Harry Potter and the Sword of Gryffindor - 4. Chapter 4

Dreams of the Sorting Hat, pawns on the chessboard, and of Sirius falling into the Veil receded to the background as Harry woke. His heart was thumping as he laid there in the warm bed and processed the dreams of the night before. His training with Snape, while incomplete had brought some benefits and he knew that these dreams had all come from within him. Of course there was another dream that he’d had earlier that he was trying to forget as well.

Movement next to him made him notice the guy in the bed next him. Sweat stood out on Draco’s pale forehead and he was shaking slightly, murmuring “No.” Sometime in the night their hands had separated, so he took Draco’s hand in his. The effect was immediate as Draco stopped shaking and snuggled up closer to Harry. Harry couldn’t help but smile at how innocent Draco looked in his sleep.

Who would have thought the git had terrorized Harry and his friends for five years?

Sighing to himself he was forced to admit that those memories didn’t really help. Although they weren’t ever going to go away. He had a sudden vision of him and Draco sitting on a porch watching a bunch of kids play in the yard. Both of them were arguing about something, sneering and sniping at each other like they use to…and loving every second of it. The vision ended with a snap and Harry was left to wonder. In the vision, he’d known some of those grandkids were his, some were Draco’s. The question was, who were the mothers?

Even those thoughts were driven from his mind by an urgent need to use the bathroom. Gently prying himself free of Draco’s hand, he made his way into the hallway and found the room he needed. On his way back, he ran into Dumbledore who informed him that he was needed downstairs. A quick change into a light green wizard robe of Draco’s was all that he took the time for before joining the group downstairs.

That was when his real work began. The next two weeks were filled with nothing but meetings. It seemed everyone who was in the Order, or who was affiliated with the Order in the Ministry wanted some time to sit down with Harry Potter. After that first meeting, he’d returned totally bewildered by the questions the man, the Assistant Department Head of Transportation, had been asking. He’d come back to his room to find Draco just stretching out in the bed. They’d talked about the meeting and Draco slapped him gently across the back of the head and proceeded to explain what the man had wanted.

Reassurance.

The man had wanted to hear that Voldemort could be beaten. He wanted to look into the eyes of the teenager who had stood face to face with Voldemort time and again and survived. He wasn’t planning strategy, he was building up confidence in those who would oppose the Dark Lord.

It wasn’t easy. Reliving the deaths of Cedric and Sirius four or five times a day took its toll on him. Every time though, he’d go back to his room and find Draco there. Draco would sit on the edge of the bed and envelope Harry in his arms and let him ruin another set of robes with his tears. Then when Harry was done he’d proceed to chew Harry out for ruining that robe.

Harry’s birthday party was wonderful as well. For the first time in his life he actually had two parties. One was at the Ministry offices and was attended by every Minister and Assistant Minister who could make it. It was dreadfully formal, and although Draco did NOT attend, he’d given Harry tons of useful advice on how to act, what to say, and what NOT to say. That was the night that he realized exactly why the Sorting Hat wanted to put him into Slytherin. Fortunately, he had a friend in that house to help him out. The second birthday party, for family and friends at the Black Residence was a lot more fun.

Hermione and Ron were just as important over those few weeks as were Ginny and twins. Ginny had closer contacts with those year-groups below Harry and the others, the twins had contacts with people in EVERY house through their business ventures while enrolled there. Combined with Hermione’s organizational skills, they soon were putting together an impressive list of contacts for the Order. Not only for actual members, but for more informal “affiliates” who would be sources of information. Draco contributed not only his knowledge of his House, but of their ‘contacts’ in other Houses as well. Ron, surprisingly had his own extensive contacts, mostly of sports and chess enthusiasts.

After the second day of meetings with various officials, it became clear to Harry that he’d need nicer clothes than those he normally wore around the school. Draco made sure of that one evening by telling a story of the gossip regarding what people wore at different Ministry events his parents had attended. After a conversation with Molly during a break between meetings, Molly, Harry, and Draco used a portkey to go shopping in Diagon Alley. To Harry’s surprise, it turned up that Draco had money to get several new sets of robes for himself.

