The New Guy

Title: The New Guy

Author: S.Malfoy

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters; I only twist them for my evil pleasure.

NOTE: This is an AU, where Sirius is still alive and had taken custody of Harry after the death of his parents. They have been on the move since then, and now, in his 6th year, Harry has come to Hogwarts.

Warning: HP/DM slash!
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Chapter 2

Skylar

As they began to gradually make their way through the crowd away from the robe shop, shoulders brushing lightly, Harry could tell Draco enjoyed the attention they attracted. He knew the picture they presented; one, a light angel, and the other, a dark mystery.

“So, what house do you hope to get into?” Draco asked, feigning casualness while he searched idly among the tomes in the bookcase.

“Hmm, I really don’t know. What are the other ones?” Harry asked absently, flicking his fingers through the pages of an interesting book on Potions. It had never been his favourite subject, but he knew it was something he needed to improve in for this year.

“Well, there’s Slytherin of course. Then there’s Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw,” Draco murmured, watching out of the corner of his eye as Harry picked out his books for the school year after glancing at the titles in his Hogwarts letter.

“Well, what are the characteristics of those?” Harry smirked, watching distaste flicker across Draco’s face.

“Well, the Gryffindorks are supposed to be courageous – what that really means is that their stupid. Hufflepuffs are the wimps, and Ravenclaws only care about books and school work,” Draco said innocently, his face clear of bias. But Harry burst into laughter, knowing what the boy was up to.

“If you say so, Draco,” Harry murmured, chuckling. He impulsively swung an arm around Draco’s shoulders in a friendly fashion.

Draco had to restrain himself from leaning into the touch, and his body visibly tensed.

“Sorry, I didn’t know you didn’t like to be touched,” Harry said, removing his arm, and sending Draco a searching glance.

“No, it’s not that…it’s …” D…” Draco trailed off, unable to explain why his muscles had contracted so tightly. He had been aroused only by the simple touch of camaraderie Harry had given him – what would happen if Draco had taken it any further? He didn’t want to scare Harry away from him, which would happen for certain. And I am not a poof! he raged silently in vain.

“It’s okay DraI thI think I understand,” Harry said softly; Draco must be unaccustomed to such innocent gestures as Harry was prone to giving. He knew he would just have to be more careful around Draco, to make sure the boy was completely comfortable before showing such signs of familiarity.

Draco nodded curtly. He knew what Harry had assumed, and figured it was the lesser of the two evils. Harry went back to browsing; he trailed his fingertips along the spines of the books with one hand while he held a stack of other books underneath his other arm.

They were both silent, each lost in their own thoughts, and Harry quickly finished buying his purchases and the extra book on potions. He had them shrunk in size and quickly stashed them in his jean pockets.

“Draco, where have you been?” came a cold, drawling voice behind the two boys that was an exact replica of Draco’s. They each whirled around in surprise, and a trace of fear was evident in Draco’s pale face before it disappeared.

“I’m sorry father – I finished up in the robe shop and decided to come with Harry to get some of his books,” Draco said smoothly.

Lucius Malfoy raised his eyebrows in question and turned his gaze to the other boy beside his son. The dark one stared at him proudly, his green gaze even as they met his ice cold gray eyes. Lucius could sense the shield that surrounded the boy, and it made him curious to find why such a young man would have a powerful aura around him.

“Harry…what?” he asked Draco, his eyes never leaving the boy beside of him.

“Harry-” Draco began, but was cut off by a wave of Harry’s hand. Draco sent a searching glance at his newest friend, but said nothing else.

“Just Harry,” the boy replied to the question Lucius had asked.

Lucius smirked, his eyes going from cold to downright freezing. “Well, ‘Harry’, my son does not associate with street urchins,” he said, sneering angrily at the shabby clothing Harry wore. No one had dared to withhold information from him before, and it made him furious; furious enough to do damage.

Lucius turned smartly away from Harry, and his eyes latched on to his son’s, promising retribution. “Come on boy,” he said, jerking the cloak around his son’s shoulders. “Get going.”

