How to Save a Life

A/N - Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has read and/or reviewed this story. I've not been reading fan fiction for long and this is the first story i've tried to write. It's good to know that I seem to be on the right track with it!! Thanks muchly!

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Friday morning found Harry sat at the Gryffindor table, idly pushing his breakfast around his plate. He’d only been up for half an hour but already the day was turning out to be a strange one.

It had started with a tentative smile from Hermione, which he had returned before he was able to process what he was doing. It was then followed up by a curt nod from Ron which, after almost 2 weeks of being ignored, was like a hug to the green eyed boy.

Harry tried to suppress the feeling of hope that these two actions caused to rise within in his fragile spirit. Hope just left you open to hurt and disappointment.

He had taken his now usual seat next to Neville and after listening to the enthusiastic discussion that Neville and Seamus were having, he told himself that the day couldn’t get any more bizarre.

His two friends were deep in discussion about clothes and hair styles! Harry found himself doing a quick double take to make sure he hadn’t sat next to Lavender and Parvati by mistake. He looked over at Dean and found that he was also watching the other two with a bemused look on his face. Dean caught his look and gave a helpless sort of shrug and rolled his eyes at their friends.

Harry then let his gaze wander round the hall, anything to avoid the conversation going on around him, his eyes coming to rest on the Slytherin table.

Blaise and Pansy were caught up in some deep discussion, while Draco sat to the side of them talking seriously with Theodore Nott. Harry watched the blonde boy intently, marvelling, not for the first time, that they were friends. He had seen a whole different side of Draco in the last three weeks and Harry found himself wanting to know more and more about his ex rival. There were many things that Harry wanted to ask him, tell him, but he wasn’t sure if their fledgling friendship was ready for that yet and he didn’t want to scare him off.

He watched as Draco’s long fingers swept through the blonde curtain of his hair in frustration, a flush on his cheeks.

Harry was dragged from his thoughts by a hand being waved in front of his face and he looked back at his friends to find Seamus grinning at him.

“Thought we’d lost you for a minute then Harry. Are we boring you?”

Harry smiled at his friends, “No, I was just thinking is all.”

Neville looked in the direction Harry had been gazing and, seeing the blonde head of Draco Malfoy, he smiled secretly to himself.

“We were just discussing the party tomorrow night Harry. Have you decided what you’re going to wear yet?”

Harry shrugged, “I haven’t really given it a thought. Just whatever I grab first I suppose.”

Both of his friends were looking horrified at him now and Harry glared back defiantly.

“What? It’s not like I have anything nice to wear anyway so why bother worrying about it.”

“But Harry, this is a Slytherin party, you have to dress up. You know how important appearances are to them; you don’t want them to take offence.”

“Yeah, well like I said, I don’t’ have anything nice to wear and it’s too late to go shopping, so they will just have to take me as I come.” Harry closed his lips into a thin line and gave his friends a look which indicated clearly that the conversation was over.

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Harry had dismissed the conversation, telling himself that his new friends wouldn’t care what he wore, just that he was there.

This thought kept him happy for a few hours. But by the time he slumped into his seat next to Pansy in charms, which was last lesson of the day, he was worried. He had been asked by no less than four separate people about his planned outfit, including Draco. Harry had looked at the blonde Slytherin, taken in his immaculate appearance with a sinking feeling and realised that he needed help.

Pansy smiled as she turned to look at Harry, taking in his dejected posture. Draco had already told her about his earlier conversation with the dark haired Gryffindor and Pansy had followed this up with a few discreet questions to Seamus and Neville. Pansy loved clothes, and if there was one thing she loved almost as much as dressing herself up, it was dressing someone else up. And as she ran her eyes over Harry, she decided he was ripe for a makeover.

Harry turned to Pansy, caught the almost fanatical gleam in her eyes, and put himself completely in her hands.


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Which was why, later that evening, Harry found himself holed up in the Slytherin boys dorms with Pansy and Millicent, after having been given free rein on both Draco and Blaise’s wardrobes.

Harry vetoed most of the girls more outrageous suggestions. Most of which, he noted, seemed to come from Blaise’s belongings, including a rather tight pair of black dragon hide trousers. In the end they reached agreement on a pair of dark blue jeans, that clung to Harry in all the right places, or so Millicent had declared much to Harry’s embarrassment.