He offhandedly mentioned that he’d been conning allowances out of both parents for years and saving most of that money in Gringott’s. His mother, more scared of his Father than of Draco, had frozen him out of the Malfoy accounts (those that were left after the Ministry seizures), but had not been able to touch his own private account that was counter-signed by Dumbledore after the trial. Dumbledore and Snape were covering his tuition and school expenses, but what he had in that account was more than enough to last Draco the remaining years at school.

As long as he didn’t try to buy his whole Quidditch team new brooms.

That night, when all of the Hogwart’s Order students gathered in the library, Draco had surprises for all of them. Harry was wearing a green and gold casual lounging robe while Draco wore a silver and red cut in the same casual style. All night they’d been getting looks that Harry recognized all to well.

Yes, the Weasley family was better off than it had been in years past, but they were still nowhere near the Potter or Malfoy fortunes. Ron’s casual robes this year would be new, as would Ginny’s, and most of their books would be of a slightly higher quality, but even the casual robes Harry now wore outclassed Ron’s dress robes. Harry felt slightly guilty about it, but knew that Ron would refuse his offers to buy him new robes.

What he didn’t expect was Draco. With his typical Malfoy haughtiness, he thanked Ron for hours of excellent chess games and gave him a gift in appreciation of the time Ron had spent with “the slimy Slytherin git”. Then he thanked Hermione for helping him get along with Ron and gave her a rare book she had mentioned wanting. Ginny got a Madame Mapin’s Young Ladies Artful and Elegant Make-Up Kit. The twins got a new cauldron (having blown up their old one that morning).

Harry got a punch on the arm and Ron couldn’t figure out a way to say “no” without shaming those who wanted to keep their gifts.

Crafty Slytherins.

The Hogwarts letters were due to arrive any time now, and everyone grew anxious. On the morning they were due, everyone was downstairs eating a grand breakfast prepared by Molly. Hermione’s morning copy of the Daily Prophet arrived, and as had become habit, Draco grabbed it from her. She didn’t even frown by then, just sighed and gave him a dirty look, which got a smirk in return.

‘Nope,’ Harry thought to himself. Pretty much the same Draco. It was at moments like these that he wondered if this was the Draco he’d have known if he’d been sorted into Slytherin. As usual, he cut that thought off before it went anywhere.

As Harry finished his waffle, he looked back over at Draco and stopped with his fork halfway to his mouth. Draco was just staring at the front page with the weirdest expression on his face. Harry got a sinking feeling in his stomach and wondered what had gone wrong. Had Lucius escaped Azkaban? The Order had said he was still locked up as of last night…

“Read this, Potter.” Draco said, the Malfoy sneer in his voice as strong as ever. Harry took the paper and groaned as he saw a picture of him from the Ministry birthday party. The headline didn’t exactly make him jump for joy either.

The Boy Who Lived Named Youngest Head Boy in History of Hogwarts!

By Mangus Maninfo

Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry today announced confirmation that 6^th Year Gryffindor student, Harry Potter, more affectionately known as the Boy Who Lived has been appointed the youngest Head Boy in the history of the school. Tradition holds that the position is held by a 7^th Year Student for their last term at the school. This break from tradition comes as the wizarding world prepares to once more confront You Know Who.

Harry Potter gained fame as a toddler when, during the last phase of his attacks, You Know Who attacked the home of Lily and James Potter. Young Potter survived the Unforgivable Avade Kedavra curse and was believed to have killed the Dark Lord. Recently however, it has been confirmed that the Dark Lord somehow survived and is now re-gathering his Death Eaters.

Since entering Hogwarts, Mr. Potter has gained fame for his many accomplishments including being the youngest Seeker in school history (with a nearly flawless victory record) and earning the Tri-Wizard Championship two years ago. According to Ministry officials, he has also found the time to face and defeat the Dark Lord at least four times and earn high marks on his O.W.L. exams. With a record like that it’s no wonder Hogwarts has decided to break with tradition and name him Head Boy.