Draco was helpless to resist and let himself be dragged inelegantly along by his father. He twisted for one last look at his friend, to apologize silently, but was thwacked upside the head by his father’s silver snake-head cane.

Harry snorted, disgruntled and angry. “Goodbye Draco, I’ll see you at school,” he murmured softly. He knew it would be foolhardy to attack Lucius in plain sight of everyone, but it didn’t stop the desire from building inside as he watched how Draco was treated.

Suddenly, the day seemed as unexciting as it had earlier that morning, and as he withdrew from Flourish and Blotts, his eyes searched for the next store he needed to approach. He noticed a shop called the Apothecary, and entered, the smell making his nose crinkle. It was interesting enough to hold his attention, but he didn’t want to stay longer than was needed; he quickly ordered the potion supplies he would need that year. He was squinting into the barrel of hornet stingers that exuded a faint humming noise while waiting for his order to be filled, when he was bumped rudely into the wooden sides.

“Hey, watch where you’re going,” he growled, turning around with a glare. He was brought up short by the sneering, pale face of a man dressed in all black with swirling robes.

“You little imbecile, you were in my way,” the man said, irritated beyond belief. Really, the nerve of the boy, rudely jarring into him and insinuating that he would be clumsy enough to fall into another person.

“I was only standing here, minding my own business, before you almost made me fall face-first into a barrel of hornet stingers! This was your fault,” Harry insisted, his chin lifting defiantly.

Severus Snape was about to deliver a biting retort before he noticed the flashing green eyes of the boy in front of him. The sight was vaguely familiar and he had an odd sense of déjà vu.

“Do I know you from somewhere?” he questioned suddenly, almost to himself. Harry heard him perfectly.

“I would doubt that, sir. I’ve only been in London for two months,” Harry said, looking away from those shining beetle-black eyes.

“No, I know your eyes…” Snape said, searching the brilliant, shining green. Suddenly, it hit him hard and right in the solar plexus. “It can’t be!” he said, shying away.

“What?” Harry asked, confused.

“What is your name, boy?” Snape demanded.

“What’s it to you?” Harry returned, distrusting of such an odd reaction.

“I said, what is your name?” Snape grated out between clenched teeth.

“I don’t wish to tell you,” Harry said, smiling slyly.

“I am Professor Severus Snape, Hogwarts Potions Master, and I demand you tell me your name!” Snape hissed threateningly.

Harry only raised an eyebrow at the sheer arrogance of the man. “No,” he stated clearly.

Severus felt he could have easily committed mayhem at that moment. The boy’s sheer audacity and reluctance to answer his demands made him want to reach out and choke him until he was forced to gasp out his name. Everything about the boy annoyed him – his hair was a mess and flopped over his forehead and into his eyes, his clothes were scruffy, and his eyes were greener than the grass in a Quidditch Pitch. He knew he had seen those eyes before, when he was a student himself at Hogwarts…

Before Snape was forced to violence, he turned his back to the boy with a disgusted huff and left with an impressive swirl of his robes. He reminded Harry of the proverbial ‘bat out of hell’.

He quickly finished up his errands and left the Apothecary, ignoring the curious glances that followed him in his wake. Again outside in the brilliant sunlight, he wondered what else he needed to purchase, and casually gazed around. He duly noted the store that sold broomsticks, and wondered if he had enough gold left to purchase one of his own. Quickly doing the math in his head, he sighed and shook his head – he would just have to borrow a school broom if he wanted to do a little flying.

He noticed a store with a large sign declaring that the Magical Menagerie was open for business, and decided to take a look. He was in definite need of a familiar – his last owl had been killed by a rather large animal that resembled a bobcat, and he would need a trustworthy owl once he reached Hogwarts.

“Hello, dear, how can I help you?” came the friendly greeting from the witch behind the counter as he entered the store.

“I’m just looking for an owl, I suppose,” Harry replied, his eyes running over the stacks of cages that adorned the walls and every available floor space.

“Well, help yourself. If you need any help, just give me a whistle,” the witch said, smiling brightly before going back to her own work.