The top had been harder to choose, mainly due to Harry’s refusal to consider anything with short sleeves. However, they had finally opted for a green silk shirt which was semi fitted, so managed to cling to Harry’s torso in ways that Pansy knew wouldn’t go unappreciated by Draco.

The outfit was then completed with a silver dragon hide belt and black leather boots. Harry had protested at this point that he had his own shoes, but had been told by the girls in no uncertain terms that if he even considered wearing his functional school shoes with their creation, well, he would be in trouble!!! Harry had relented at this, wisely deciding that further objection would be futile.

He was dismissed back to Gryffindor Tower with instructions to wear exactly what they had picked, without exception and to do something with his hair, for the love of Merlin. This last had been Pansy and Harry stuck his tongue out at the girl before hurrying out of the common room to avoid any retaliation.


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Draco sat at breakfast on Saturday morning, his eyes fixed discreetly on the Gryffindor table, watching for Harry.

Although wild Hippogriffs wouldn’t drag it out of him, Draco was concerned about Harry. He had seen how hurt the other boy had been when his oldest friends appeared to desert him. So he was not at all pleased to spot a familiar red head slip into the seat opposite Harry.

Draco’s eyes narrowed as he watched the two Gryffindor’s. Again, he would never admit it but Draco was worried that one day Harry’s old friends would welcome him back and Harry would have no use for Draco anymore.

“Draco, if you don’t stop squinting at the Gryffindor table like that you’re going to get little lines round your eyes.”

He reluctantly tore his gaze away from the object of his concern and turned a withering look on his friend.
Blaise nudged him, “so are you nervous about tonight Draco?”

“Why on earth would I be nervous Blaise? It’s just a party; we have them all the time.

“Yes, that’s true,” the Italian boy admitted. “But you weren’t in love with Harry Potter and desperate to seduce him at any of the others.”

“Perhaps you’d like to say that a little louder Blaise. I don’t think the Centaurs in the Forbidden Forest quite caught it.” Draco fixed his friend with baleful glare.

Pansy placed a soothing hand on Draco’s arm, “Blaise, stop teasing. Draco, sweetie, it’s ok to be a little nervous, it’s a big night for you.”

Draco turned his glare to the dark haired girl, “I told you, I’m not nervous.”

“Of course you’re not Drakie,” she replied with a condescending pat on his arm. “Just remember I expect both of you in the common room this afternoon to help me set up.”

“But Pansy,” Draco pouted, “I need to start getting ready then.”

Pansy smiled at her vain friend, “Draco, not even someone as narcissistic as you need that long to get ready. Besides, you’re gorgeous as you are.”

Draco’s scowl softened at the compliment. “I’m sure there was an insult in there though,” he murmured in an aside to Blaise. However, deciding to let it go, he turned back to the smirking girl.

“So what are you planning to get up to this morning Pans?”

“I have 2 feet to write for Charms so I’ll be in the library.”

Draco’s eyes lit up at this, “will Harry be there?”

Pansy shook her head, smiling at the blondes eagerness, “No, he has Quidditch practice, Theo’s coming with me.”

Draco’s head turned again to scowl in the direction of the Gryffindor table. “I suppose that’s what he’s talking to the Weasel about. Though I don’t know how he can stand to talk to that git after the way he’s treated him. I’d hex him into the middle of next week if Harry would let me.”

“Protective much Draco?” Blaise smirked at his friend.

“You have a problem with that Blaise?”

Dark curls bobbed wildly as Blaise shook his head. “Not at all Draco, in fact I was just thinking of suggesting that we take a walk down to the Quidditch pitch this morning. Just to check out the competition of course!”

Draco smirked knowingly at his friend, “Very subtle Blaise. I’m sure that this has nothing to do with a certain other Gryffindor who will no doubt be there as well?”

Blaise looked at the blonde boy, an expression of feigned innocence on his face. “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about Draco. You’re the one with the Lion obsession, not me,” he wound up with an injured air.

Draco merely smiled a knowing smile, which irritated his friend no end.


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Harry hadn’t felt as relaxed in weeks as he circled the Quidditch pitch observing his team mates practising hard.