“Oh, Merlin.” Harry groaned, letting the last bite of his waffle drop back onto the plate and putting his head into his hands. Of course that was when a flurry of owls arrived to drop off everyone’s Hogwart’s letters. Even the letters didn’t stop everyone from grabbing the Daily Prophet and reading the article aloud. Harry just opened his own Hogwarts letter and groaned again as the Head Boy badge fell out.

That was when Dumbledore showed up and things just got worse.

Picking up school supplies didn’t go any easier either. Diagon Alley was crowded as usual, but a bubble of space formed around the group as they moved through the streets. George and Fred disappeared within minutes, followed soon by Ginny and Molly. Ron and Hermione left when a group of Gryffindors caught up to them. They didn’t even invite Harry and Draco to join them. Then the group of Slytherins joined them.

“So, got Potter to pull your feet out of the fire, eh?” Pansy Parkinson said in her irritating whine.

“You going Gryffindor on us Draco, darling?” Blaise Zambini purred.

“Draco.” Crabbe and Goyle said in perfect unison, their faces showing nothing at all.

“Excuse me, Harry.” Draco said, and suddenly Harry was alone. That was until Hagrid showed up. Suddenly, the wonder of the Wizardling world swelled up in him as it did that first time as Hagrid escorted him around to all the stores. The time passed quickly and Harry realized he missed simple, basic conversation that had nothing to do with Voldemort, curses, meetings, or saving the world. He even managed to ignore most of the people who were staring, smiling, or just trying to touch his robes as if he was some type of messiah.

He’d just come out of Ollivander’s with a new wand polishing kit when Draco caught up with him. The silver haired boy let out a sigh of relief and proceeded to fill him in on the questions, comments, and possibilities with his housemates. Draco’s expression of relief made Harry feel a little better. It lasted all the way until he almost bumped into Professor Umbridge.

“Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy.” She said in sneer, looking down her nose at them. “I trust that you’ve been staying on the straight and narrow, Mr. Malfoy?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Draco said, his tone a mixture of politeness and superiority.

“That’s good to hear, and you Mister Potter. I have no idea what has come into that old coot’s head by making you Head Boy but I expect to hear about nothing like what happened last year.”

“No ma’am.” Harry said in a tone that perfectly matched the one Draco had used. He even managed to look her straight in the eye without hiding his hand. She seemed to notice that and nodded once, as if in approval and marched away. Harry and Draco just shook their heads.

The rest of the week was even more hectic. Last minute meetings with non-Order officials were made. All people Harry would not deal with once he was in school, but who were in positions that might be needed in the future. Most were at the Ministry with Harry using a portkey to get there. Each night he came back to the house and went up to the room he shared with Draco. Molly had long ago offered to get two beds but they both said the one was fine. The last night before school Draco gave him a back massage and he passed drifted gently to sleep.

That was also the night he woke halfway through the night with sticky pajamas and a dream that made him very, very worried.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Really, Draco,” Harry was saying in the compartment they shared with Hermione and Ron (both still prefects as was Draco), “you can stay here with us. We don’t mind.”

“Thanks, Harry.” Draco said with a smile, and no hint of the haughtiness or sneer that usually marked their conversations on the train. “I’m Prefect for Slytherin this year. I need to spend time with my house. I’ll see you at dinner.”

“Okay then, later.” Harry said. Ron and Hermione also said their farewells. Ron did his typical head shake every time he imagined being friends with Draco Malfoy, but even he admitted that their former enemy was now a friend. Hermione just smiled and patted his hand affectionately. Secretly, Harry wondered when those two would wake up and hook up.

‘Oh great, now I’m rhyming.” Harry thought to himself. As he looked out the window while Hermione and Ron began arguing about the Quidditch team for the next year, Harry remembered the dream he’d had last night and tried to forget it immediately. No friendship was worth risking that. Besides, what would that do to Ginny if he acted on the dream? Nope, better to leave it alone.