His senses were assaulted by the various animal smells; there were cats, birds, mice and rats, toads and reptiles, and every imaginable sort of animal possible. He was looking over a particularly intelligent looking raven when a flash of silver caught his eye. Looking over his shoulder, he caught sight of a tank full of happily jostling, furry little animals. Intrigued, he stepped over to take a closer look, and smiled fully when he saw a jostling bunch of ferrets munching on ears and battling with small feet.

His eye fastened on the silvery white albino ferret that was sleepily yawning, its body contorted into an uncomfortable ‘U’ position. Harry knelt down beside the separating glass wall, and looked into the ferret’s eyes. Instead of the bright red of an albino, they were instead the color of the sky, the blue so light they appeared opaque. The entire body of the ferret was completely white, even the pads of its little paws.

The ferret glanced over to Harry’s face, and Harry could tell its interest was instantly aroused. It hopped and skipped its way over to the glass and stood its forepaws on the glass, its little nose pressed against the wall for a better look at Harry. Harry could not suppress the smile that lit his handsome features, a grin curling the corners of his lips.

The ferret squeaked happily and his miniature claws scrabbled against the glass.

“Yes, you are a smart one, aren’t you?” Harry said softly, his finger coming up to rest on the glass.

“Have you made a decision, young man?” came the cheerful voice of the working witch.

“Yes, I believe I have. I’d like to take this ferret right here,” Harry said, smiling brightly.

“A little different than the bird you wanted, isn’t it?” the witch asked, confused.

“Yeah, but I know it’s the animal for me,” Harry said confidently.

The witch bustled over to take off the top of the ferret tank, and lifted it out gently. The ferret was still in her hands, but once he was freed from the tank it made immediate ‘eeping noises. She made a quick check underneath the belly of ferret and said, “It’s a female, just so you know,” before settling her gently into Harry’s hands. Instantly, the ferret calmed, and gave a delicate sniff at Harry’s neck, crawling over the boy to check out her new owner. Deeming him acceptable, she curled contently in the cradle of his arms, yawning hugely.

Harry chuckled in amusement, and the vibration of his chest sent a little gurgle of pleasure through the ferret. She nuzzled him affectionately before dropping off into a light doze.

“How old is she?” Harry asked, while withdrawing the bag of coins inside of his pocket and settling it on the counter in front of him.

“Only a few months I would say,” the witch said, shrugging in regret. “I only accepted them because I thought they might be a quick seller. But not many people seem to have a use for a ferret,” she added, frowning.

“Well, I think she’s beautiful,” Harry said, stroking the soft head of the ferret with a gentle fingertip.

“Would you like to purchase a cage and some food for her as well?” the woman asked, eyeing the pouch of money with a measured eye.

“Yes, please,” Harry said, nodding in accord.

The witch quickly gathered the supplies Harry would need to take care of his pet, instructing him on how to set up the cage, noting that a blanket or two would make her more comfortable. Finally, everything was shrunk and settled into the bags and the galleons were counted out correctly. Meanwhile, Skylar snored peacefully in Harry’s arms.

“Do you have a name picked out yet?” she asked, smiling at the snoozing albino ferret.

“I think I’ll name her Skylar, for her eyes,” Harry replied with a winsome smile.

“A beautiful name,” the witch commended. “Well, here’s your receipt. Have a wonderful day.”

“You too,” Harry murmured, cradling Skylar gently and exited the door.

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Harry made it home much later than he thought he would be, and felt weighted down with all the purchases he had made.

“Sirius, I’m back!” Harry called out just as Skylar decided to wake up from her nap.

She squeaked excitedly as she saw her new surroundings, and wiggled and climbed her way up Harry’s chest to sit carefully on his shoulder and wrapped herself around his neck. He chuckled good-naturedly at her antics, patting her on the head tenderly.

“Hey Harry, how did the shopping go?” Sirius asked, meeting him in the foyer of their apartment. He helped unload the bags and resize them, and raised his dark eyebrows in question at the pet, but said nothing. Skylar sniffed gently and recoiled at the blatant dog smell that Sirius exuded.

