thought of a snappy retort. "It's time for class."
It proved to be a long, long day for Draco, who wanted nothing more then to have another go at Harry. Instead he found himself the object of more and more rumors as the day progressed. They ranged from the absurd – that Draco had planned the destruction of Slytherin House to replace it with Durmstrang students all along, to the silly – Draco was actually a Veela and the Slytherins had threatened his mate, Harry, and so he had driven them all out. To make matters worse, Draco was counting down to dinner, when he suspected the Durmstrang students would arrive. He still hadn't made a decision as to whether or not to return to Slytherin and it all depended on the Durmstrang students. It was totally outside his realm of influence and he loathed the feeling of little to no control that it left him. Harry seemed to sense his apprehension and pulled him off to the side whenever possible whether it was for a hug or a kiss, for which Draco was eternally grateful. The touches seemed to ground him. At the very least it reassured him that no matter what, Harry would remain in his life.
Seal of Sincerity by Keikokin [ - ]
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