The thestrals pulling the carriages didn’t bother him as much as they did last year. Maybe that was because he didn’t stare at them as long. However he couldn’t help shuddering at them. To his surprise, Draco rejoined them in their carriage and immediately began talking Prefect business. Pansey, the other Slytherin Prefect wanted to bring up a number of inter-house activities throughout the year. Surprisingly, she had thought them up on her own. By the time they got to the castle, Harry had forgotten to ask the question of who the Head Girl was going to be. Normally the Head Boy and Head Girl led a meeting of the prefects on the train, but Dumbledore had told them it would be held at Hogwarts instead.

Oh well, it’d wait.

It was odd to be seated once more at the Gryffindor table. Somehow having to look halfway across the room to see his newest friend made him feel partially naked. At least his best friend’s jokes kept him distracted. Until Ron started telling Seamus and Colin about playing chess with Draco for half the summer.

“So, ‘Arry.” Seamus said in his thick brogue. It was always thicker when the term started. “Is it true you and Malfoy be friends?”

“Yeah.” Harry said cautiously. “He’s actually a decent guy once you get to know him.”

“Ewe, you ain’t shagging him are ya?” Dean broke in with a disgusted face. Everyone at the table who heard made a similar sound.

“Uh, No.” Harry said shortly.

“Those be some fancy robes you got there.”

“Draco bought them.” Hermione broke in just as the Great Doors opened and the hall quieted for the first years being brought in. The Sorting Hat began to wake up on its stool in front of the great table. Suddenly it broke out in song and everyone waited to hear the message it would give in the new year.

Oh, last year those who were here

Heard my warning of danger in division

Yet heed my warning many did not dare

Now the danger is greater closer in vision

So that even Trelawney may see!

First years hear my words and learn them better

Than did those before you!

Four houses there are here, four to be

Slytherin the crafty

Gryffindor the brave

Ravenclaw the wise

And Hufflepuff steadfast

Come before me now, try me on and see

What house I tell you fits you best.

Argue not with me, as did he

Don’t believe, just ask

The dark of the pair

Light and dark they are

But only together can the declare

As only together can the houses

Give victory to the cause!

Applause filled the Hall after the Sorting Hat’s song and McGonnagall’s voice called out the first name. Harry hardly heard her though, or the Hat’s shouted “Slytherin” as whispers filled the Hall. It seemed everyone was trying to figure out what the song meant. Most were missing an important clue though, but not his friends.

“Harry, even the Hat approves of you being friends with Draco.” Hermione whispered to him as the hat declared a new “Hufflepuff!” Of course that’s what the hat meant. He and Draco, friends. He let out a sigh of relief and clapped as a new Gryffindor joined their ranks.

Several hours, and a well-fed Ron later, Harry headed up to the Great Table to speak with Dumbledore. He noticed a familiar figure moving towards the table as well and his stomach fluttered as he recognized Cho Chang. The Head Girl badge was prominent on her robe and she smiled shyly at him. Dumbledore nodded at them both.

“Yes, yes.” He said after they stood before him. “Now I’ve spoken to both of you about your duties. All the prefects have their watch schedules for the night, yes?”

Both Harry and Cho nodded. All that had been included in their letters this year. The first night was a favorite for first years to try to sneak around and prefects joined in helping Fitch keep their escapades to a minimum.

“Excellent then.” Dumbledore said with a smile through his great beard. “Now, Harry, we’ve changed the usual arrangements for Head boy quarters. The last few years the Slytherins were complaining about the hike up to the traditional quarters that were right next to each other. I know it will make it harder for the two of you to communicate, but I trust you can overcome the difficulties. We’ve put your rooms just above the entrance to the dungeons. That way it is far more accessible to Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and the Slytherins without being too far away from Gryffindor. You have the passwords to your rooms and all the common rooms? Well excellent then, goodnight.”

“Harry, it’s good to see you again.” Cho said in that voice that always seemed to make his stomach roil.