“The shopping went well. Some weird instances, but nothing Ildn’ldn’t handle,” Harry said, waving a hand distractedly.

“What kind of instances?” Sirius asked, immediately suspicious.

“Well, I met a guy who goes to Hogwarts – he seemed pretty nice. His name was Draco Malfoy,” Harry said, watching Sirius’ face quizzically as his Godfather paled. He was puzzled at the blanch Sirius gave; he was shocked even more when Sirius grabbed his shoulders, holding him hard.

“Did he hurt you Harry?” Sirius demanded roughly.

“Of course not!” Harry said, his eyes darkening in confusion. “What is all this about, Siri?” he asked.

“The Malfoy family is danger” hi” his Godfather said seriously. “Don’t get messed up with those people!”

“But Sirius, Draco was very nice to me. We…we got along well,” Harry replied, his green eyes swirling with emotion.

After a moment of tense silence, Harry said gently, “I know his father is a Death Eater, Sirius.”

“How did you know that?” Sirius walked away from Harry fitfully, glaring with menacing dark eyes out of the window in the living room.

“His father is not a nice man; I could tell from the way Draco acted around him.”

“Oh, its Draco is it?” Sirius sneered. There was silence, and Sirius turned apologetically. “Look, I’m sorry, I just-”

“Save it! I can take care of myself, and I can choose my own friends, you know. I’m not a child anymore, no matter how much you might want to deny it,” Harry said roughly, pushing a hand through his hair. Skylar gave a small hiss, sensing her owner’s agitation. She batted a paw in Sirius’ direction, admonishing him for upsetting Harry. Sirius ignored the ferret, his dark gaze centered on his Godson.

“Look, I know the family is attractive, but you just can’t get involved with any of the Malfoy’s,” Sirius said gently.

Harry immediately blushed profusely. “Jeez, it’s not about that, okay Sirius? I just have a feeling about Draco, like we could be very good friends if I got to know him.”

“Well, just make sure it’s not too good of friends. Now, why don’t you go upstairs and pack some of your belongings up while I begin dinner. We can talk about it later,” Sirius said, an anxious grimace on his face.

Harry said nothing, his fury evident in the stiff lines of his body. He began hurriedly gathering up his school supplies, ignoring his Godfather.

“Come on, Skylar. We’ll get your cage set up and I’ll get you something to eat…” Harry’s voice trailed away as he sailed down the hallway to his bedroom, slamming the door roughly behind him.

Sirius winced and knew he was in the doghouse for sure.

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Dinner was a strained affair and Harry escaped as soon as he could away from his Godfather. He didn’t want to have another conversation about his choice of friends, or sexual partners at that. He had known since last year that he didn’t mind the gender in a relationship, and it had been something Sirius had had a hard time accepting. He just could not comprehend the idea of wanting a partner the same sex as oneself, and had made his objections loud and clear. But eventually he had come to an understanding with Harry – as long as he didn’t know any details, he was fine.

Harry sat on his bed, deep in thought while stroking the soft fur of Skylar. She murmured her approval sleepily, stretching her entire body out along the side of his thigh.

“I almost can’t wait to get to school,” Harry said guiltily to his pet.

Skylar squeaked in solemn agreement, rolling onto her back and tilting her chin up, begging for a scratch.

Harry chuckled and obliged her, his fingertips ruffling the soft fur underneath her chin. “I wonder what Draco will say about you?”

Skylar let out a mew of bliss, her blue eyes blinking groggily. Harry grinned at the thought of the facial expression Draco would make upon seeing her. He had not missed to reference Ron had made – ‘ferret boy’, indeed. He abruptly lost his smile; surely that couldn’t be the reason he chose the ferret instead of the owl he had originally intended. He shook his head, dismissing the idea; but underneath he knew there had been some connection.

He gave Skylar one last stroke before delicately settling her into her cage. He had gotten an old blanket and set it inside fored aed and she snuggled into the worn material with a sigh of pleasure.

“Goodnight Sky,” he whispered before he too lay back on the bed, hands clasped behind his head and his eyes gleaming in the darkness as he stared up at his ceiling.