Ron had surprised him at breakfast by sitting with him and actually initiating a conversation. They hadn’t made any real steps towards friendship again, but they could at least co exist in civility now, which certainly made for an easier team practice.

Ginny was still a problem, but Harry noticed that Ron seemed to be keeping the worst of her outbursts under control. Several rather heated exchanges took place between brother and sister, and Harry was relieved that he didn’t have to deal with the angry girl himself.

As he circled the pitch once more, he noticed with surprise that Blaise and Draco were sat in the stands watching with Seamus and Neville. He looked round nervously to see if Ron had noticed and was relieved to see that the redhead was engaged in another spat with his sister.

Harry noticed with a smile how friendly Blaise and Neville seemed to be. He was less impressed when he saw how close Seamus was sitting to Draco. Unable to explain the sudden tightness in his chest and the urge to knock the nearest bludger at the Irish boy, Harry shrugged it off and turned his attention back to the practice.

The two Slytherin boys made their excuses and left shortly before the practice was over. Draco, in particular, was relieved to get away from Seamus who had been overtly attentive to him that morning.

Blaise noticed his discomfort and grinned at his friend. “You really shouldn’t take any notice of Finnigan you know. He just see’s you as a challenge cos you’ve never been interested in him. You know how he can’t keep it in his pants.”

Draco huffed at this, “Well he had better keep it in his pants tonight or he might find himself without it. As if I’d want to go with someone who has been ridden more times than the Hogwarts Express.”

“That and the fact that you’re hopelessly in love with the Gryffindor golden boy himself.” Blaise thought for a moment before adding, “Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to play with Finnigan for a while, it might be a good way to see how Harry reacts. I mean, we still don’t actually know if he’s gay or not yet.”

Draco looked at his friend coldly, “If that is all you have to contribute Blaise, then I suggest you don’t bother. I hardly think that the way to win Potter round is by sleeping with his slut of a roommate. You know how outrageously noble the boy is, he would probably see being with me as a betrayal of his friend.”

Blaise shrugged, “I guess so, I was just trying to be helpful.”

He got a look from Draco in return that clearly said, don’t. The boys walked the rest of the way to the Great Hall in silence.


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Draco looked round the common room and had to admit to himself that Pansy and the other girls had done a good job. He and Blaise had managed to remain conspicuously absent all afternoon and Pansy was still on the warpath.

It was 9’o clock and all the younger years had been banished to their dormitories, kept their by threats of unknown consequences from Draco, which chilled even the strongest Slytherin to the bone. Even though the war was over and Draco had mellowed in character, he still cut a very formidable figure in Slytherin house, and was respected and feared in equal part by his housemates.

Draco had opted for a pair of simple, yet elegant, black dress trousers. He was well aware of how they clung to his arse, giving hint of the toned muscles beneath the fabric. He had teamed this with a soft grey thin knit cashmere sweater that hugged his body and made his eyes seem to glow silver.

Blaise had opted to wear the Dragon Hide trousers that had put the fear of God into Harry. He had teamed them with a sinfully tight black mesh top that allowed a perfect view of his muscular body. Even Draco caught himself casting an admiring glance over his friend as they waited for their guests to arrive.

Draco grabbed himself a butterbeer and turned to hand one to Blaise. As he did so he found himself face to face with an irate looking Pansy.

“Pansy dear,” he drawled, “You look beautiful.”

The girl smiled at the compliment but then remembered her earlier irritation. “Don’t think you can sweet talk yourself out of this Draco. I am seriously pissed at you right now, this party was for your benefit and yet somehow you managed to avoid doing any work towards it.”

Draco gave her a winning smile, “But Pansy darling, you know how much I appreciate all your hard work. You have done a much better job than I ever could have.”

Pansy simply huffed and turned away to greet Morag McDougall and Su Li from Ravenclaw who had just arrived.

Draco sat slumped on one of the soft leather sofas, it was already 9.30 and Harry had still not shown up yet. What was the point of going to all this effort, when the reason for the party doesn’t show? Not, Draco reflected, that Harry knew he was the reason for the party. Somehow he thought that telling the green eyed boy that he was throwing a party so he could seduce him, might have scared the younger boy off.

So lost was he in his sulking that he didn’t notice anyone approaching him until they spoke.

“You’re not much of a host are you Malfoy, aren’t you supposed to welcome your guests, not hide in a corner so they have to come looking for you?”