“It’s good to see you again too.” Harry said in his ‘public’ voice. It was the voice he’d learned from Draco for formal occasions and he used it whenever he was nervous. So much better than stuttering. Cho just stared at him oddly.

“Oh well, I’m going to head up to Ravenclaw and say hi to the first years.” Cho replied after a moment.

“I’ll join you.” He told her. “I want to visit all the common rooms before they go to bed.”

“Oh?” She asked him.

“Yes.” He answered with his new smile, another borrowed habit. “I think it’ll help build good will if all the houses meet me on the first night. It’d be better if we both did it.”

“No problem.” Cho said with that smile she use to give him. Silently he was cursing himself. It looked like she was single again. He wondered just how long Michael Corner had lasted.

The next few hours passed quietly as they went from common room to common room. Each time he saw a look of hero worship in the eyes of the first years and did his best to appear warm and approachable. Not something he learned from Draco Malfoy. By the time they reached Slytherin, he was already tired. Gryffindor had been in good shape with Ron and Hermione getting the First Years situated. The stampede from the dormitories when they heard Harry Potter was there was incredible. Looking around that room had brought a tinge of sadness to his evening as he realized he would be spending a lot less time there.

He wouldn’t miss Ron’s snoring though. Or Neville falling out of bed in the middle of the night.

Slytherin’s common room was much the same as he remembered it from that single illicit journey. The only difference was that it seemed more, cozy now, more refined instead of chilling. He could only shake his head and wonder just how much of Draco had rubbed off of him. At first the reception they received was chilly at best. However, as time went by and Harry made several compliments about Slytherin, they became more friendly. By the time he was done, he had several first years laughing.

It was as they were leaving that Draco caught up to them. His nod to Cho was very, very cool and Harry wondered what was wrong between the two. Sure they had some rough matches on the Quidditch field, but Harry thought Draco would have tried to be nicer. As they reached Harry’s room at the top of the dungeon level, Cho said farewell. Harry turned and gave his password “Lily”, making sure Draco heard it. The portrait of a young woman relaxing in grass field waved at them as she opened.

The Head Boy’s common room was big enough to seat ten people comfortably. Two couches, two tables and four chair were positioned in front of a large fireplace that was burning merrily. Draco just whistled appreciatively. It was decorated in a blending of all four house colors that somehow managed not to clash too much. The bedroom held a large canopied bed that could have easily fit five people and the bathroom rivaled that of the Prefect’s bathroom except on a smaller scale.

“Harry my friend, you realize how much closer this is than the Prefect’s bathroom?” Draco said in a slow drawl, similar but different than the one he used to antagonize.

“Draco, how much is it worth to you?” Harry asked with a sly smile.

“My firstborn?” Draco replied.

“Sold!” Harry said with a laugh.

“So, I’ve got to get to rounds. Mind if I come back up after I’m done?” Draco asked.

“Sure, just bring a change of clothes.” Harry replied. Draco squeezed his arms before making his way out. Harry just smiled and called for Dobby. The irrepressible House-Elf was so excited about being assigned to Harry for the year that he was all but falling over himself. He’d no sooner returned with a tray of decaffeinated tea than there was a knock at his portrait. He opened it to find the one of the Hufflepuff prefect with a short eleven-year old girl crying because she was homesick.

While he worked to get her calmed down he couldn’t help but chortle at the article in the Phrophet. It’d gone on about his skills in fighting the Dark Lord and winning Quidditch. It failed to mention comforting homesick kids on the first night of school.

Actually, the night passed pretty quickly. Four homesick children to comfort that the Prefects couldn’t calm down, three Gryffindors (all first year, two guys and a girl), four Slytherins (a standard number), 2 Hufflepuffs (surprisingly), and 1 Ravenclaw were caught trying to sneak around. All of them got one night of detention and 1 point off their houses.