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“You imbecile, how dare you defy me in public! Crucio!” Lucius snarled, his wand pointed towards his son.

Draco let out a scream of pain, moaning as his muscles clenched uncontrollably. Father, please stop, he tried to whimper, but the only sound to come out was a groan of anguish.

“Let that be a lesson to you, boy. Your loyalties lie with your family, and no one else,” Lucius uttered with cool detachment, pulling on black leather gloves.

Draco looked up at his father, his eyes becoming shuttered when he noticed the gloves. He stood up slowly, painfully pulling himself erect. He knew what was coming, and he steeled himself, his muscles twitching with the repressed urge to bolt.

“I will not tolerate any chance of disloyalty from my only heir. If your mother had been able to have another child, I wouldn’t be stuck with a misbegotten little worm like you,” he father hissed angrily. Lucius clenched his fists, enjoying the feel of the tight leather stretching across his knuckles.

“I have never been disloyal, father,” Draco said quietly, his eyes trained on his father’s tightened hands.

“I am unsure of this, Draco. I saw that way you were looking at that boy, ‘Harry’,” Lucius spat.

“I was only being friendly,” Draco argued, uncaring now of what happened since he knew it could not be avoided. “ “I know what you were doing,” Lucius purred, stepping closer to the trembling form of his son. “You wanted to fuck him, didn’t you, Draco? You wanted to touch him, even in the bookstore,” his father taunted.

“No, I only felt it would be wise to be friends with Harry. He is more powerful than anyone I have ever met,” Draco sneered, disgusted by his father’s attitude and his attempt to make Draco feel ashamed. He hated to admit that it was working.

Lucius paused, his steel eyes glowing dangerously. “I hope my son would know better than to insult our Dark Lord or myself.”

Draco nodded slowly. “Of course, father. No insult intended,” with a blatantly smirking smile.

“You will pay for that comment alone, Draco. You must be taught obedience,” Lucius promised, and with a well placed swing of his arm, his fist connected sharply to Draco’s delicate jaw.

Draco spun dizzily, bright flashes of light flickering before his eyes. He howled in pain, and raised a slim, pale hand to touch his bruised and cracked jaw. His eyes narrowed in barely concealed hatred.

There was another swing, and this time the clenched fist hit him squarely in the stomach. He doubled over, his arms protectively covering the bruised abdomen, gasping harshly as the wind left him in a gust of air. Before he could catch his breath, a kick aimed directly at his head knocked him down to the dark hardwood floor. Blood began to pour from an open wound at his temple, soaking the floor with a dark stain. As his consciousness swam before his eyes, Lucius muttered “Enervate” and he was again planted firmly into reality.

A pause elapsed while Draco finally managed to get his breathing under control, and just as he lifted his head warily to find the figure of his father, there was a loud crack behind him.

He felt the searing pain of the whiplash shred his silk shirt and a large welt beginning to form on the pale skin of his back. It ran vertically along his spine, and Draco could feel it pulsing with the erratic beats of his heart. Gasping in agony, he could only endure as his father brutally and mercilesslat tat the bloody hell out of him.

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That evening, close to three hours later, Draco lay carefully on his stomach, his head resting on the stacked hands in front of him. His father had forbade any house-elf to treat his wounds that night, saying firmly, “It will teach you a lesson you shall not be forgetting anytime soon,son.son.”

His body was tense, any movement unbearable, and slowly tears leaked down his cheeks to dampen his pillow. He had not allowed himself to show his weakness in front of his father, but now, being alone, he could not stop the flood of emotion.

This had not been the first night his father had beaten him, but usually it was over something even Draco could admit he had deserved a little punishment before. He had never before seen such a rage on his father’s face, and it had scared him to death.

All because of a boy named Harry.

Visions of said person flashed enticingly in front of his eyes, the small smile that quirked his lips when he was amused, the swirling green eyes, the arm Harry had slung around his own shoulders, the sheer radiating power that emanated off of him in waves…

Draco fell asleep with a feral grin and a gleam of desperate plotting in his arctic gray eyes.

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TBC