Draco snapped out of his reverie instantly and turned to find himself confronted with the object of his musings. Harry Potter was standing in front of him looking, well quite frankly, stunning. Draco scrambled to his feet with as much dignity as he could muster.

“My apologies Potter, can I get you a drink?”

Harry nodded and followed the blonde boy to the drinks table, unable to stop himself from sneaking a quick look at the other boys arse clad in temptingly tight trousers.

“Butterbeer, or would you prefer something stronger?”

Sensing the challenge in the other boys tone, Harry couldn’t back down.

“I’ll have whatever you’re having.” And then watched with some dismay as Draco proceeded to pour them both rather large glasses of Firewhiskey.

“You scrubbed up well Harry,” Draco’s eyes ran appraisingly over Harry’s body. “You look almost as good in those clothes as I do!”

Harry blushed under the other boys’ scrutiny, but found that he did not mind as much as he had thought he would. “You don’t look so bad yourself Draco.”

And Harry realised that he meant this, the way that jumper fit so snugly to Draco, he couldn’t help but wonder what the body beneath it looked like. Preferably naked and spread out underneath me, Harry thought before he could stop himself. Instantly horrified that he was checking out Malfoy of all people, he mentally slapped himself. But all the same, he couldn’t get rid of a little voice in his ear that kept reminding him of just how attractive the other boy was.

Draco was reluctantly pulled away from Harry by Pansy, who insisted that, as he had given no help beforehand, he was to help her welcome guests, get drinks and make small talk. And once he had performed his duties as she saw fit she might then relent and allow him to return to the object of his affection.

Harry watched with a tightening in his chest as Draco chatted with Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbot. Both Hufflepuff’s were very attentive to the blonde Slytherin, Harry couldn’t hear what was said, but they were both giggling at Draco, and flirting too in Harry’s opinion. Why this should bother him, Harry wasn’t quite sure, but it did nonetheless.

He stumped back over to the drinks table where he bumped into Neville. It seemed that Blaise too was being kept similarly occupied by Pansy.

Harry found Neville looking dubiously at the punch bowl which was full of some bright red liquid that appeared to be bubbling and smoking. Obviously deciding to risk it, Neville filled his glass and then turned to Harry.

“I’m not sure what it is, but Blaise recommended it. Do you want one?”

“Sure why not,” Harry shrugged, aware that there was a very good reason why not. After having had only two of Draco’s measures of Firewhiskey, Harry was already feeling a little light headed and knew it wouldn’t take much more to tip him over the edge into being just plain drunk. However, he just took the glass full of the toxic looking drink and took a deep gulp.

Neville shuffled nervously at the side of him and Harry could tell that he was trying to work up the courage to tell him something. He noticed Blaise giving Neville an encouraging nod and smiles from across the room and suddenly realised what it was that Neville was struggling with.

“Harry, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you. I’m... that is, I like...um, the thing is Harry...”

Harry took pity on his friend and he stumbled over his words, “It’s ok Neville, I already know that you’re gay.”

Neville stared at Harry, eyes wide like saucers. “You know? And you don’t mind?”

“It was pretty obvious Nev, the way you and Blaise have been making eyes at each other for the last 2 weeks. And no I don’t mind, why would I?”

Harry smiled at his friend who was still too stunned to form proper sentences and decided that Neville deserved the same level of honesty in return. Screwing up every last ounce of his Gryffindor courage, Harry took a deep gulp of his drink before speaking again.

“Besides, it would make me a bit of a hypocrite if I objected to your liking boys. Especially as it turns out recently that I do too.” Harry bit nervously on his bottom lip, his eyes firmly on Neville’s face, needing to see his reaction.

He was relieved when the other boy broke out in a big grin, “You know, I always did wonder about you Harry. You might want to keep this quiet from Seamus, the first sniff that you like boys and he will be all over you like Devils Snare.”

Harry laughed at this, and felt a wave of relief sweep over him at having been honest, not only with Neville, but with himself too. He didn’t think anything bad about Neville for liking boys, so why should he think those things about himself.

Blaise came over to the two boys at this point and dragged a blushing Neville off to dance. Harry refilled his glass and then made his way over to the seating area, slumping onto the same sofa he had found Draco on earlier.