Using Dobby to run messages to Cho, he realized the drawbacks to the split rooms. She’d gotten the homesick Gryffindors, and two more sneak-outs but nothing from the other houses. Just great, like he wasn’t busy enough. By the time Draco finished his rounds and snuck into the bathroom, Harry was finishing up re-reading some of the summer potions homework. They had the class together, but he was not looking forward to facing Snape again so soon. He was still angry.

By the time Draco got done with the bath, he was passed out in front of the hearth in the common room. Draco woke him up, got him undressed and into bed. As he drifted off into sleep he noted that Draco was putting out two sets of robes and hanging them on the wardrobe before banking the fires. The orange, ruddy glows of the fire reflecting from Draco’s white skin, tanning them to some deeper, earthy colors was the last thing he saw as he drifted to sleep.

“Harry! Wake up. We’re going to be late!” Draco’s voice was loud in his ear and Harry couldn’t help but push the source of the voice away. “Dammit Harry, someone set your clock back twenty mintes. We’re already ten minutes late for breakfast!”

Harry’s eye’s opened wide. He crawled out of bed, cursing up a storm and stumbled into the bathroom. He brushed his teeth really quick and rubbed at his sleep filled eyes. He had no idea how Draco got his hair done this morning but he noticed that it still looked decent as the other boy started getting dressed. He noticed Draco was wearing a red and gold pair of boxers and chuckled as he got his own slacks on. While shopping during the summer they’d figured out that their measurements were almost identical. Only the closest inspection could tell the difference between clothes tailored for one or the other. Harry was a bit stockier, but that was about it.

Maybe the house elf back at Black Manor had switched their pants because they seemed a bit tight. Oh well, he could change them before lunch. Years of practice allowed him to get his short, jacket and tie on without even looking and then the school robe over everything. He looked over at Draco and smiled seeing his friend was also ready. Draco picked at the sleeve of Harry’s robe, getting it just right before they left Harry’s room.

Fortunately it was only a short walk to the Great Hall. The great doors were already open and the sounds of hundreds of voices filled the room. Harry made his way to the Gryffindor table where Hermione had saved him a seat and sat down, filling his plate quickly. He ignored the glances a lot of students gave him, and the whisperings of people as they looked at him. This happened every year and he was getting use to it. Besides, Draco had told him this was a good thing. What bothered him though was the fact that everyone at Gryffindor was now staring at him. He looked up at the head table only to see Dumbledore was holding his hand in front of his face like he was trying to hide a laugh. McGonnagal had a shocked expression on her face and her eyes were the size of saucer cups. Snape looked thoroughly disgusted. He didn’t understand what was wrong. He looked to Hermione for help and noticed her eyes crinkling with laughter.

“Um, Draco, dear.” She said in a fake Pansy accent. “The Slytherin table is over there.”

Harry looked down trying to figure out what she meant, then looked over to the Slytherin table only to see Draco’s pale face turn scarlet. For the first time ever, Harry got to see Draco’s face as red as the tie he was wearing.

As red as the tie he was wearing?

“Oh Merlin.” Harry muttered when he looked down at his own green and silver tie, and the Slytherin badge on his left breast. Draco was wearing a red and gold tie with the Gryffindor badge and head boy pin on the robe. They froze for a moment and everyone in the hall realized they’d finally figured it out. Both of them rose in horror and began running to the exit. Harry was stopped by Cho, however. She looked angry and slapped him before he could say anything, then left the Great Hall sobbing. Harry just shrugged and took after a cursing Draco.

Behind them the Great Hall broke out into a cacophony of whistles and jibes between the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables with the other two Houses producing a ton of questions and jibes for both the main houses affected. At the great table, Dumbledore chuckled to himself while McGonagall shook her head. Lupin, who was returning for the DADA position just smiled at Snape who handed him a bag of gold galleons. Colin, who had managed to take a picture of the two walking into Hall, their faces when the realized the problem, and the slap from Cho, took off to develop them immediately. Blaise Zambini followed him immediately, determined to demand some inter-House cooperation.

"Potter! This is all your fault!" Draco yelled as they headed back to the room.