He watched Blaise and Neville as they took to the dance floor, their bodies pressed tight against each other. He couldn’t tear his eyes away as Blaise’s hands slipped under Neville’s shirt and he captured the Gryffindor’s lips with his own.

“Hot, isn’t it?”

Harry turned, embarrassed to have been caught starting. He found Pansy grinning back at him.

“What?”

“Blaise and Longbottom, I mean, it’s like they’re having sex, only they’re fully clothed and upright.”

“It doesn’t bother you?” Harry enquired.

“Bother me? I think it’s hot.” She leaned in closer to him at this point, “I’ll tell you a secret Harry, one night in the 5th year I caught Blaise and Draco together in this very room. And instead of leaving, I sat down and watched them!”

“They didn’t mind?” Harry asked his mind spinning.

“They didn’t know. I don’t think Blaise would have minded, but Draco’s a very private person. I think he would have had a fit if he knew, but I just couldn’t not look, it was beautiful.”

Harry shook his head in wonder; these Slytherin’s never ceased to amaze him. Here was Pansy freely admitting to doing something that Harry had been punishing himself for days for doing.

Pansy stood up at this point, “I’d better go and rescue Draco, your Irish friend is coming on to him again.”

Harry turned round just in time to see Seamus run his hand down Draco’s arm, and he felt the long dead monster in his chest stir. “Isn’t he interested then?” he asked, desperately trying to keep the note of hope out of his voice.

Pansy snorted, “Draco’s far choosier about who he sleeps with, he’d never go for a slut like Finnigan.”

Pansy turned and hurried over to where an increasingly tense looking Draco was trying to extricate himself from the Irish boy’s advances.

Harry tried to stand up but found that the room had begun to move as soon as he tried. A faint wave of nausea swept over him, so he resigned himself to staying put. He rested his drink on the nearby table and stretched out on the sofa, telling himself he would just close his eyes for a second, just till he felt better.

Harry felt like he had barely closed his eyes when a voice invaded his subconscious.

“Wake up sleeping beauty.”

Harry peeled his eyes open and found himself face to face with Draco, who was crouched at his side gently shaking his shoulder.

“Wuzgoing on” he mumbled sleepily.

“You’re hogging that sofa Potter, that’s what’s going on – now shift your head and let me sit.”

Harry struggled to raise his head up off the sofa, his arms shaking slightly in their efforts to support him. No sooner had Draco gracefully sat on the now vacated seat, than Harry’s arms gave way and he found his head in Draco’s lap. He made a feeble effort to move, but a hand on his shoulder stilled his efforts.

“You’re drunk Potter” Draco drawled, barely able to conceal his joy at having Harry Potters head in his lap.

“M’not drunk Malfoy, you’re drunk.”

Draco laughed a low chuckle which sent shivers along Harry’s spine. “Whatever you say Harry.”

“You two look comfy!”

Harry squinted out of his eyes to see Pansy settling down in a chair opposite them, just as Blaise slumped in another chair, pulling Neville down onto his lap.

“We’re very comfortable, aren’t we Potter”

Harry felt fingers rake gently through his hair at this and it was all he could do to nod in agreement with Draco’s words. He closed his eyes again and snuggled closer to the warm body, revelling in the other boy’s touch.

Harry just lay there, his whole focus on the body beneath him. He wasn’t sure quite when it had happened, but it was very clear to him now that he fancied Draco Malfoy. If nothing else, then the tightening in his trousers was certainly telling him it was true. And unless he was much mistaken, there was a definite hardness in Draco’s pants too. Now that was a revelation to Harry. It was one thing to think that he fancied the blonde boy, but to think that the feeling might just be mutual, blew Harry away.

Harry allowed one of his hands to rest on Draco’s thigh and began making tiny circles with his fingers. He felt the body underneath him tense initially, but then a sigh was let out and the other boy relaxed into Harry’s touch.

Harry rolled over so that his face was now pressed up against Draco’s stomach. He burrowed his head against the soft fabric of the other boy’s jumper.

“Mmm you’re soft,” he murmured sleepily.

Just as he drifted off to sleep again, he felt cool fingers ghost across his face, sweeping his messy hair out of his eyes and could have sworn he heard a voice murmur,

“And you’re beautiful”

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